‘Tis the season to stress

Young Chang

There’s the gift list that sprouts names like a salamander regrows

chopped legs.

There are the cupcakes you have to bake because your kid promised to

bring sweets to her holiday party at school.

There’s the matter of whether you should eat 500 more daily calories

just because co-workers and family keep throwing ginger-spiced

temptations your way.

There are the lines at the register, lines at the airport and, most

infuriatingly, lines snaking out the door of every local post office.

All the while, there is still work.

It may not snow in Southern California, but when life’s little tasks

snowball around the holidays, stress levels mount until reality resembles

something out of a Chevy Chase holiday movie, experts say.

But there are antidotes for December’s sometimes maddening bustle and

jingle. Whether it’s a good spa spoiling or just some psychological

advice, we’ve sought professional solutions to keep holiday mayhem at

bay.

“One reason [for stress] is that people have certain expectations

around the holidays in terms of meeting family, gift-giving expectations,

people travel more, people who are visiting family and friends are trying

to pack in a whole relationship within a few short days,” said

Christopher Ingalls, a Newport Beach psychologist.

Usually, the consequences stop at getting frustrated, overeating and

indulging in too much alcohol.

But Sgt. Steve Shulman, spokesman for the Newport Beach Police

Department, confirmed that reports of certain crimes do increase during

holiday months.

“We probably get more calls with regard to domestic violence and

family arguments than other times of the year,” Shulman said. “I couldn’t

tell you the reason for it, but I’m sure that the holidays play into the

cause.”

Increased alcohol-related violations also show up on his incident log

-- an event the sergeant links to the rise in domestic disturbances.

Before you reach for that mug of spiked eggnog, consider these less

caloric, sobering alternatives.

A discussion on seasonal stress, complete with helpful tips, will take

place at St. Mark Presbyterian Church on Dec. 16. The 11 a.m. talk on how

to cope with holiday stress will be led by parish nurse Janice Brown.

If family relations rank highest on your stress meter, Ingalls

suggests setting realistic expectations before dealing with the ties that

bind. Don’t stay a week with people you have issues with. Instead, cut

the trip at a couple of days.

“Kind of plan your strategy so you don’t set yourself up for a fall,”

Ingalls said.

If the thought of food at parties stresses you out, set boundaries

before you get there. Don’t tell yourself you won’t eat -- that kind of

“compulsive” behavior will only hinder the fun -- but you should control

what you eat.

“You can still have a good time without gorging yourself,” Ingalls

said.

Instead of planning a life-changing trip to the gym for Dec. 26, the

psychologist recommends hopping on the StairMaster throughout the

holidays. And if exercise isn’t your thing, make it a family affair by

taking a long walk or organizing a football game.

A more profound source of stress comes from sorrow. If the holidays

make you sad rather than festive, if carols and tinsel remind you of

loved ones lost, Ingalls suggests getting involved in new activities to

create new memories.

“Maybe volunteering at a nonprofit agency or helping with the school

Christmas play,” he said. “Get involved with something that would take

your mind off the loss and put it on something positive.”

But in doing for others, don’t forget to do a little something for

yourself. Treat yourself to a pair of new shoes or a new book -- whatever

little thing you’ve talked yourself out of needing.

Like a spa package.

A massage or a facial can be a refuge for people under pressure.

Masseurs at Total Body Care in Costa Mesa say patrons sought massage’s

healing touch after the events of Sept. 11.

“We had regular clients that weren’t aware of their stress, who said

‘I’m fine, I just want to relax.’ All of a sudden they’d be brought to

tears,” manager Janette Licata said.

Licata linked her September customer surge to what she expects this

month.

“They escape. It kind of brings them back to normalcy,” she said.

Angela Cortright, owner of Spa Gregorie’s in Newport Beach, says

massages are considered the best stress-buster. Some of her clients walk

in desperately needing a de-stressing session.

“They completely melt down, they’re like a big mound of Jell-Obecause

you get all that built-in stress in the excitement of the holidays,”

Cortright said.

FYI

* WHAT: Discussion with nurse Janice Brown on how to cope with holiday

stress

* WHERE: St. Mark Presbyterian Church, corner of Jamboree Road and

East Bluff/Ford in Corona del Mar

* WHEN: 11 a.m. Dec. 16 (after the 9:30 a.m. service)

* COST: Free

* CALL: (949) 644-1341