It is the winter holiday time once again. A time of food, family, gifts, and celebrations, for some at least who are fortunate enough to have loved ones with whom to celebrate and a budget with which to buy gifts and food.

In fact, the holidays always strike me as a time when the divide between the “haves” and the “have-nots” seems the widest. There are probably more free meals offered at this time of year by churches and organizations, more people willing to volunteer to serve them, and more people partaking in them.

Besides an economic divide, the holidays can also be the best or worst time of the year emotionally. When surrounded by friends and family this dark time of the year weather and season-wise can seem a lot brighter. However, for people who don’t have a good support system and suffer from seasonal depression or other issues, this time of year can be far from jolly.

In fact, the holidays can be a bittersweet time of year for many because our consumer culture creates a buzz that everything is supposed to be perfect. Anyone who falls short of those expectations can easily feel left out. Really, there is never a time when everything can be perfect. Everyone has problems to deal with, no matter what time of year.

So don’t put extra pressure on yourselves. The holidays don’t have to be the best time of year. Meals don’t have to be fancy and presents need not be expensive. Help those who have less but also take time to take care of yourselves. Really, the winter holidays are just a short period of time within the season. If you are someone who loves this time of year, enjoy! Otherwise, this too shall pass.