Facebook Pixel Festive overload Why it's better for stressed parents to do less at Christmas | The Guardian - newspaper - Bu hikayeyi Magzter.com'da okuyun

Denemek ALTIN - Özgür

Festive overload Why it's better for stressed parents to do less at Christmas

The Guardian

|

December 22, 2025

Advent calendars, check.

- Linda Geddes

Tree and decorations, check. Teachers' presents, nativity costumes and a whole new ticketing system for the PTA's Santa's grotto, check. But the Christmas cards remain unwritten, the to-do list keeps growing, and that Labubu doll your child desperately wants appears to have vanished from the face of the Earth.

If you're feeling frayed in the final days before Christmas, you're not alone. But research suggests this festive overload doesn't just leave parents tired and irritable - it may also make it harder to be emotionally honest with their children.

A longitudinal study tracking nearly 300 UK parents through the Christmas period found that as burnout increased, parents were more likely to suppress how they really felt in subsequent moments, with potential consequences for their own wellbeing and for how children learned about emotions.

Parental burnout is a relatively new concept, describing chronic exhaustion, emotional distancing and loss of fulfilment tied specifically to parenting. It has been linked to depression, relationship conflict and impaired parenting, but most previous studies have relied on one-off surveys, offering only a snapshot of a problem that can fluctuate from day to day.

To better understand how burnout unfolds, Dr Ziwen Teuber at the University of Luxembourg and colleagues recruited 293 UK parents - chosen in part for the country's cultural and socioeconomic diversity - and tracked their experiences in real time across the festive season using brief smartphone surveys sent several times a day.

"We were particularly interested in the Christmas period because it's a time when parenting stress often intensifies," said Teuber. "Routines change, social expectations increase, financial pressure rises and parents often feel responsible for creating enjoyable holiday experiences for their children - amplifying stress, while simultaneously reducing the resources parents usually rely on for recovery."

The Guardian'den DAHA FAZLA HİKAYE

The Guardian

It’s clean slates all round as collective amnesia grips PMQs

There’s something weird going on in Westminster.

time to read

3 mins

March 19, 2026

The Guardian

The Guardian

'A dangerous escalation': Israel strikes world's largest gasfield

Oil price rises as attack on Iran's energy sector prompts reprisal threats

time to read

4 mins

March 19, 2026

The Guardian

The Guardian

Ex-Google executive to be named as BBC boss

The former Google executive Matt Brittin is expected to be named as the BBC's next director general within days, with the corporation's board meeting today for a final discussion about the appointment.

time to read

2 mins

March 19, 2026

The Guardian

No 10 considers easing immigration changes

Keir Starmer is hoping to soften the impact of changes to the immigration system after a backlash from Labour MPs and a dramatic intervention from former deputy Angela Rayner.

time to read

3 mins

March 19, 2026

The Guardian

Prosecutors seek prison for son of Norwegian crown princess

Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Norway’s crown princess, should receive more than seven years in prison if he is found guilty of 39 offences, including four rapes and assaults, according to prosecutors.

time to read

1 mins

March 19, 2026

The Guardian

Hormuz UK says it remains in talks with allies but strait still too volatile to escort shipping

Britain has said it is still involved in discussions with the US and European allies over escorting merchant shipping through the strait of Hormuz, but that the situation remains too dangerous for it to happen soon.

time to read

2 mins

March 19, 2026

The Guardian

The Guardian

Reform MP may have broken rules by filming paid-for clips in Westminster

The Reform UK MP Lee Anderson has used his parliamentary office to record paid-for personalised messaging videos, in a possible breach of rules that prohibit the commercial use of the Palace of Westminster.

time to read

2 mins

March 19, 2026

The Guardian

The Guardian

Charity buys Wordsworth’s Lake District home and vows to keep it open to the public

It was the family home where William Wordsworth lived as poet laureate, hosted Tennyson and worked on his epic autobiographical poem, The Prelude.

time to read

2 mins

March 19, 2026

The Guardian

Greens Leader says society at heart of economic plans

A Green party government would not set targets for GDP growth and would instead focus on mental health, social cohesion and community welfare, Zack Polanski has said in a major speech on the economy.

time to read

2 mins

March 19, 2026

The Guardian

Draper adds another string to his bow

The British No 1has changed his racket and rebuilt his serve-and reaped the rewards to beat Djokovic

time to read

3 mins

March 19, 2026

Listen

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size