Surviving Christmas Day with your Family

Christmas day should be a time to relax and recharge the batteries after a hard year at work, but more often than not the complete opposite is true.  Most of us spend the lead up to Christmas day frantically running around trying to make sure everything is just right and this can lead to a lot of stress and frustration. If you are catering for the family on Christmas day, there are some steps you can take to ensure you survive it unscathed. You never know, you may actually enjoy it!

Preparation

If you are catering for the family on Christmas day, it is important to be as prepared as possible. Preparation is the way to reduce unnecessary stress and will help to ensure the day runs as smoothly as possible. Work out exactly how many people will be appearing for the Christmas meal and how much food you will need to keep everyone happy. There is nothing worse than running out of food and drink on Christmas day, as you can’t nip down to the shops for supplies. If you are hosting for a large number of people, they shouldn’t expect you to take the brunt of this. You can ask everyone to bring something with them, so you know you are adequately prepared. Make up a list of everyone’s likes and dislikes, so you won’t end up with wasted food and empty bellies.

Budget

Christmas is a tough time for most of our purse strings, so it is a good idea to prepare a budget before you start shopping. It can be very tempting to take advantage of all the special offers and deals, but this usually ends up with excess supplies and an unhappy bank balance. If you stick to your budget, you will feel less stressed about the day and will be able to relax and enjoy it more. If you ask others to help out with the Christmas dinner, you will be more inclined to spend less. You can prepare your budget by shopping around for the best prices and it may be worthwhile to order your supplies online to avoid temptation.

Games

Christmas is the one day when families come together and this can end up with built up tensions coming to the surface, especially when alcohol is involved. If you want to survive Christmas day without too many arguments, it is a good idea to prepare some fun games for everyone to enjoy. Games will not only keep everyone entertained but will divert attention away from any tensions. Karaoke such as Sing Star is always a favourite or you may want to opt for some old fashioned bored games. If you want to work off some of those Christmas puddings, the wii fit is the perfect option for some active fun. We watch television every day of the year, so this is the time to get away from it and do something different together.

Presents

A family Christmas is not complete without the addition of some presents. If you have a big family, it may be worth making a list before you set off for the shops, so you don’t forget anyone. A sure-fire way of making sure this doesn’t happen is to get a stocking filler or two, in case any unexpected guests turn up.

Smile and Laugh

We are all guilty of getting caught up in the pressure of Christmas and forgetting all about why it actually exists in the first place. No matter how many people you have visiting on Christmas day or how much pressure there is, don’t forget to take time to just relax and laugh. It is your time to kick back and relax, so don’t forget to do this. It is only one day of the year, so no matter how difficult or stressed your family make you, it won’t last forever.  If you feel the pressure starting, don’t be afraid to enlist the help of others, they will be more than willing to lend a hand.

Take care of those unexpected guests with a stocking filler to suit all tastes. You can spend as little or as much as you want, there are fillers to suit all budgets.