Are you catching holiday blues instead of cheer? Here are some ways to find peace

Bells are ringing. Snow is glistening. But you’re bummed out.

You could be suffering from a case of the holiday blues, which experts say is not uncommon.

A strained relationship with family, for example, can make this time of year pretty lonely. The holidays are expensive, and financial woes can cause major stress. Anxiety about holiday anything can fuel depression and worsen existing mental health concerns.

“A lot of people at certain years can find the holidays to be more challenging than they have experienced in past years,” said Shilagh Mirgain, a psychologist at UW Health in Madison, Wisconsin. “It’s important to recognize the common humanity that others, too, are struggling.