Christmas stress reliever games become more popular as the holidays approach. Playing one of these computer games is one way to manage the extra anxiety the season often brings.
What Causes Holiday Stress?
The holiday season - the five weeks from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day- can be a wonderful time of year with parties, family visits and celebrations. Unfortunately, the very things that make the holidays enjoyable can also add to a person's stress level. Reasons for increased stress over the holidays include:
- Financial worries - The holidays can amplify any ongoing financial woes. Purchasing presents and attending multiple parties and events can be costly; a budget that is already tight can be ruined.
- Activity overload - Keeping up with all the social obligations of the season can be wearing and stressful.
- Too much family time - It can be nice to visit with family but the holidays can bring out the worst in family members. The added stress can worsen any previous family disputes.
- Loneliness - Just as spending too much time with family and friends can cause stress, spending the holidays alone without family and friends can be equally stressful.
Since it may be impossible to avoid many of the activities associated with the holidays, finding ways to relieve stress is key to surviving the season. Stress relieving games are one way to achieve this.
What Is a Christmas Stress Game?
There are several computer games that are available for stressed people to download or play online. These games offer a few minutes of mindless fun and are a harmless way to take a break. The Christmas versions of the games have a holiday theme and often incorporate Santa Claus or Christmas images into the fun.
Christmas Gems
In this game, the goal is to clear as many rows of Christmas gems as possible before the timer runs out. The gems must be swapped into matching rows or columns of three or more for them to be destroyed. Each level gets progressively more difficult.
Night of the Snowmen
The goal of Night of the Snowmen is to shoot as many snowmen as possible before the snowman catch you. There is also a timer that the player is trying to beat along with the snowmen.
Arcade Lines - Christmas Version
Arcade Lines is a board that fills up with multicolored tiles; you have to form rows of five or more tiles to make more space for incoming tiles. The Christmas version has festive graphics.
Chicken Invaders 2 - Christmas Edition
Chickens plan to take over Christmas in this game. The birds are from outer space, and the player tries to avoid falling eggs while trying to protect the world.
Deep Freeze
In Deep Freeze, Santa Claus is destroying his enemies by shooting a water gun that turns the bad guys into ice. The bad guys contain antifreeze so they have to be shot several times before they turn into ice; a swift kick will destroy the ice-cube villain.
Beware When Downloading
While all of these games look like fun, you must be careful when Googling and downloading any Christmas stress games. Check the safety of the website before you begin. Many websites may have viruses or other types of malware; this could make your holiday even more stressful as your computer may need some expert help to get it working again. A good antivirus program will definitely make Christmas a little brighter.
