A 2008 holiday stress poll by the APA showed that more than eight out of 10 Americans anticipate stress during the holiday season. Money, in particular, can be a cause of stress, as parents feel demands to purchase gifts, decorations and other items tied to holiday celebrations. In the 2008 holiday stress poll, households with children were more likely to report anticipating stress during the holidays than those without, and one-third expected stress due to pressure to buy gifts or because of too many things to do. Additionally, APA’s 2011 Stress in America survey found that 75 percent of Americans report money as a significant source of stress.

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