Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwaanza, New Year's... the holiday season endures. Hopefully, the season spurs feelings of love, sharing and gratitude. But let's face it, this is also a stressful and demanding time time of year especially if you're in the middle of a divorce.

You've got enough on your mind without trying to figure out where you'll get the energy to decorate the tree or where the money to buy gifts is going to come from. I remember my first Christmas after my ex-husband and I separated. I smiled, but all I really wanted to do was crawl into a ball and pull the covers over my head. That Christmas, I made some mistakes that sucked all the joy out of the season.

But going through that experience taught me some ways to make the season more enjoyable. Here are some tips to help you get through the holidays:

1. Simplicity is key. If you're wrapped up in negative emotions and feeling overwhelmed by legal issues your best bet is to simplify. Do this by letting go of traditions that cause you stress. Cut back on the amount of decorating you do. Don't feel pressured to attend more parties than you feel up to. Doing less can lift your spirits and your mood. Perfectly spiked eggnog helps too!

2. Don't isolate yourself. When we're feeling overwhelmed and beat up emotionally we often want to retreat — to isolate ourselves so we don't have to deal with the holiday at all. But that would be taking the easy way out — and we women aren't known for such behavior. So, no matter how powerful the urge to be alone is fight it off and share your holiday with close friends or family. Surround yourself with people who are enjoying themselves. You might just find their mood infectious.

3. Take care of your health. Staying healthy mentally and physically is important year round, but you should pay be sure to take care of yourself during the holidays, when you might be feeling especially stressed. Make sure you're getting all the rest you need, eat balanced meals and limit intake of all the sweets that are available during the season. A sugar high means an eventual sugar low, not to mention added inches. All you need is to get through the holidays and then have to worry about divorce issues and shedding those extra pounds.

4. Step up your exercise routine. Add an extra day a week of cardio workout and weight bearing exercise. Exercise stimulates brain chemicals that help you feel happier and more relaxed. It can also lift feelings of depression and anxiety. Add some deep breathing techniques to your regular exercise routine. Without proper oxygen, we become mental slugs full of negative thoughts and feelings of depression. So, take a deep breath, exhale slowly.

Cathy heads up About.com's Divorce Support channel. Go to About.com's Divorce channel to hear more from her.