11 tips for a stress free Christmas
Last Updated on November 9, 2024
For many of us, we think of Christmas as the time when we’ll do all the fun Christmas baking and Christmas crafts with the kids, and we look forward to all the relaxing family time we’ll have.
However, what actually happens is quite different, and instead of what we think Christmas will be like, it ends up being a time of high expectations, increased stress, and a desire for it all to be over with.
If you’d like your Christmas to be more like what you’ll think it will be, instead of the stressful, resentful time it normally becomes, here are 11 tips for a stress free Christmas, so you can feel less holiday burnout, and more joy.
Decide what matters
It’s easy to over commit ourselves and our family over Christmas, which can mean that we do things we don’t enjoy, or that our family doesn’t want to do.
Deciding what matters to you and your family, and thinking about how you want Christmas to look like, goes a long way towards a stress free Christmas, because it makes you prioritise what’s important, and remove the things that aren’t.
Writing down what matters to you and your family over Christmas, then choosing a few of the things you’ve listed will ensure you actually spend time and energy on what matters, instead of what doesn’t.
For example, maybe visiting Santa’s Grotto isn’t something your kids want to do anymore, which means you can do something that matters more to them instead.
Say no
Christmas means a lot of local events, school commitments, and social invitations, which not everyone enjoys, or can commit time and money to.
Saying no to anything you don’t feel excited about, don’t 100% want to do, or that makes you feel bad once you’ve done it will not only make Christmas less stressful, but will free up time for the things you actually want to do, and that make you happy.
Set budgets
Christmas is expensive, and the amount of money we spend during this time can get out of hand very quickly.
To avoid overspending, or buying gifts for people that you can’t afford, consider setting some budgets around things like gifts, food, and days out.
You can even have conversations with family members, and suggest doing Secret Santa, or maybe just buying gifts for kids.
Be happy with good enough
Being happy with good enough means moving on from a task once it’s good enough, instead of working on something until it’s perfect, which creates a lot of pressure and stress.
Some ways where good enough can be applied are:
- Wrapping gifts in paper and not adding ribbons, bows, and long card messages
- Decorating your tree with your kids and being happy with uneven decorations, instead of decorating it solo and spending too much time perfectly aligning your decorations
- Setting your Christmas dinner table with one or two Christmas themed accessories, instead of decorating it with an elaborate theme
- Cooking tried and tested family favourite meals, instead of trying something new
- Doing family friendly Christmas activities at home that your kids love, instead of making them do expensive time consuming activities outside of your home
Buy gifts early
Last minute gift buying means crowded shopping centres, late deliveries, and out of stock items.
To avoid these things, make a list of who to buy for, some ideas of what to buy them, how much you can spend on them, and then buy the gifts as early as possible.
Make food ahead of time
We spend a lot of time in the kitchen during Christmas, but there are ways that we can spend less time in the kitchen by making what we can, as far ahead as we can.
Make a list of what you’re cooking over Christmas, and list out what can be done in advance, so it’s one less thing to worry about on the day.
For example, you can pre cut vegetables and store them in the fridge, get dips ready, make salads ahead of time, and even buy parts of your Christmas meal instead of making them, like puddings and side dishes.
Decorate and gift wrap over time
Spreading your Christmas decorating and gift wrapping over several days makes these tasks more enjoyable and less stressful, and if you do it listening music or podcasts, or watching your favourite Christmas movie, it can turn into a fun activity instead of a chore.
Ask for help
If you’re hosting Christmas, or doing a Christmas declutter before guests arrive, ask for help.
This could be asking family members to help get your house ready for guests, or asking guests if they’d like to bring dessert.
Choose Christmas traditions wisely
Sometimes there’s Christmas traditions that we do every Christmas that all of a sudden just don’t work for us anymore.
This may be because they no longer make us happy, our family doesn’t enjoy them, or they just take up time we simply don’t have.
If you have any Christmas traditions that no longer work for you or your family, you can find another one that does, or you may decide to put a hold on Christmas traditions until you and your family are ready to do some again.
Schedule time for yourself
Scheduling time for yourself over Christmas is a great way to lessen the stress you feel over this time, because making time for self care not only recharges your energy levels, but it also gives you something to look forward to, and allows you to take care of your own needs.
If scheduling time for yourself over Christmas, or any time, is something you’d like to start, here are some self care ideas you can try.
It’s also important to remember that taking time for yourself is never something to feel guilty about, and that you don’t have to take large amounts of time, it can be just as beneficial to take small amounts of time as it can to take larger ones.
Maintain your daily rituals
Maintaining your daily rituals, especially the ones you enjoy, can help towards achieving a stress free Christmas by adding balance to your days, so you don’t feel as though Christmas is taking over your life.
Some examples of daily rituals include reading before bed, taking a morning walk, or having a quiet coffee.
How do you reduce your stress levels during Christmas?
