Christmas is a time of such excitement isn’t it? But Christmas is not fun for everyone.

This year, we are so busy with stuff around the house that I feel like Christmas is just a blip that I have to endure but would rather miss altogether. Of course, when you are feeling stressed all the worst things about Christmas are front of mind. Some of those things for me are the unnecessary focus in the media on money and spending up big, the family squabbles and tension and the tiredness. Does that sound grumpy? Yes, but that’s how I always feel when the media starts telling us just how many days there are left before Christmas.

So, how do I change my attitude and start to look forward to the holidays? I take control and take actions that make the whole season more enjoyable for me (and those around me).

Here are a few suggestions to reduce tension. But remember these are my solutions for my tensions – yours may be different. I hope my ideas will get you thinking for yourself!

Some families just don’t get along very well!

Timing is everything for this problem. Instead of planning to have the whole family together on one day; plan to do it in shifts. Take a few days to see everyone or have an open house and make suggestions for when people should drop in. You can catch up with everyone this way without the tension.

What to give everyone?

So many of us have so much stuff, I really wonder why we buy more stuff for Christmas every year. For the past few years my family has been giving ‘experiences’ as gifts rather than things. Movie tickets, vouchers for restaurants or days out have been popular. Younger children could make vouchers for their parents including ‘breakfast in bed’ or ‘make lunch on the weekend’ etc. of course you can also think about making gifts. We have lots of gift ideas on our blog. Our gift ideas are for useful home and personal care products. They are made with love!

Family Giving 

It is so easy to focus on giving gifts to family but what about giving to charity? Our extended family have done this over the years. Grandpa gives everyone a card each year that outlines how we have provided a gift for someone in a developing country. This can be a great way to bring the family together. Other ways to help others may be to help serve Christmas lunch somewhere or gather practical items to gift those in need.

Communication

As we get older and find that our circle of friends is very much diminished ( not because the people have died but because life has separated us), we realise how important contact with others really is. A few phone calls to say hi to someone at Christmas may be the best gift you could give at very little cost! A Christmas card sent with a short note can also be a thoughtful gift to a lonely person.

Learn how to say no.

This is one of my favourite tips for Christmas. You can say no to invitations and keep the season simple if that is what is best for you. I learned to do this years ago and it meant that I had so much energy to do what mattered to me i.e. spend time with my family over the holidays in a quiet and happy way!

How do you make it through the season? Let us know. We wish you a very Happy and Healthy Christmas and New Year. We hope that 2022 be a wonderful year for all!

What Next?

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Until next time,

 

 

 

 

Gillian (and Andrew)