Are You Burnt Out On The Holidays Yet?

The holiday frenzy seems to kick into high gear earlier every year. A new study finds that by the time Kris Kringle comes knocking, one-third of Americans are burned out by all the fuss.

While Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, this study also finds that for 68% of us, it's also the most stressful time of the year.

According to the results, festive burnout will set in for 36% of Americans before mid-December. Another 17% say they're over all the hoopla before December even starts.

Crowds and shopping are the biggest contributors to holiday bah humbug. Long lines and endless loops of holiday music, paired with commercial overload are also main factors in the scrooge effect.

In my family, Christmas decorating doesn't typically start until the third week of December. We generally leave everything up until Epiphany on January 6. By that time, the tree has shed a majority of its needles and we are ready to get on with the rest of the year. I guess it's all this November snowfall that kicked us into gear earlier than ever before. Everything but the tree and the outdoor lights are up at the Deien home. Believe it or not, the shopping is even done. Hopefully that will help cut back on the stress of the season.

The average American will spend 38 hours shopping leading up to Christmas. That's practically a full work week to squeeze in before the Yuletide. No wonder we're stressed! While finding time for everything is a challenge at this time of year, the number one remedy to the hectic holiday is a nice long nap. Merry Christmas! And happy napping!