I know, I know – Christmas can be a stressful time especially as parents. But there is no need to stress as here are ten amazing tips to help you as parents survive Christmas with as little stress as possible.
Don’t buy for everyone
Before we have kids, our present lists are often quite big – we buy for our parents, our partners and many of our friends. But after we have kids, we have bigger prioriities so you may find yourself scaling down your present list – or at the very least, limiting your budget. Don’t feel pressured into buying for everyone.
Don’t sweat the small stuff
It can be so busy at Christmas time and you may find yourself juggling so many things that other things get left by the wayside. Don’t worry about the little things as long as the big stuff is all sorted – if your child doesn’t want to sign the Christmas cards, don’t force it. Don’t make it more stressful than it needs to be.
Don’t try to keep up with the Jones’
It is so tempting to go all out and try to keep up with what everyone else is doing but you don’t need to! So what if that family is doing Elf on the Shelf and you’re not? So what if the kids have a jam-packed full Christmas Eve box and your kids just have a new book each and some new pyjamas? You shouldn’t need to feel like you’re not good enough – you are.
Get everyone involved – including the kids
It often seems that we are the only ones trying to get everything sorted and that the others are just enjoying the festivities. Get everyone involved in the run up to Christmas – whether that is them helping to decorate the tree or laying the table on Christmas Day.
Make a list – and check it twice
Lists are everything at Christmas time. Having a list will ensure you don’t forget any important stuff that you need to remember. Have lists for everything – the food you need to buy, the presents you need to wrap, the thank you notes you need to write.
Don’t leave things to the last minute
We all know that Christmas happens annually so why we continue to leave things until the last minute, I don’t know! Having to rush around looking for stuff and potentially not being able to find it – it has got to be one of the most stressful experiences at this time of year.
Utilise the word no
You don’t have to do everything. You don’t have to go to everything. If you don’t want to go somewhere this Christmas as it will be more stress than it is worth, simply say no. It isn’t a dirty word.
Make a budget
If finances might be a problem, make a budget and stick to it. Take advantage of deals and promotions and don’t feel pressured to buy more than you absolutely have to.
Have a big declutter
Something that may cause you a lot of stress is having all the kids old toys and stuff hanging around when you know that they have plenty more coming. A big declutter in the weeks running up to Christmas will definitely help free your mind.
Reward yourself
If you’ve managed to make it this far, reward yourself with your favourite thing – whether that is a good book or a large glass of wine. After all – you deserve it!
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