Navigate holiday stress effectively: key insights from the SADAG Festive Feeling Study

As someone who has experienced the highs and lows of the festive season, from joyful gatherings with friends to the quiet hum of financial stress awaiting January, I know firsthand how overwhelming this time of year can be.

The holidays are a time of family responsibilities, financial pressure and societal expectations, but they can also offer rest, connection and renewal.

The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) recently released its 2025 Festive Feeling Study, which sheds light on how South Africans experience the festive season.

With 2,095 responses from people aged 18 to 65+ across all walks of life, the findings are both revealing and thought-provoking. Whether you’re thriving, surviving, or simply enduring, there’s a lot to unpack and even more to act on.

Dr Bronwyn Dworzanowski-Venter, who helped analyse the study, noted during the webinar hosted by SADAG on December 10, a stark divide in how people experience the holidays. While some embrace the season with optimism, others grapple with stressors like financial strain, family dynamics and loneliness.

Here are some of the study’s key findings:

• 73% worry about making ends meet in January, with financial struggles topping the list of holiday stressors.
• 69% feel anxious about not being able to spoil loved ones, adding emotional weight to financial concerns.
• Nearly half (47%) reported feeling tired “for no good reason” most of the time, with 36% describing everything as feeling like an effort.
• 31% experienced persistent feelings of depression, hopelessness, and nervousness, a sobering indicator of widespread psychological distress.
• 45% reported being very lonely during previous festive seasons, despite the season’s emphasis on connection.

Dworzanowski-Venter highlighted that men often cope by “disconnecting”, driven by financial inadequacies. Women, while equally burdened by financial concerns, tend to push through by focusing on family and connection, often at the expense of their own well-being.

We are extremely exhausted!

One striking finding is that 58% of people start the new year already exhausted, a result of overcommitting and under-resting. While nearly half of respondents (51%) plan to prioritise sleep as a coping mechanism, many also lean toward numbing behaviours like binge-watching TV or withdrawing socially.

The problem isn’t just overspending or over-scheduling; it’s the emotional toll of trying to meet expectations, ours and others’. For many, the season becomes a cycle of giving to everyone but themselves, leaving little energy for January’s demands.

While the holidays are supposed to be about togetherness, they can also amplify feelings of loneliness. Interestingly, men and women reported similar levels of loneliness, but the reasons differ.

Women often feel “lonely in a crowd,” burdened by the invisible labour of maintaining social connections. Men, on the other hand, frequently equate their value with financial contributions, leading to isolation when they feel they can’t provide.

One respondent captured this perfectly: “I wish it [Christmas] could pass because I don’t have money to spoil my family, and they’re expecting so much from me.”

What does resetting actually mean?

Dworzanowski-Venter suggests that the idea of a festive “reset” is crucial but often misunderstood. Resetting doesn’t require a grand gesture about intentionality and small, meaningful steps toward balance.

Here’s how you can approach your own reset:

1. Start small: Break your life into quadrants: physical health, financial health, relationships, and community contribution. Choose one small action in each area. For example:

• Physical: Commit to a daily walk, even if it’s just 10 minutes.
• Financial: Consolidate one debt or avoid a single unnecessary expense.
• Relationships: Set boundaries with difficult relatives while nurturing connections with those who bring joy.
• Community: Volunteer or perform a simple act of kindness, like picking up litter on your walk.

2. Prioritise rest over numbing: Rest isn’t just about sleep, it’s about mindful activities that recharge you. Instead of zoning out on Netflix alone, invite family to join and make it a shared experience.

3. Embrace imperfection: The perfect Christmas is a myth. Have honest conversations with loved ones about expectations and limitations. One respondent shared that simplifying holiday traditions, like skipping the elaborate cooking, brought her closer to her children.

4. Stay present: Journaling, prayer, or quiet reflection can help anchor you during the chaos. Research shows that writing down your thoughts builds mental resilience, yet only 11% of survey respondents planned to journal.

Connection over perfection

If there’s one thing the SADAG study makes clear, it’s that meaningful connections matter more than material gifts or Instagram-worthy moments. Yet, fostering connection requires effort:

• For men, this might mean shifting the narrative around worth, emphasising inherent value over financial contributions.
• For women, it could mean permitting yourself to prioritise self-care without guilt.

As we approach the festive season, let’s use the insights from the SADAG study to reshape our approach. Share this information with friends, family, or colleagues who might need a reminder that it’s okay to say no, to rest, and to reset.

For mental health support, contact SADAG at 0800 567 567 or visit their website for resources.