Hey Lovelies!

If the mere title of this piece (5 tips for avoiding family stress at Christmas) sends shivers of fear and dread through your very being, you need to read these tips. People start gearing up for Christmas by the beginning of November. We are bombarded with gift ideas from every direction and expectations get higher every year. Furthermore, families often fall out over where to spend the big day. If you let it, Christmas can become a nightmare.

By the time Christmas actually arrives, no one is even thinking about what the day is supposed to mean or why we celebrate. So, what can we do? Never fear; here are some great tips for those who foresee stress. Ensure your Christmas is pure happiness this year!

1.Be Kind To Yourself And Avoid Stress This Christmas

Christmas is supposed to bring celebration of love and to show appreciation for those you love – in reality, it can sometimes bring dread and unsurmountable amounts of pressure. Families fall out. In fact, I do not know of a family that do not have issues. There’s no avoiding it. When there are family members you would rather not see – or who perhaps seem hell-bent on pushing you out – or who are already making plans that will inevitably cause you grief, read on.

Do not let it affect you. It’s not easy but it is simple. You can control how you act, and the enjoyment of Christmas will rest upon how effectively you deal with any situation. If there are family disagreements or ‘others’ are monopolising the festive period and the stress is too much, just let it go. It’s just one day. Enjoy yourself and have a little giggle in the knowledge that your Christmas will undoubtedly be more fun!

2.Schedule Some Me-Time 

This is so important. We spend so much time rushing around making sure everyone has their perfect Christmas, that we tend to forget ourselves in the process. This year, don’t let stress get a look-in.  Schedule some me-time.  It will make a huge difference to you and everyone around too!

3.Ask For Advice/Help

Should things get a bit too much to bear, do not soldier on in silence. Ask for help. Often by opening up and asking for guidance or help, the person close to you will be more understanding once aware of a problem. My nan’s phrase, ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’ is very true.

4. Remember What Christmas is About

Being bombarded with adverts on the ideal Christmas and the undoubtable cost takes its toll on us all. Remember they are just adverts – no one has the perfect life. Don’t let high expectations deter you from what Christmas actually means and what it should be about. Be kind to yourself and others, spend time with those you love and don’t fret about how much you are spending. For those who may be struggling, remember that expensive gifts are often a novelty that get played once and then forgotten. It is so much more important and memorable when you give your time, with fun and laughter. There are literally hundreds of free party games you can play to mix up the day. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

5.Plan

If you know Christmas morning is going to be manic (who doesn’t?), plan ahead. Prep your Christmas breakfast and dinner as much as possible the day before. Place bin bags nearby to collect wrapping. Make sure your phone is charged for recording in the morning. Make a checklist of things you may need (batteries, etc). Bay think back to last year and think about all the stress-causing stuff. Then resolve any repeat issues by planning ahead. Job done!