The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others’ burdens, easing others’ loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas.

W. C. Jones

At the risk of agreeing with a certain tight-fisted crank out of a Dickens novel, it may be a good thing the Holidays come but once a year.

After all, every cheerfully gift-wrapped package you place under the Christmas tree with care takes a bite out of your butter and egg money; every office party and mall crawl takes a bite out of your increasingly precious time; and, with every savory bite of turkey and all the gravy-soaked trimmings, the only thing you seem to have more of is yourself.

According to an American Psychological Association (APA) poll, most people point to lack of money as their chief holiday headache, followed in close order by the pressures of gift-giving, lack of time, and credit card debt. As if that weren’t enough coal in the national stocking, one-fifth of Americans worry that the holiday blues could damage their health, which isn’t surprising since 36 percent admit self-treating the problem with food and/or booze, two front-end fixes that commonly yield a freight of new frets down the road. Happily, there are plenty of effective remedies for seasonal stress that don’t involve either saturated fats or lampshade hats.

“Engage in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing,” counsels the APA. “Taking care of yourself helps keep your mind and body primed to deal with stressful situations.”

A solid 45 percent of Americans list exercise as their preferred stress-busting strategy. Got a house full of cranky relatives? Run away to the gym and let them resolve the great LED vs incandescent debate without you. Can’t face another minute of combat-shopping at Southwest Plaza? Most local wilderness trails are free, and there’s never a line.

Given the spirit of the season, it’s entirely appropriate that 44 percent of Americans banish their Christmas cares with religious and spiritual activities. If the holidays traditionally entail a whole raft of onerous duties and responsibilities, they also provide endless opportunities for both inspiration and quiet reflection. Special church observances, holiday concerts and programs, and even cable reruns of Perry Como Christmas specials can help the harried rise above the mundane and profane and appreciate the season’s more eloquent messages.

Finally, and as difficult as it may be, what with lights to string and cards to write and hams to glaze, the best antidote to winter worries is simply to get over yourself. You may be frustrated and fatigued, but at least you’ve got the strength to get up in the morning and a warm bed to collapse into each night.

“…Focus outward rather than inward,” advises Candy Arrington, writing for CBN.com. “Realize that you are not the only one struggling during the holidays. There are many others who are sad, depressed and lonely. Even though you might not feel like exerting yourself, push yourself to find a way to offer an act of service for an elderly or disabled person in your church or community.”

Turns out, the “season of giving” is called that for a very good reason. It’s hard to get uptight about the mote in your own eye when your attention is on the plank in somebody else’s.

“When you find a way to improve someone’s day, two things will happen,” explains the online Family Education Network. “One, you’ll forget your own worries for a while, perhaps even putting them in better perspective, and, two, you’ll feel a rush of confidence as you make a difference in someone’s life.”