December has crept around so you know what that means…cue the Christmas music!
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year”
Yes it’s true, Christmas can be a magical time. Spending time with loved ones, gifting to your nearest and dearest, and eating until you physically can’t look at another sausage roll.
However, Christmas can also be one of the most stressful times of the year.
A YouGov study found that 41% of Brits find Christmas stressful, and overall 26% of us said that Christmas negatively impacts our mental health.
Although some of that stress is avoidable, some of it is not. So let’s talk about the little things you can do to try and have a ‘stress-free’ festive period.
Budget setting
Christmas is one of the most expensive times of the year. On average, Britons spend around £1,138 during the festive season, according to the Bank of England. That is A LOT, and some of us just cannot afford that. Try setting budgets between your friends and family look out for sales, such as Black Friday, to try and make the most of those discounts!
It may sound a bit OTT, but keeping an excel tracker of your spending really works. That way you can see exactly when you have hit your budget and how much money you’ve spent on gifts, food, decorations etc. over the festive season. It can be so easy to spend, spend, spend without thinking, and by the time you know it you’ve racked up a huge bill!
Secret Santa or a ‘lucky dip’ is a great idea if you’re all on a budget, that way everyone gets a present but you don’t break the bank.
Or maybe switch it up this year and try buying experiences instead of material gifts for your loved ones. Most experiences are for two so you can kill two birds (if you like) by buying joint presents. There are lots of great websites where you can buy things like afternoon tea, city bus tours, Segway experiences and more. They often have discounts too!
Setting expectations
I think this is one of the hardest things to do around Christmas. When we think of Christmas we think of lots of parties, fun activities with the kids, family get-togethers and just an all around good time.
December can be one of the most mood-boosting months, but it’s good to recognise that for some of us this isn’t always the case. For those that have lost loved ones, potentially spending Christmas alone, or suffering family feuds, can be daunting and isolating. It’s hard to feel grateful and festive when this time of year can also feel overwhelming, pressurising and comparative. Setting expectations is a crucial aspect to making every holiday event or gathering a little bit better.
Talk about it and listen to others! It can feel selfish and scary to express your feelings but it’s the best way to help everyone have a good time. If you’re hosting and it’s becoming too much, ask your loved ones to lend a hand or bring a dish. Christmas is meant to be a time of giving and sharing, but if there comes a point when it’s too much and you have the right to set those expectations.
Remember what really matters at Christmas. It’s not the gifts, or the parties, or the food, it’s the people you spend it with. No matter how many or how few that might be.
Limit your intake
As tempting as it is to stuff our faces (which is what I plan to do) limiting food and alcohol can not only reduce our post-Christmas weight gain but also might friendlier on our purses.
Christmas is the one time of the year we all tend to over-consume. But it doesn’t always have to be that way. Plan and buy a realistic amount of food and drink for your guests – sometimes it’s not great to be eating your Christmas leftovers, two weeks into January!
A lot of people face guilt and regret after gaining weight at Christmas, which is totally normal. The festive season focuses on eating and drinking, so we should embrace that. Going for a walk on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day gets your body moving and is a great way to clear the head after one too many glasses of mulled wine, and to gently keep up the daily exercise routine!
Don’t mention that, please!
What worse a way to trigger stress on Christmas Day than bringing up awkward topics at the dinner table. There’s always one guest who wants to talk about politics or the cost of living crisis and yes, these are important conversations to be had, but maybe not over dinner. Try playing games at the table or changing the subject if things get a little too heated. Fill peoples mouths with roast potatoes instead of gossip and chat about what you’re all looking forward to in the new year.
Okay, so there is no such thing as a perfect ‘stress-free’ Christmas, but hopefully just doing some of the above things helps reduce some of the stress and anxiety that comes with the holidays.
It’s important to remember, as much as Christmas is a special time, it is still just another day in the year. Whatever presents you do or don’t get, who you see or don’t see – the day will still pass and life resumes. If anything is to go wrong, it’ll just make for a great story next year!