It’s an early Saturday morning in mid-December. You’ve sunken into your grey-swatched couch that has red and white plaid pillows on it from one end to the other. Your eight-foot Christmas tree is decked in a sea of twinkling white lights, complete with an array of red, green and silver ornaments.
The television plays your favourite Christmas movie while you sip from a blue and gold mug — given to you by your Aunt during the previous holiday season. It’s filled to the brim with your choice of Nespresso’s finest coffee pod and complete with your favourite peppermint mocha creamer. The snow slowly begins trickling down from the sky, creating a blanket of white outside of your picturesque windows.
At least, that’s what social media wants you to think…
As people scroll through Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok around this time of year, it’s hard to miss the many ways that people are living their holidays to the fullest. From popular creators posting videos of their homes that appear to have come out of a Hallmark Christmas movie set, to others who post a “getting ready with me” video for the exciting Christmas parties they have to attend, it’s hard not to compare their elaborate holiday festivities to the simple ones that many others have.
Even though Christmas is my absolute favourite time of the year, I always feel that I fall short of celebrating the season in the “proper way.” I feel as though I miss out on events throughout the city and watch far fewer Christmas specials on TV than I’d like to.
While many social media users seem to have endless amounts of time to celebrate the season, some individuals may think they are not doing enough in comparison. It has become far too easy to compare ourselves and our lives to those on social media, and it only worsens during special times of the year.
“Constant notifications and images of friends having big parties or perfectly-snapped photo shoots can make people feel like they aren’t celebrating in the ‘right way,’” said Healthline contributor Beth Ann Mayer.
Seeing other holiday posts can cause people to feel as though they are missing out on Christmas gatherings, heighten feelings of loneliness, and may take the joy out of their own plans. It’s easy for jealousy to take over when the ability to compare your everyday moments to others is at your fingertips.
However, there are a few suggested steps you can take to help limit these feelings this holiday season.
While it might seem self-explanatory, one way to tackle this issue is by limiting your amount of social media usage.
A 2018 study found that individuals who only spent 30 minutes on social platforms per day were happier and had “significant improvement in well-being.” Even though 30 minutes may seem like a drastic change for some (I know I spend at least two hours on TikTok per day), finding an attainable limit that you can strive for can help prevent anxiety and stress during the holiday season.
Another factor to remember is that individuals usually highlight their most exciting and positive experiences rather than the bad ones. Everything you see is strictly the moments people curate to create an illusion that they have their life tied up in a perfect red bow. So, the next time you find yourself comparing your holiday plans to those you see on your Instagram feed, remember that you don’t know how much fun was truly being had outside of the camera-captured moments.
Lastly, it’s important to take a step back and consider what you have to celebrate this holiday season. Whether it’s finishing up a tough semester, reuniting with a hometown friend, or simply getting to catch up on sleep — even if only for a few weeks — it’s important to recognize that everyone, no matter how small, has something to look forward to.
So, whether you choose to put your phone on vacation mode or use it to capture your favourite moments of the Christmas season, remember that there is no one perfect way to spend the holidays!