6 Tips For The Festive Season To Stay Sane
Hi Musers. I must confess to you all that Christmas is my favourite time of year. Snow (too occasionally for my liking), hot chocolate, Christmas movies, fairy lights, the tree, carols…I love it all!
There’s no doubt, though, that there’s a hell of a lot more pressure nowadays than when I was growing up. Now people worry about elf on the shelf, the perfect Christmas walks, putting presents and decorations up on social media, and so on. I miss the Christmases of my youth, the incredibly tacky decorations, satsumas in the stocking, and no pressure to make it memorable.
So here are my top ten mental health tips for the festive season. Be warned! None of them is mind-blowing, and I’m sure you could think of them yourself. Sometimes, though, having it all written down for you helps you think straight.
1) It’s Ok To Eat
This will always be one of my top tips for the festive season, but it’s not restricted to that time of year. Part of the joy of Christmas is gathering together to eat tasty treats. There’s Christmas dinner, Christmas cake, Yule log, party food and mince pies. Please don’t feel you have to earn or bargain for your food. Strike all of the following from your vocabulary for the next few weeks:
- I can’t eat that; it contains so much sugar
- I’ve cut all carbs from my diet
- If I work really hard at the gym/go for a long run/do X extra exercise classes, I can relax and enjoy Christmas dinner
- I can eat what I want but only if I start a diet in January
- I’ll skip lunch, and then I can eat dessert
You may think these thoughts are totally ok, but I believe a) it’s diet culture talking and b) it’s Christmas. You should not be bargaining to give yourself permission to enjoy this time of year.
2) Make Time For Yourself
Christmas is a wonderful time, but it can also be high stress even if it goes perfectly. You have endless family and friends visits to fit in, activities for the kids if you have them, not to mention presents, decorating and cooking.
That’s why it’s vital that you carve out a few blocks of time for you to de-stress and relax. DO NOT plan any tasks at this time! It’s for you to unwind so have a glass of wine, a cup of tea, a nice hot bath or just watch your favourite TV show.
3) Consider A Social Media Detox
If you’re going to feel pressure to overspend or force yourself to participate in activities that you don’t have the time or money for, purely based on other peoples’ social media posts, then consider staying off social media. You should also consider it if you feel like it will affect your mood and make you feel lonely or like you’re missing out.
No one’s Christmas is as perfect as they try to make it seem on social media. To prove that mine certainly isn’t, feel free to check my warts and all description of my last Christmas.
Also, don’t be guilted into spending more than you can afford on presents. Children prefer parents who are happy, not stressed out about how to pay for all these extra presents they don’t need.
4) Have A Plan
As I have mentioned frequently in other articles, I love lists. Nothing makes me happier than writing down everything I have to and making a schedule. Then I get the added joy and satisfaction of ticking each one off as I complete it. Ok, it’s sad but don’t judge me! It’s not a surprise then that one of my tips for the festive season is a list.
There can be so many things to remember, visits, shopping, activities, last post days and school concerts that it’s easy for things to slip your mind.
Make three lists, yes I know! The first list is everything you need to buy. This list can be subdivided into presents, food, and miscellaneous.
The second list is there to plan out all your visits and events. Don’t forget to put in the blocks of me-time I mentioned above. If you have a wall calendar, it’s easy to add it on there. You can also print out monthly calendars from the internet or add them to your phone.
The final list is to plan out the last postage dates, dates for wrapping presents, putting up the tree, etc. Don’t forget to refer to your second list to make sure you don’t double book. Once you’re sure you’ve got a list of all necessary activities, add it to the calendar from step two.
Obviously, none of this is set in stone, and you can change it when life inevitably gets in the way. Just having it all planned out should reduce stress and reassure you you have everything covered.
5) Remember It’s Ok To Say No
Everybody seems to want a piece of you at Christmas. There are family members that you only see at Christmas, friends who never bother to prioritise seeing you at other times but are at a loose end at Christmas, office parties, school functions, and so on.
Do not be afraid to say no if you’re busy, stressed or just not feeling like it. One of the things that makes Christmas something we dread instead of enjoy is the sense of obligation. So if there’s something you don’t have time for or simply don’t want to do, then say no! Believe it or not, it does not make you a bad person.
Maybe add yet another list! A list of polite refusals. I’ll get you started:
- I’m sorry, but my schedule is already as full as I feel comfortable with. Could we meet up in the new year?
- I’m trying to make lots of time for my family this year, but I have loads of time in January.
- I’m afraid that date doesn’t work for me. Are you free on x?
- For my mental health, I’m cutting back on visits this year. Can we meet up in January when life is less hectic?
6) Advance Prep!
My secret to a stress-free Christmas Day is to do as much prep in the lead up as physically possible. Here are a few of the things I regularly do.
- All presents bought no later than a week before Christmas, usually sooner
- Present wrapping completed the weekend before
- Tesco groceries delivery is booked as soon as the Christmas dates open. I pay for the regular delivery saver, so I get access to them a week earlier, which helps. I get a delivery on the 23rd, so I have time later than day and on Christmas Eve to pick up anything they couldn’t deliver
- All our meals for the three days before Christmas and two days after are planned. Of course, I can change it if I want, but it helps to know what I need to order
- I chop all vegetables for Christmas dinner the night before and sit them in cold water. Then on the day, I just need to rinse them, put them in fresh water, and I’m good to go
- I cook Christmas dinner for no earlier than 2 pm. Who wants to start cooking the instant they wake up? I like to have time for tea, Nigella’s Christmas morning muffins and opening presents!
Bonus Tip 7
It’s too late to help you now, but I start saving for next Christmas in January. I don’t put much away, £20-£25, but when Christmas comes around, I have a small nest egg, so I’m not fretting about how to pay for everything.
Those are my top mental health tips for the festive season, but what are yours? If you’ve got any gems to share, please pop them in the comments.
