Avoid Christmas stress: How to get through the Christmas season fully relaxed
Christmas can be wonderful: family atmosphere, delicious food, presents make sure of that. But in many households, the days around Christmas time are associated with stress and effort. Whether it's the search for the right gift, the decoration of the house and Christmas tree, or the elaborate Christmas dinner - organization can become a problem at Christmas. Yet it is an understandable wish to enjoy relaxed holidays. The following 10 tips show how this can be achieved.
1. Christmas without stress through task distribution
Each family member has their own ideas for a perfect Christmas. It can help to communicate with each other early on - and find compromises together. This also brings the division of tasks to the fore: Instead of expecting one person to do everything, the Christmas stress is reduced if everyone participates. Perhaps the father would like to decorate the Christmas tree with the daughter, while the adult brother does the shopping and the grandparents take care of Christmas dinner.Especially in larger families, this can relieve people who regularly burden themselves with everything - whether consciously or subconsciously. It belongs to the most beautiful gifts at Christmas, otherwise by the effort stressed family members, perhaps it is the mother, relaxed holidays to allow.
2. Rethink traditions & rituals
Just because something has been going on the same way for decades doesn't mean it has to be immutable. It often helps to reduce Christmas to the essentials. Do you have to give every family member and acquaintance half a dozen gifts every year?
Should every person, no matter how distantly related, be visited? Are two strings of lights enough instead of four? Christmas should not mutate into a compulsion, but remain a joy. Therefore, traditions can also end when there is no longer a need.
3. Fewer gifts = less Christmas stress
The search for the right gifts can grow into an odyssey lasting several days. You may even reach the point where you don't know who to give what to. But: do even the closest friends and family members need multiple gifts? After all, it's not about the number, but about giving your best friend or brother what comes from the heart - and what they particularly like.
A wonderful gift is unquestionably better than a handful of average ones. To find the right gift, and enjoy the most stress-free holiday season possible, a wish list can also help.
4. Wish list for the Christmas season
Not everyone is convinced by the wish list concept. But it can provide relief from Christmas overload. Thanks to the wish list, it is immediately clear what the other person wants. The gift is not only easier to find, also the risk of a disappointment remains so small. In this way, Christmas stress can be reduced. Of course, this should not deter spontaneous and creative gift ideas that come to mind independently of wish lists.
5. Prepare gifts early
Time pressure is one of the biggest causes of Christmas stress. Getting or wrapping presents at the last minute is a classic that can put a strain on the days leading up to the holiday. Not only does procrastination cause buyer's remorse, Christmas shopping in the last few days also prevents a stress-free Christmas. If you take care of the presents one or two weeks earlier, you can enjoy the days leading up to Christmas sooner.
6. Relaxation during the Christmas season
The magic of Christmas is strained when the days leading up to the holiday are completely taken up with organizational issues. Instead of overloading yourself with task after task, it can help to contrast moments of effort with moments of relaxation. This contrast of work and enjoyment helps make Christmas stress-free.
For example, a relaxing walk between Christmas shopping, a pleasant swim after hanging Christmas chains, or a Christmas movie night with your partner following cookie baking can all be worthwhile.
7. Do not schedule all the days
Not everything at Christmas needs to be completely thought out and organized. Too much planning can increase Christmas stress and stifle spontaneous moments of harmony. In addition to the division of tasks already mentioned, it can be useful to deliberately avoid planning for smaller issues.
This measure significantly reduces stress in the preparation. A meticulously orchestrated Christmas often prevents relaxed holidays. If everyone works together, many of the smaller organizational issues will solve themselves.
8. A Christmas season without family conflicts
Family life is not always harmony and sunshine. Also, not every conflict with a family member can be prevented around Christmas. Unfortunately, at that time there are sometimes unwanted disputes. But it can help to jointly declare the time around Christmas a period of peace and harmony. As important as openness is in the family, at Christmas it can help to elegantly circumnavigate certain issues.
Ideally, predictable conflicts are resolved beforehand - or postponed until after Christmas through clever compromises. After all, the goal is for everyone to have a stress-free Christmas.
9. Allow festive mood
Too much pressure and the focus on organizational matters often lead - whether intentionally or not - to the Christmas spirit not being given any room. It can help to be aware of what all the effort is for in the first place. Advent is a wonderful time to light a candle, eat gingerbread and sing Christmas carols. Consciously letting the Christmas spirit into your life early and regularly can help to override the less pleasant moments of the run-up to Christmas.
10. Outsource tasks
If no early solution to Christmas stress suggests itself, outsourcing effort can be an answer. Instead of preparing an elaborate Christmas meal in person, you can alternatively suggest a Christmas dinner at a favorite restaurant. Or why not visit relatives who might enjoy preparing Christmas dinner or presents more? Not every Christmas has to be the same. So handing over responsibilities can make for a more relaxed holiday.