Brian Griffith, outreach coordinator at Community Health Center of the Black Hills, noted a series of extreme symptoms that may signal to you or your family that you've come down with a case of the holiday blues.

n Sleeping more than usual

n Suffering from insomnia

n Losing your appetite

n Overindulging in comfort foods

n Being too busy - having no time to cook, eating fast food, disrupting routines

n Feeling sad

n Feeling overwhelmed

n Spending out of control

To avoid the blues, Griffin advises people to steer clear of the nostalgia of Christmas, because it is a memory and unachievable. Here are some other ideas that might help:

n Set priorities - Take time for yourself whether it is coffee with friends, a game with your children or listening to music, do this for you.

n Trim back on presents - Draw names for family gifts so you don't strain the budget; step out of the office's Secret Santa exchange and don't feel obligated to take on extra activities.

n Opt out of cookie exchanges - You see a lot of those cookies showing up in office lounges; do you really need them?

n Forget about keeping up with the Joneses - Some families and children are competitive about what they receive for Christmas. Coach family members that it is what they do and offer to the community rather than materialism that is important.

n Rein in the electronics trend - Music players, video games, phones and computers come with substantial price tags and a short time until they're obsolete. Parents need to be disciplined to counter the pleas for gadgetry. "It's important to replace that idea and help children find ways to contribute to a cause," Griffith said.

If you have too much going on in your life, these ideas could remove some of that stress and help avoid the blues, Griffith added.

"This isn't likely full-blown depression. But it is very real, stressful and demanding," he said.

Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com.