It’s the most wonderful time of year…except it can be also one of the most stressful, if you have too much on your plate! From hosting dinners with friends to choosing great Christmas gift for loved ones, from cooking a feast for ten to coping with your annoying relatives, Christmas time can be a lot!
Photo by Libby Penner
Like you, I often have a hard time on Christmas because of the pressures and there is so much to do. But you can make your Christmas hassle free with some minor adjustments and an attitude correction.
Get Help Around the House
Cleaning the home isn’t always everyone’s cup of tea. And I can probably guess right that there are some of you out there who loathe the thought of vacuuming, cleaning and washing dishes. Yet I’m probably right in guessing you have a family. Well, they all enjoy the home and eat the food. So enlist the children to wash the dishes or get some dishwasher replacement parts if your machine even hints at being a problem over the holidays when repairs are hard to come by.
Organise a Family Secret Santa
The average family in the UK spends over £1,000 over the holidays. If that’s you, then you might struggle this year with the cost of everything going up. Of course, you enjoy gifting your partner and children. But there’s no reason to get into debt or financial strain this Christmas because you have bought expensive gifts for everyone. I can tell you, this is no fun at all. However, you can make it easier by setting a £10 limit with Secret Santa, so everyone spends the same.
Photo by Lucie Liz from Pexels
Cook Your Dinner the Day Before
OMG, the hassle of cooking Christmas dinner can be too much to bear. Maybe you plan ahead and get everything ready at 5 am. Or perhaps you’re a late riser and end up in a rush. I’m fine with either. But you do know you can reduce most of the problems by getting the dinner at least half done the day before, right? For instance, you can peel and leave vegetables in salt water overnight. And the turkey can be cooked on Christmas Eve, freeing up time the next day.
Encourage Family Time
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas commercialism and the excitement of it all. And you can lose sight of the fact that the holidays are a time for spending it with each other. And it doesn’t have to cost a penny. The best thing you can do on Christmas is enjoy the day with loved ones. Try to get the kids away from their screens for an hour. Then you can enjoy some hot chocolate, share funny stories and even take a walk in the snow.
Photo by Katie Azi
Remember, It’s About Having Fun
It doesn’t matter if you don’t have children or even a partner. What matters is you understand that for at least one day, you can let your hair down. Christmas is nothing without doing fun stuff. Making dinner can also be fun if you plan and time it. But you should try to reduce the stress so you can enjoy the day. Most families play parlour games like charades. Or you can enjoy a board game like Monopoly in front of the fireplace. And why not pour yourself a glass of mulled wine?
In summary, can you do to make the most of Christmas this year? You can do certain things to help make your Christmas hassle-free this year. You can enlist some help around the house, try Secret Santa, and simply remember to have some fun.
