Holiday Blues: Most Workers Say the Season Is the Year’s Most Draining

Financial Pressure, Family Dynamics, and Work Stress Collide

For many Americans, the stretch between Christmas and New Year’s is far from cheerful. A new survey from Modern Health finds that 57% of workers consider the holidays the most mentally draining time of year, driven largely by financial strain. Two-thirds of employees say they feel pressure to overspend during the season — a number that spikes to 77% among members of the “sandwich generation,” who juggle caring for both children and aging relatives.

Family expectations compound the stress. More than half of workers expect family conflict to negatively affect their mental health, including 66% of parents and 71% of sandwich-generation caregivers. Nearly two-thirds also report feeling pressure to appear cheerful even when they’re struggling, and 53% say forced “gratitude” or “festivity” actually makes them feel worse.

Work Responsibilities Follow Employees Into the Holidays

The survey, conducted Oct. 21 among 1,000 full-time U.S. workers, also reveals that job demands show little sign of slowing during the festive season. Fifty-seven percent feel compelled to check email while on holiday, and more than half admit they’ve worked through the break to avoid family stress or simply keep up.

When the season ends, many find it difficult to rebound: 57% struggle to re-engage at work, and 40% have even considered quitting due to burnout or anxiety around returning to their jobs. A majority say their employer fails to acknowledge the emotional and financial load the holidays create.

How Employers Can Help Staff Weather the Season

Experts say compassion and flexibility are key. Modern Health’s Dr. Jessica Watrous notes that even “small acts of flexibility and understanding” can make employees feel supported. Recommendations from Workplace Intelligence include offering more schedule flexibility, encouraging time off, reducing workloads, ramping up mental-health communication, and using virtual tools to stay connected — all aimed at easing one of the year’s most emotionally demanding periods.