Surviving The Christmas Stress
For a time of year that’s supposed to be about joy, love and festivities, Christmas can be awfully stressful for a lot of people. Our very own Grinch, Samantha Martin, has been looking at ways to beat the Christmas stress and survive into the new year
It’s Not All About the Gifts
Naturally, I, just like everyone else, has my eye on a few certain somethings that I’d love to find under my tree on Christmas Day. But my heart won’t be broken and my Christmas ruined if they aren’t there. I’ll just buy them in the sales myself on Boxing Day.
When my daughter was younger, the stress to buy her gifts started the minute she went back to school in September. And once the Christmas catalogues came out and the tv adverts started, I could physically feel my blood pressure rising when I heard the Toys R Us advert. But eventually I realised that no matter how much stress I put myself through, she was always happy on Christmas morning with whatever she got and on the phone to her grandparents later in the day she couldn’t even remember half the things she’d received.
Pushing yourself to breaking point or into debt just for 20 minutes of present unwrapping is not the answer to a merry Christmas.
A Traditional Dinner Is Not Compulsory
Personally, I’m ok with cooking a Christmas Dinner and only really find it stressful when too many cooks want to get involved. I’ve taken to banning them from my kitchen now. And you can do the same. It’s not compulsory for every single person to have their own dish or speciality they require with their once a year turkey dinner. You can say no and do it your way. Which also means that you can eat out if you so wish. I know someone that used to get an Indian takeaway for their dinner. His theory was that it was the one day of the year they could and should relax and cooking a big roast dinner was not part of that.
Every supermarket now offers a range of pre-prepared veg, ready to roast potatoes and trimmings that just need a couple of minutes in the microwave. This isn’t cheating. It’s saving your sanity.
You Don’t Have to Be Merry
Let’s face it, for nearly two years now we’ve all been living with an awful lot of stress and upheaval. There seems to be an unwritten rule floating in the air at the moment that we should be having mass family gatherings to make up for lost time. Quite honestly, I’d rather not. I’m happy to stay at home with my nearest and dearest, do nothing, go nowhere and just be happy that we are all happy and healthy. Don’t be afraid to say no to any invites you really don’t want to accept. Or avoid those that won’t make your festive season merry.
