Zodiac

Why Holiday Stress Overwhelms You, By Zodiac Sign

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Why You Feel Stress During The Holidays, By Zodiac Sign Astrology

Every zodiac sign seems to be associated with some type of holiday season. If you're an Aries, you are associated with spring and Easter.

A Capricorn has the winter solstice and Christmas stress to add on their list. Astrology looks at each zodiac sign as a symbol for whatever season or activity a person should be focusing on.

Change can be stressful, and when you're celebrating a special occasion that includes family, travel, buying presents and cooking dinner for the whole gang, it's a bit overwhelming, no matter how much fun it is.

The holiday season isn't always fun for everyone.

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For some of us, it's just a bunch of chaos and crowds, spending money, and making a mess just for a few days of fun.

I know, that sounds so pessimistic, but we can all get into that mindset when we're feeling stressed out, can't we?

Of course, we can! When the holiday season approaches, it's important for us all to remember that there's a good chance that everything can't be perfect – so we might as well enjoy what we can without feeling like we're failing when one or two things go wrong (ahem, Virgo).

But even a perfectionist like Virgo can get super stressed out during the holiday season. Everyone gets stressed out for different reasons, depending on what is most important to them during the holidays. For some zodiac signs, being with family and friends is important.

Of course, when it feels like you don't have any downtime for yourself – and you're constantly answering inappropriate questions about your love life – it can be hard to want to spend any more time with the people you love.

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For others, it's the societal norms of what the holidays should be like that can be stressful. The idea that you have to spend all of your money on gifts and food just to impress people you see other times throughout the year can be frustrating and make you feel like you have to be someone you're not just for your guests to have a good time.

Look, it might not help to say it because we ALL deal with the same stress, but the holidays are what you make of them. You don't have to drop thousands of dollars and go all out just for a few days of fun with your family and friends!

You can make your own traditions or – my favorite idea – get away for the holidays and just relax. When you feel the stress headaches come on, there are a few things you can do to get yourself back in the holiday mood.

For one, always make time for yourself. There are no rules that say you can't take a break, especially when the questions are starting to get even more personal and the cookies keep burning in your brand-new oven.

Even if it's just for an afternoon, get away from the crowds and the responsibilities, and let yourself have some "me time" until you feel better. Another way to combat stress is to delegate tasks. No one says you have to be the only one in charge!

Have a cousin decorate the cookies, have your parents help you wrap the presents, get a friend to set the table for dinner. You can still be the boss, but your little helpers will make sure that you aren't the only ones doing all the work.

The holidays will probably always be a hectic time of the year, due to horoscope transits and all the planets that change their aspects which affect each zodiac sign in its own way.

But knowing what stresses you out and making a plan to nip that stress in the bud before it gives you a migraine will help you stay enjoying the holiday season instead of resenting it.

Here is why the holidays stress you out, based on astrology, by horoscope date.

ARIES (March 21 - April 19)

The holiday season is a way to take stock of everything that you've done and accomplished in the past year, Aries. As someone who is always looking to achieve as much as possible, this is your time to shine; for you to humbly brag about the things you've done.

That said, it can also be stressful when you think about the things you haven't accomplished this past year. Thinking about your failures might be stressing you out the most this holiday season, but it's also a time to regroup and decide what to focus on next year.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)

You like going all out during the holidays, Taurus. You believe that this is the time of year for you to really thank your friends and family for being there for you, and you want to thank them for all that they've done by getting them the gifts they've been hinting at forever.

Of course, there's so much pressure to spend a lot of money during the holiday season that you feel like you have to keep up with everyone else, otherwise, you'll be known as the person who gives out crappy gifts. Not being able to afford the holidays is super stressful for you every year.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 20)

You like the fun, exciting things that come with the holiday season, Gemini, but you can still find it very stressful and overwhelming. The main thing that gets you stressed out is dealing with the crowds and chaos.

Going to the mall, trying to find parking, going grocery shopping – it ALL comes with crowds that are just as overwhelmed as you are. While you might like shopping or going out, but the sheer amount of people can make you want to retreat to your apartment until the holidays are over.

