Debbie You know the drill. Once the middle of November rolls around, the Christmas hype begins, and generally, the initial joyfulness can lead to weeks of stress as you prepare for the festivities.
With all the cooking, gift giving, visiting difficult relatives, and decorating the house, the Christmas holidays can seem to become more of a nightmare than a celebration, but the good news is that you don’t have to succumb to stress, providing you’re well prepared. Now’s the time to get started.
The below Christmas stress-busting strategies should cut out the strain and help you truly enjoy the festivities with the family.
· Write Christmas cards in advance
Always guilty about receiving Christmas cards but forgetting to write them yourself? We’ve all been there.
Writing Christmas cards is a time-consuming task, so it’s never a good idea to start penning your cards in the weeks leading up to the main festivities, with so many tasks on your to-do list. It will only add to the stress.
Instead, start writing them in the autumn, so you can be sure you have remembered everyone and send them out ahead of time. Come December, you’ll thank yourself for it.
· Don’t give in to overspending
It’s difficult not to get sucked into overspending over the Christmas season. However, according to a poll, money issues are one of the leading causes of stress during this time of year. With this in mind, be wary not to spend what you can’t afford.
To avoid reckless spending, it would be wise to set a budget months beforehand so that your usual expenses are accounted for, and you don’t land yourself in debt. Plan for the typical food expenses and social activities over Christmas and the remainder can be put towards gifts.
You may also want to consider cutting down on buying gifts needlessly for extended family and friends. Instead, you could purchase a group gift such as xmas meat hampers London or hold a secret Santa in your workplace, which will help you cut down on how much you need to buy.
· Give the kids more realistic expectations
It’s natural for children to have an endless Christmas list when they believe that it’s being made in Santa’s workshop. If you have money worries, not being able to fulfill your child’s wish list can be an additional stress. It’s a good idea to sit down with them and inform them that they cannot expect every single item they have asked for, as it is greedy and not always necessary.
Most children tend to view Christmas as a time to receive gifts but open their eyes to the fact that it is much more than that. It is a time when the family can be together and have lots of fun, alongside the presents they will receive.
· Take some time out
If you’re hosting Christmas this year, be sure to give yourself some time out. It’s your holiday too! De-stressing enables you to get the rest you need to recharge your batteries and make the most of the celebration.
