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 | How To Have A Stress Free Christmas
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'Tis the season to be jolly, but when you have an entire family to shop and cook for, plus endless hours of entertainment to provide, it's easy to find yourself praying for New Year instead.
Despite popular belief, however, it is possible to have an enjoyable and stress-free Christmas, no matter how many fussy family members you're trying to placate. Here's how to do it.
1. PLAN AHEAD
With Christmas card and carols starting to appear in shops by the end of summer, it feels like Christmas comes earlier each year. Instead of complaining about how quickly time flies, however, take this as your cue to get planning. By adding just one Christmas gift to your weekly shop each week, you'll be able to have everything ready and wrapped by the time December rolls around. Christmas cards can also be bought and written early (in fact, the best time to buy them is during the January sales), leaving you with nothing more to do than pop them in the postbox in the run-up to December 25th.
2. DRAW UP A BUDGET
Money worries are one of the key causes of Christmas-time stress, and with increasing pressure on parents to supply ever-more expensive gifts, that stress can be significant. To help keep things under control, it's important to draw up a Christmas budget and stick to it. You could also try setting aside a little money each month so that by the time Christmas comes you'll have some guilt-free cash to blow.
3. MAKE SOME "ME TIME"
No matter how much you love your extended family, being forced to spend a prolonged period of time with them, especially cooped up against the winter weather, can be a recipe for disaster. No matter how hard you try to keep everyone smiling, tempers will fray and claustrophobia will set in, so make sure you schedule in some "me time" over the break. Take the dog for a walk, have coffee with a friend, or just retreat to the bathroom with a good book and some aromatherapy bath oils to soothe the stresses of the season. Your family will thank you for it later.
4. SWITCH OFF THE TV
Don't rely on the TV to provide the entertainment during the holiday season. While a dose of after-dinner slumping in front of the box is an essential ingredient of any family Christmas, the TV can also be a source of tension as different age groups struggle for control of the remote. Get in some board games to keep everyone entertained, or get the family out of the house to walk of the tension (and the mince pies).
5. AVOID TOO MUCH ALCOHOL
No one would deny you a healthy dose of Christmas spirit, but too much booze is the cause of many a family disagreement over the festive season. Remember that moderation is the key to keeping things stress-free, and resist the impulse to over-indulge - no matter how tempting it sounds!
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