Tips for a stress free family Christmas

 Many people find Christmas a stressful time and this is often to do with expectations. We all worry about getting the right gifts for people, preparing the per­fect Christmas dinner, getting the house ready and spending concen­trated time with extended family.

To help you have a fun Christmas rather than a frazzled one here are some tips for keeping the pressure off.

1. State expectations

Make sure that you have conver­sations with your family and friends about everyone’s expectations of Christmas well in advance. That way you can deal with any difficult demands and make compromises that suit everyone.

If you are worried about the cost of Christmas, you could also set some spending limits for gifts or come up with ideas for presents that don’t need to be bought; for example washing the car or making someone breakfast in bed.

2. Remember it’s OK to say no

As well as talking to your family about what they want to happen at Christmas be honest about what you want to do too.

If you want to turn something down, explain why you do not want to do it, and have a suggestion ready for an alternative.

For example instead of taking on all the cooking you could suggest a ‘bring and share’ meal so that every­one takes a share of the work.

3. Practical prep

If you are hosting Christmas, it is always a good idea to do some prep beforehand – simple things like making (or buying!) the food early or wrapping presents the weekend before can really help.

Make a list of tasks that need to be done in the run up to Christmas and ask your family and friends to each put their name to something. You can stick this up at home and even get the kids to decorate it with Christmas pictures or stickers.

4. Delegate, delegate, delegate

Do not be afraid to ask your guests for help. We can all fall into the trap of wanting to be the perfect host, but in reality, hosting Christmas Day can be very demanding. Asking people to help can make everyone feel involved. Children really like to feel helpful, so get them involved with handing round snacks or setting the table.

5. Avoid conflict

If you are worried your guests might not get on, go for a walk in the afternoon to break things up a little. This gives everyone the chance to chat to someone different, or even to stay at home if tension is building.

Equally, you can always ask a guest to make drinks, or help out with the kids in order to break up any potential conflict.

6. It is your Christmas too

Christmas Day can whizz by in a festive blur without you so much has sniffing a glass of fizz or pulling a cracker because you’re frantically trying to make everything perfect for everyone else.

Remember that it is your Christ­mas too and you should be able to enjoy it. Make a timetable for the day so that there are regular times when you can sit down and talk with everyone or play with the children.