Enjoy The Holiday Season - Introvert Style!

The holiday season is full of energy. Music, lights, parades, pageants, parties, shopping, preparing, decorating and visiting are all part of the common holiday recipe for joy. But for an introvert, this can be too much to bear. It's not that we don't like the holiday season. We do. But we like it in a quieter, less frenetic way than most.

Introverts get their energy from quiet activities like reading or doing a hobby by themselves or from solitary walks. A nap under a favorite blanket, or spending a quiet moment warming by the fire are favorite ways for introverts to recharge. Introverts relish solitude and peace . That's why we get so frazzled during the holiday season. It's not a terribly peaceful time, and as far as solitude goes – forget it!

Both introverted adults and children suffer in the extroverted excitement that the holidays bring. We get exhausted and feel crabby. We long to spend some time alone. While all this sounds crazy to a happy extrovert, we introverts really need to find more peaceful ways to celebrate. Here are some ideas:

Allow for quiet time every day during the holiday season. Even if it's only an hour.

Allow introverted children time to play alone and don't pressure them to participate in every activity.

Limit partying. You don't have to go to every party nor do you have to stay at any party more than an hour or so unless you want to.

If you have an introverted spouse, discuss how long you'll spend at a party and what the ground rules are. An understanding significant other won't get upset if you decide to sit quietly sipping a glass of wine at a party instead of participating in the game of Charades. And you can always drive separately if you want to leave a little early. The point is to spend some time with your friends and family . Wish them a wonderful holiday and then go home and relax.

Spend some time doing quieter holiday activities, too. Make tree decorating a quiet “just us” family activity rather than a party where you invite your extended family . This is helpful to introverted children.

Cuddle up under a blanket and watch a favorite holiday movie – just you by yourself or with a couple special people.

Turn down the lights, light a fire and turn on the Christmas tree lights. Play some holiday carols quietly and sit for a while enjoying the beautiful scene.

Shop online. Avoid the malls and stores during December.

Take some time to reflect on the beauty of winter, the meaning of the holidays, the good things that have happened in the past year. If you have an introverted child, encourage him or her to create a drawing or a story about these or other holiday thoughts. Let your child spend plenty of time exploring his or her creativity and imagination quietly.

The holiday season too often leaves a bunch of overwhelmed and exhausted introverts in it's wake. If you're an introvert, or you have an introverted child in your family, make a concerted effort to find and provide peace and solitude on a regular basis during the month of December. You'll find that everyone enjoys the holidays a whole lot more.