Every year I have the best intentions to relax and just let Christmas happen! It’s normally a bit chaotic and nothing is perfect but I still manage to lose sleep in the nights running up to the big day!
Normal life for most of us these days is ridiculously busy. We juggle work, family and social commitments and then we’re expected to deliver a traditional Christmas celebration hosting numerous get togethers over the festive season.
It’s overwhelming and can easily turn what should be a joyful, relaxing family time into a dreaded commitment that we just want to get over and done!
So let’s check in with our priorities and make sure we’ve got them right this year. With a bit of pre-planning, delegation and using some clever time saving tools we can rediscover the joys of the season and be more Buddy the Elf than Grinch!
1. Pre-Plan Like a Pro
The first thing we want to do is make a list! I love a list… you can set out everything that needs to be covered, and you get the satisfaction of ticking things off when they get done. This step is the main foundational step for your successful Christmas.
Categorise your tasks – gifts, meals, decorations, events, and self-care. Yes, self-care goes on your list – more on that shortly.
Once you’ve got your tasks organised, you can split it into priorities and create a timeline for when you’re going to address each task.
You also want to think about how important each point really is. You may have in mind that everything has to be done just the same as last year – but does it really? Think about what really matters to you and your family and make sure you’re focusing on the things that really matter.
2. Assigning roles to your family and friends
There is no rule that says you have to do everything yourself. Involve your whole family and assign them all age-appropriate jobs (from decorating the table, preparing appetisers, writing the Christmas cards, serving drinks), sharing the responsibility.
Delegating activity not only takes the pressure off you but gives your family (or friends) a sense of responsibility or engagement throughout the festive run-up. This involvement can create a new fun tradition in itself and will get everyone in the spirit of the season.
If you live alone and are hosting friends, you can still do this – your friends are sharing this time with you and they want to be helpful so welcome offers to contribute dishes or desserts, or to act as the bar staff or take charge of the party games! Whatever is offered say yes! And if they don’t offer, ask them to pitch in. They’ll love to be invited – maybe they didn’t want to offer because they know that you’re normally an organisational demon and they didn’t want to offend you!
3. Lean into Tech Tools
Don’t panic about having to dash around the shops to buy your gifts. I used to love soaking up the Christmas atmosphere around the shops, it was part of the ‘fun’ of Christmas – there was a lovely festive buzz. But then I realised that it was just adding to the pressure and stress. So I ditched it, and against all my instincts I switched to online shopping. And I have to say a weight lifted off my shoulders as one time-pressure was eliminated.
It’s so easy these days and you can even get your gifts wrapped and/or delivered direct to people that you won’t be seeing, saving you the added stress of getting to the post office in time!
If your headaches are more around meal planning, then consider some of the many apps out there – you can organise your recipes, find new ones, and create meal plans on your phone or device. Go to your devices App store and you’ll find plenty to choose from.
And finally use your calendar to block out time for tasks so that you can clearly see the progression and the fact that you’re getting everything done and there’s nothing to stress about. Take all those activities from your original list and add them to your calendar as an action at a particular time slot.
4. Focus on What Really Matters
When it comes to protecting your time, prioritise what really matters. Don’t feel that you have to accept all invitations or over-commit to socialising. Be polite but firm in maintaining a balance.
Look back at your calendar and see if a particular invitation works with your timings.
It’s especially important to make sure that your calendar has time blocks marked out for your own self-care. This is not a luxury at this time of year, it’s a necessity and should be non-negotiable. It may just be an evening that you’ve marked out to have a lovely relaxing bath with a book or a Netflix catch up and a glass of wine to really enjoy the experience. Or it may be time marked out to take a yoga class or go for a walk in a beautiful park.
If this isn’t you, try and create a habit around an evening meditation or deep breathing exercises (again apps are great for providing short meditations to calm your mind at the end of the day!)
And when you focus on what really matters ask yourself does it matter that the tree isn’t like a Christmas movie tree? If it’s a bit wonky, so what? Maybe your kids decorated it, so it’s not going to be ideal, but they did it with love and the best they could – that’s what’s important! Those family moments and the realism is the ideal. That to me would be the perfect Christmas Tree!
5. Dealing with a change of circumstances
If you’re facing a very different Christmas this year due to a change in circumstances or loss of a loved one, don’t be afraid to reach out to your friends or community around you for support. Sharing how you feel with someone you trust is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself – don’t bottle up those emotions.
If you don’t feel able to share your feelings or thoughts with friends, it can be a huge help to speak to a trained therapist. Reach out to a professional if December feels particularly heavy. There is no shame or weakness in seeking counselling or therapy at this time of year – or any time for that matter. Actually quite the opposite – asking for support takes real strength.
Or if you’re feeling lonely or disconnected, investigate volunteering opportunities where you could lend a hand and find new focus. There are always plenty of services needing an extra pair of hands at this time of year.
6. Plan Menus in Advance
And finally, keep the food simple! Focus on crowd-pleasing recipes and list out what and who you’re catering for. Look for dishes that you can ‘offload’ to someone else to prepare or supply.
Where you can, pre-prepare appetisers, side dishes etc ahead of the big day.
Remember that ultimately your family want to spend time with YOU. The bells and whistles are just a nice to have. Focus on the catching up, the fun and the memories that you’re creating. Keep it simple and remember what’s important to you. Involve your friends and family in the preparation and take time for yourself and you’ll have a lovely Festive season!