Being aware of mental health over the Christmas period: A more compassionate approach to the festive season
Last year, our ‘12 tips of Christmas: Helping you celebrate the seasonal festivities’ blog explored practical ways to ease stress and stay organised during the holidays. It struck a chord with many of our clients and colleagues who told us how helpful it was to have simple, supportive advice at a busy time of year.
This year, we’re taking that conversation a step further.
Christmas can be productive, joyful, and full of connection – but it can also place unexpected strain on our emotional wellbeing. As a business that supports legal professionals every day, we understand that behind the scenes of festive celebrations are real pressures, personal challenges and the relentless demands of a profession that rarely slows down.
So, in this year’s Christmas blog, we want to shine a light on something that matters more than any to-do list or diary plan: mental health.
Whether you're celebrating, working through the break or simply trying to get through the season, this guide offers understanding, reassurance and practical advice for looking after yourself and supporting others.
Why Christmas can be difficult for mental health
1. Darker days and winter fatigue
Short daylight hours, cold weather and long evenings disrupt sleep, lower mood and contribute to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), making winter a challenging backdrop to an already demanding season.
2. Increased pressure to be happy
The seasonal expectation to feel joyful – at work, in social settings and online – is overwhelming. When people don’t feel festive, they may hide their emotions, leading to guilt or shame when they don’t feel the ‘Christmas spirit’.
3. Financial strain
The cost-of-living crisis, holiday spending, travel and social events make December one of the most financially stressful times of the year. Money worries are closely linked to stress and anxiety.
4. Loneliness and disconnection
Christmas amplifies feelings of isolation for those spending the holidays alone or simply feeling alone, as well as those living away from family, coping with relationship breakdowns or suffering bereavement.
5. Grief and difficult memories
The season can stir up strong emotions and memories, especially for people missing loved ones or navigating their first Christmas after a major life change.
6. Work pressures and unmovable deadlines
In the legal profession, work doesn’t stop for Christmas – court dates don’t shift, client needs don’t disappear and year-end deadlines often land at the busiest point in the festive calendar. Delivering professionally while juggling personal expectations leaves people stretched thin.
7. A too-busy social calendar
Christmas parties, networking events and social commitments quickly fill every spare moment. For many, the fast pace and expectation to ‘show up smiling’ adds emotional – and physical – exhaustion.
Signs someone might be struggling
Not everyone expresses their struggles openly. Some warning signs can be subtle, for example:
Withdrawing from social events
Increased irritability or unusual mood swings
Over-apologising or expressing feelings of being a burden
Disturbed sleep or appetite changes
Excessive drinking as a coping mechanism
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Saying they ‘can’t face Christmas this year’
Recognising these signs is the first step towards offering meaningful support and responding with kindness.
How to support others
Kindness doesn’t require expert training – just awareness and empathy.
Check in on people with intention: “How are you really doing?”
Listen without trying to fix everything: Sometimes people need presence, not solutions.
Offer practical support: Be it an invitation, a lift, a meal or help with errands.
Be patient: If someone is quieter or more emotional than usual, don’t rush things.
Respect boundaries: Some people prefer small, calm interactions to big festive gatherings.
A small gesture can make a significant difference.
How to support your own mental wellbeing
As well as taking care of others, it’s important to recognise when we might be struggling too. Just as we look for signs of stress, overwhelm or fatigue in colleagues, friends and family, we also need to pay attention to the same signs in ourselves.
Feeling low, burnt out or emotionally stretched at Christmas isn’t a personal failing – it’s a human response to a demanding season. Being honest with yourself about how you’re coping, and responding with kindness rather than self-criticism, is one of the most powerful forms of self-care.
With that in mind, here are some gentle, practical ways to support your own wellbeing this Yuletide:
1. Take the pressure off
Christmas doesn’t have to be perfect. Choose what feels manageable for you, whether it’s scaling back plans, opting out of certain events or simplifying gift giving.
2. Create boundaries
It’s absolutely okay – and healthy – to say no. Protecting your energy is not selfish – it’s essential. Resting isn’t laziness – it’s maintenance
3. Take time out from work
Use your out-of-office reply and honour it. Stepping away from your inbox isn’t a luxury – it’s recovery and recuperation. Even a short break can have a huge impact on your stress levels.
4. Stay connected in manageable ways
A message, a walk, a quick call or a quiet coffee with someone you trust can be more uplifting than big gatherings.
5. Don’t over-commit socially
It’s flattering to be invited to so many events, but you don’t need to attend them all. Choose the ones that genuinely bring value or joy, and let yourself decline the rest.
6. Keep some routine
Hydration, meals, fresh air and sleep help maintain emotional balance during an unpredictable season.
7. Check in with your emotions
Write them down in a journal, talk to someone or pause to acknowledge them. Suppressing emotions often intensifies them. Learn to process them rather than bottling up.
8. Limit alcohol consumption
It’s easy to overindulge during December, but alcohol can intensify anxiety, impact sleep and lower mood.
Resources for mental health support
Support is available throughout the festive period, including Christmas Day. Here are sign posts to vital support helplines:
Samaritans (24/7): 116 123
Shout Crisis Text Line: Text SHOUT to 85258
NHS 111: For urgent mental health advice
Mind: Call 0300 123 3393 or visit mind.org.uk
CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably): 0800 58 58 58
LawCare: Call the specialist mental health charity supporting the legal community on 0800 279 6888 or visit lawcare.org.uk
Reaching out – whether for yourself or someone else – is an act of strength, not weakness.
A more compassionate Christmas
Christmas doesn’t look or feel the same for everyone. For some, it’s a joyful time of reunion. For others, it’s a season of pressure, loneliness, exhaustion or emotional strain.
By staying mindful and empathetic of mental health – our own and others’ – we make the season kinder, more inclusive and genuinely more meaningful.
From all of us at Integrated Office Solutions, we wish you a peaceful, restorative and compassionate Christmas.