CANCER (June 21 - July 22)

You absolutely love your family, Cancer, no one can argue with you on that. But you love your family on your terms, not theirs. What that means is that when they come into your home during the holidays and nag you about your job, relationship, and life, it can stress you out.

Things with your family feel easy to manage in your head, but when you actually find yourself in that situation, it's hard for you to remember to pick your battles. You can get stressed out when you realize that you're stuck with your family for a while when you really want some alone time.

RELATED: 4 Damaging PHYSICAL Symptoms Of Emotional Stress

LEO (July 23 - August 22)

When it's the middle of the summer or just starting to cool off in late September, it's easy for you to say yes to every holiday invite that comes your way, Leo. You love filling up your calendar with get-togethers, family dinners, and holiday parties galore.

But all of these obligations can stress you out immensely. You would love to spend time with as many people as possible during the holidays, but it's important to take care of your mental health, too. Spending time with people you enjoy (and not just everyone who wants to chill) will ensure you're avoiding some of that stress.

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22)

You can organize all you want, Virgo, but every year, you find yourself scrambling at the very last second to get things done or get your plans completely scheduled. You can't even help it – you like keeping busy. You just never realize how much you're getting yourself into until it's too late.

The holidays stress you out because you can't get it all done. What your guests see is a beautiful holiday party, gifts for all, and a wonderfully-catered dinner. What you see are things that you had to settle for because your true vision couldn't be realized... this year, at least.

LIBRA (September 23 - October 22)

The holidays are fun for you when you're in the midst of all the wine-drinking and cookie-eating, Libra, but when all is said and done, you remember just how crappy you feel afterward. The bloating, the headaches, the late nights making you sluggish – it ALL sucks.

Being so exhausted and overindulging stresses you out. No matter how many times you tell yourself that you won't drink too much or that you'll try to eat as healthy as possible, it all goes down the drain when you're out with family and friends, having a good time.

SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21)

With the holiday season comes tradition, Scorpio, and lots of it. You prefer making new memories with new people, rather than rehashing all of the old stuff that wasn't very fun when you had to deal with them years ago.

One of the biggest things that overwhelms you out during the holidays is the grilling that comes with seeing your family again – yet another tradition that should die. You hate answering personal questions, and you hate knowing that no matter what you say, it's going to be the wrong thing... sigh.

RELATED: 10 Ways To Get REAL With Yourself About Stress (So Life Doesn't BURN You Out)

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21)

You are all about moving forward and looking to the future, Sagittarius, which is why it can suck to come home for the holidays and have to confront your past. I mean, no one likes running into an ex or an old neighbor and rehash old, embarrassing memories, right?

The holidays stress you out the most because you know there's no way to avoid your past, even though it might only be for a few days. Awkward small talk will be the death of you during the holidays, but it's also a chance for you to talk about how well you're doing.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19)

Just because there are a lot of parties and obligations around the holiday season doesn't mean you can't feel lonely, too, Capricorn. This is especially true if you have to work or can't be with the people you love around this time.

Being lonely can stress you out because you feel like you're missing out on some really fun things – and video chat and texting can only connect you so much. This is a great time for you to volunteer in your community, reach out to friends, or look for local events to get you some much-needed social interaction.

AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18)

When you're around the right company and having a good time without too much expectation, Aquarius, you actually enjoy the holidays. But you are also the kind of person to look ahead to the future, and that in itself can stress you out.

The main thing that stresses you out about the holidays is preparing for the new year. You like make New Year's resolutions because it gives you something to look forward throughout the year, but you also put a lot of pressure on yourself to keep the promises you make to yourself and actually stick to your resolutions.

PISCES (February 19 - March 20)

When you were little, you absolutely loved the holidays because they were full of magic and wonder. You remember dreaming of all the gifts you would get, seeing friends and family, and going to a lot of parties.

Of course, things change as you grew up, and now the holidays aren't exactly how they used to be so many years ago. Your expectations for the holidays are what stress you out the most. You want them to be perfect, and when they can't be exactly how you dreamed they used to be, you feel let down.

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Emily Ratay is a full-time writer living in Pittsburgh. She's passionate about the environment and feminism, and knows that anything is possible in the right pair of shoes. She plans on writing a non-fiction book in the future.