Yes, here we are in December with Christmas fast approaching. The television is awash with advertisements for presents and no doubt there are many of us with a long list of things to do and time is running out.

So how can you reduce the stress of Christmas and really enjoy it?

Top Christmas Tips

1. Gifts

Gone are the days when a satsuma in a Christmas stocking was considered a treat! Today ‘pester power’ is one of the biggest causes of Christmas stress and disappointment.

If you are buying for you children think about it – does a 2 year old know the difference between a £20 present and a £200 present? Of course not! Children will also not know if you have bought something cheaper off Ebay either.

As they get older then you can start educating them about money and the fact that you are not a bottomless pit. Also, explain that there is nothing wrong with buying something that is nearly new if it has been used only once  or twice and is in mint condition.

 

2. Friends and Family

Christmas gives us the opportunity to spend time with those we love.

Let’s face it though, we don’t always have that much in common with some members of our families. That doesn't mean we should spend time with them and make them pay for the privilege by being miserable!

Think carefully about who you are going to see and why. If you know that there is usually conflict on these occasions, then perhaps agree to spend less time with them or go out somewhere together for an ‘experience’, to reduce being cooped up with each other.

If you are choosing ot spend time with challenging friends or family, accept it and do it with good grace. You may even enjoy yourself!

3. Work

Some people will be working over Christmas and thank goodness they are! Where would we be without our Doctors and nurses, our power and water supplies etc! Often this can be a very quiet time, so if you are working over Christmas you could choose to use this time to get your filing sorted out or planning what is important going forward into 2005.

4. Avoid getting in a stew over the catering

Does the thought of doing all that cooking give you an anxiety attack? How about delegating some of the tasks for a change? You don’t have to be a martyr in the kitchen you know!

Sit down and make a list of things that need to be done and work out what can be done in advance and frozen, what can be bought direct from a shop, which tastes as good as if you had done it yourself, and what can be done by other people in the household.

If you have guests coming, then ask if they could contribute something – they will usually be more than happy to oblige and they will feel good that they have helped you.

5. No New Year Resolutions

Once Christmas is over thoughts turn to New Year and the resolutions that are traditionally made.

This year I challenge you to break with tradition and resist making any! Why?

It’s simple really: New Year is a pretty stressful time, with high expectations and people often feel under pressure to make quite big resolutions. This means there is a much greater chance of  not sticking to them.

Instead wait until later in the year –-March for example -  when the days are getting longer and the pressure is off. By all means have a good think about what you want to achieve in 2005 and write it down, but then leave it and review it in February. You can then refine it and break it down into little chunks to ensure that you are able to achieve small goals as you get closer to your ultimate goal.