How to Survive Christmas

Unless you’re a hermit, Christmas can be very stressful.  Here are some top tips for making it easier and more enjoyable.  It’s about organisation and speaking out – diplomatically.

Gifts.

• Make a list of all the people you have to buy for and shop all year round, especially in the sales.  Get a few extra gifts for people you may have forgotten.  Put the gifts in a dedicated box or drawer and tick them off your list.
• Set a budget and discuss gift-giving with your family.  If there are a lot of people and a lot of kids, why not agree just to buy small gifts for the kids.
• Encourage friends and family to use online gift registries such as Amazon.com which means when you come to pick a gift you’ll be getting something you know they want.  When children change their interests as they grow, it can be hard to keep up.

Guests in your home.

• Discuss who’s going to whose home and how long their staying.  Take turns and play nice.
• Get everyone to contribute – bringing food, doing the washing up, whipping the cream, peeling the vegetables and entertaining the children.  Lazy guests are not good guests and there’s no rule that says you have to do it all.
• Alternatively, go out for your meal.  Let someone else have the cooking and the clearing up!  Book early as this is a popular option.

The party season.

• Stuck for something to wear?  The classic Little Black Dress with different accessories is a great a versatile number that will be stress-free and ideal.
• Your liver and waistline will thank you if you alternate your alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic ones.  Finish a glass rather than letting someone top it up for you or you will lose track of how much you’ve had.
• Similarly, if you’re dieting, be careful with snacks.  Decide whether you’re going to have a meal or snacks; eat slowly and stop when you’re full.  If you slip up and have a real blow-out then just get back on the diet wagon the next day.
• Choose a driver before you go out, or book a taxi.  Alcohol and winter weather are a lethal mix.  Don’t ever be a victim of ‘I wish…’ or ‘if only…’.
• Drink water or juice before bed and take painkillers.  Put a big glass of water and painkillers on your night stand too so that they’re there if you wake up feeling bad.

Christmas decoration.

• It’s your Christmas, your reputation and your electricity bill so do as much or as little decoration as you wish!
• Pack everything away carefully after 12th Night so that it’s easy to get to next year.
• Make your own decorations with the children.

Happy Christmas!