Holiday Overwhelm

As I write this, I acknowledge that a good portion of my attitude has to do with how I was raised – by an overachieving mom who I love dearly but who is also fervently religious, a perfectionist, and a chronic overextender.

Having said that, I can’t help but think that the constant barrage of Shabbos, Yom Tov, and Chagim is inherently overwhelming – no matter what one’s upbringing was like.

I don’t enjoy preparing for, hosting, or attending fancy meals/parties every five minutes. Someone was asking me about my Chanukah plans, and I told her that aside from a single latke dinner with family and presents, I actually appreciate the “normalcy” of Chanukah and how low-key I can keep it.

In fact, the reason I find Purim exceedingly difficult is because it’s so overwhelming. There’s so many time-consuming Mitzvot to take care of in a single day, there’s so much pressure, there’s so much noise, there’s so much public drunknenness…It makes me feel like I’m drowning in a sea of overwhelm.

Does anyone else get overwhelmed by Shabbos/Yom Tov/Chagim preparation and celebration? Do you ever feel like “running away” from a while and just living a boring, “normal” life in order to catch your breath? I wonder if I’m alone in this.