Christmas is coming up very quickly! The Christmas products seem to go out in the shops earlier every year. Do you find it difficult to get in that ‘Christmassy’ mood? Do you often let stress take over, rather than focusing on what matters most, like spending quality time with family and friends?
We want to help you to have the most stress-free, memorable occasion filled with love, sharing and meaning. To make it so, it helps to get yourself in the right mindset.
Here are our tips for a stress-free, Christmas season!
- Prioritise… to help you stay in touch with what matters to you most, make a list of your top priorities during the holiday season. For example, if spending time with your family is your top priority, then make the most time for this!
- Adjust your expectations… there is no such thing as the perfect Christmas. Make sure you are not setting your expectations too high. If the unexpected happens, (and let’s face it, it usually does during the holiday season!) then there are usually ways to work around it. Don’t stress over the little things.
- Focus on gratitude.. find the little things which bring you joy and focus on them. These could be the first cup of your favourite Christmas tea blend or sitting and looking at the stars on Christmas eve, or even the chill of that first summer dip in the ocean. Allow yourself to feel the good feelings!
- Simplify your traditions… sit down with your family and work out what traditions mean the most to you. Keep the ones that you love, stop the ones that you don’t need or take up too much time and energy. Be intentional with how you spend your time. E.g. If the thought of cooking five types of roast vegetables for Christmas dinner is just too much, maybe stick to your favourite.
- Keep decorations simple… simple can still set a festive mood and can help your mind stay less cluttered.
- Gifts for kids… the saying ‘something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read’ works well and keeps from buying too many gifts.
- Share the load… with those who’ll share your Christmas meal. Get everyone to bring a dish of food – something for the main or dessert, so that you aren’t doing it all. Or ask them to bring their favorite Christmas dish and have a pot lick meal. Involve the children… get them to help with the meal preparation and/or cooking.
The bottom line is to focus on creating memories instead of getting too caught up in buying expensive presents. Christmas is also a perfect time to rest and reflect on the year that has been. Take time to reflect on previous Christmases and the fun times you have shared with family and friends.
Remember the Christmas season is meant to be a special time of the year, filled with love and meaning, not something to stress over.