Why Holiday Loneliness Hits So Hard, and What to Do About It

Key points

Holiday expectations can make joyful times feel like pressure or highlight emotional distance from others.

Seasonal memories of loss or change can also stir up feelings of grief and loneliness.

Shorter days and colder weather can make it harder to cope.

Try to adjust your expectations, practice good self-care, and seek real connection where you can.

Halloween decorations seem to go up earlier every year, don’t they? Practically as soon as the summer ends and the kids go back to school, grocery stores begin to stock candy and set out plastic skeletons. But for many Americans, these displays aren’t welcome, because they announce the coming of the holiday season. They know that once Halloween has passed, Thanksgiving will take over for a few weeks and then lead directly into t