Are you also a little sadder at Christmas?

Everyone loves Christmas, surely because it means holidays and reuniting with family. However, for many, the holiday season can be a time of pressure and melancholy, where the perceived social obligation to be happy only exacerbates their sadness. The phenomenon is known as the Christmas Blues, a term that refers to a form of melancholy associated with the holidays, and according to a new report, it affects as much as one in four Italians. A survey conducted by IKONO, a network of immersive spaces active in eight European cities, revealed that 24% of Italians experience feelings of sadness or melancholy during the Christmas period. IKONO interviewed a sample of 200 people, composed of 72% women and 67% Millennials, to understand how they emotionally experience the holidays. The data collected shows that 56% of respondents declare feeling mainly grateful and happy during Christmas, while 24% admit experiencing emotional discomfort manifested as sadness or melancholy.

An additional 11% experiences mixed emotions, alternating between moments of cheerfulness and feelings of nostalgia and boredom, while 9% declare themselves indifferent to the Christmas atmosphere. In short, although Christmas is generally perceived as a time of collective joy, it can also amplify negative emotions related to loneliness, stress, or difficult memories. The IKONO survey explored the main reasons behind this holiday melancholy. More than a third of respondents (34%) attribute their discomfort to the social pressure to appear happy during the holidays. The need to conform to an ideal of joy and serenity can indeed create stress and anxiety in those who do not feel up to expectations. For 29% of respondents, the Christmas Blues is linked to memories of past Christmases, often spent with people who are no longer present – a sense of loss and absence that the nostalgic dimension of Christmas, with its traditions and rituals, can intensify. Other reported causes include family disagreements and relational difficulties (14%), which become more pronounced during holiday gatherings, and the absence or distance of loved ones, identified by 12% as the main reason for sadness.

Despite the presence of the Christmas Blues, Christmas remains a period where family traditions prevail. 73% of respondents state that they spend the holidays with family or friends, while 14% use the Christmas season to travel or explore new destinations. Another 7% prefer to enjoy the city they live in, participating in events or local activities, while 6% choose to spend the holidays alone, appreciating the peace and time for themselves.