Holiday gatherings are more than just a feel-good tradition.
They’re actually good for you too!
Spending regular time with family and friends is linked to living longer, better mental health, and even a stronger immune system. They pack a lot of social benefits into a short time. Shared meals, traditions, and face-to-face chats all give us emotional support and make us feel like we belong.
Research shows that positive holiday interactions can ease loneliness, boost our well-being, and help us bounce back from anxiety and depression. Studies suggest that strong social ties are just as crucial for your long-term health as many of the conventional risk factors doctors focus on.
A large meta-analysis of 148 studies involving over 308,000 people found that folks with stronger social relationships were about 50% more likely to still be alive years later than those with weaker social relationships. This advantage was seen across all ages, genders, and health statuses, suggesting that staying connected helps pretty much everyone.
Since then, experts have started treating social isolation and loneliness as serious public health problems, right up there with the risks we all know about. Big studies like the UK Million Women Study and UK Biobank found that the most socially isolated adults had 30–40% higher mortality rates than the least isolated, even when researchers accounted for things like smoking.
Psychologists also point out that gratitude and meaning really come to the forefront during the holidays when we reflect on the past year. Feeling and expressing gratitude are linked to better moods, more optimism, and less stress. All of which, of course, improves our mental health.
Why does it all matter so much?
Holiday rituals, whether they be religious services, cultural celebrations, or just your family’s quirky customs, reinforce identity and continuity. Mental health experts say that participating in meaningful, nostalgic traditions offers comfort, structure, and purpose, all of which protect us against stress and anxiety. For a lot of us, gatherings are when we tell family stories, remember loved ones, and welcome new people into the fold—all of which strengthen bonds across generations and make us feel more supported.
We don’t have to overwhelm our schedules either. Choosing a few meaningful gatherings, scheduling one‑on‑one time with trusted people, or joining a community or volunteer event can capture many of the health benefits without overwhelming your energy or budget. And, if you’re far from loved ones, virtual celebrations, phone calls, and local community groups can still give you the social connection that’s linked to better health. Even small things, like sharing a meal with a neighbor or hopping on a video call, can add to the tapestry of relationships that help you live longer and healthier.
We hope you are as excited about this season as we are. Of course, there would be no Christmas or HOLIday season without Jesus.
He’s the light of the world. The Prince of Peace. The Lover of our souls.
With and in Him, ALL things are possible.
Including having a peace-filled, holistically healthy, wonderful Christmastime!
Sources:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/3474/
https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000316&mod=article_inline
https://jech.bmj.com/content/73/Suppl_1/A108.2
https://askjoedimatteo.com/blogs/news/cultivate-gratitude
