The holiday season tends to be a stressful one. A notable component; Christmas traditions.
Getting into the spirit tends to fall hand-in-hand with classic traditions. Traditions originate from all walks of life which helps to make the holiday more special. Some of these traditions limit the amount of time you dedicate to sleep.
Let us dive into some of the most common.
Christmas Caroling
A popular way to celebrate the holidays, caroling has been done for thousands of years. While they were not always for Christmas specifically, this tradition was used as a way to show praise. Dancing is not always promised, but you can always count on singing.
Interestingly enough, at one point in history, caroling was outlawed. The Puritans came to power in England in the 1640s and outlawed Christmas carols due to the belief that they were “popish holdovers.”
Luckily now, we are free to participate in caroling. With this said, caroling typically happens at night. A group of people will form together and walk house to house and sing. This is purposed to bring light to the cheer of Christmas.
Now as far as how this affects sleep, typically caroling will happen, the traditional timeline takes place from St. Thomas’s Day which is December 21, to Christmas day, December 25. Participating in four days’ worth of caroling will take a toll. It is important to make sure you catch up on your sleep this holiday.
Christmas Shopping
Searching for that perfect gift, keeping to a budget, remembering what everyone wants; all of these things cause stress for those shopping for the holidays.
Keeping your eyes open for all the sales, your email inbox filled with suggestions, it can be hard to narrow it down. This process is even more difficult if you have children, they expect to get all their desired gifts from Santa.
According to statistics, American adults reported that they would spend an average of $932 on gifts this Christmas season. This is a nearly $100 increase in spending compared to the previous year. Large budgets like this may have you staying a bit longer at work, or keep you up waiting for that sale to drop. This impacts the quality of sleep needed each night.
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Seeing Christmas Lights/Decorations
Most cities/towns deck their spaces in Christmas decorations. This causes an influx of tourists and visitors to come out, especially at night to walk around the lights. This is a perfect opportunity for Christmas themed vendors to sell their products. A lot of the time families will walk around to get in the spirit.
The longer you stay out, the less sleep you get. Especially if you frequently visit those pop-up Christmas-themed bars. It is normal to want to soak up the season but it is important to set aside enough time for bed!
Staying up for Santa
Thanks to hundreds of Christmas-themed movies, it is a common belief for children that the later they stay up, the better chance there is to see Santa. This affects parents considering most want their kids to go to bed and then be ready to wake up in the morning to open up presents.
The excitement of hearing those steps and walking downstairs to see the tree filled with presents is what those kids live for. The challenge of getting them to bed and having enough time to do your Santa duties may keep you up later than you would prefer.
All in the Christmas spirit, it is understandable that kids want to feel that feeling of anticipation. Regardless, make sure you’re taking that extra nap Christmas morning to catch up on lost sleep.
Christmas Eve Parties
It is a classic tradition to have a party on the night of Christmas Eve. Everyone is looking forward to opening up presents; in some cases, the Christmas Eve party is the opening of a present or all presents. Based on Jewish traditions, many people celebrate on the Eve of Christmas because they believe Jesus was born at midnight
The story goes, the night the shepherds kept watch, they saw a bright star. This is what told them that Jesus was born.
In parts of Europe, on Christmas Eve it is believed that animals will briefly possess the power of speech. This is explained through the significance of the Nativity scene. It pictures Jesus’ birth while being surrounded by barn animals such as the ox and donkey.
Even some pagan and supernatural beliefs adhere to Christmas Eve. In Scandinavian countries, there is such belief that the dead visit their past homes on Christmas Eve. They set up their houses in an orderly fashion to prepare for their visitors. Chairs are dusted so if there is any appearance of dirt or dust, they know someone was present.
Wrapping Presents
Procrastination is an easy thing to get caught up in. If you are clearly organized the night before Christmas, all power to you. Not everyone is like this though. Trying to make every present look aesthetically pleasing can be a challenge.
At the end of the day, people appreciate the thought. Don’t stay up all night trying to make the bottom of your tree look like something out of a Macy’s catalog. Not every box needs a bow or ribbon!
Enjoy the season, but get your sleep
Christmas comes once a year so there is no problem wanting to take advantage of this. Remember it is a time for thanks and being with those you care about. Appreciate the small things around you and remember to take care of yourself. There is no competition.
As always, get your sleep! It’s what Santa would want.
To restful and healthy days ahead.
The Relaxium Team
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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