How to have a stress-free Christmas
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Loading... - Oscar Filipe
- 04 Dec 2020
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As much as Christmas is a magical and happy time of year, it can also be hectic. Use these tips to make it more manageable – and claw back time for yourself so you look and feel rested come Christmas Day.
Scale back the gift list
Tone down the present-buying frenzy that ensues in the run-up to the big day by agreeing to a gift exchange such as Secret Santa with your guests. This way, everyone gets a gift – and everyone only has to buy one present each. It can also mean you have a slightly bigger budget to play with. Alternatively, you can introduce a kids-only rule, so presents are only bought for those under the age of 18.
If you’re shopping online for gifts (or food, or anything else, in fact), you could claw back a few precious pounds or pence by using cashback sites such as Quidco or TopCashback. Often you can earn cashback on in-store purchases too – just pre-register your bank card on the site before you start shopping.
Prep food in advance
There is a lot to get done on Christmas Day, so if you can spread the prep over a series of weekends you’ll save yourself some stress. You’d be surprised how much of the Christmas lunch you can make ahead of time: you can cut up the vegetables and parboil then freeze or refrigerate; the mulled wine, cranberry sauce, gravy, stuffing and braised cabbage can be made early, and the last two can be frozen. If you’re planning on making cookies, make the dough and freeze, then bake them closer to the 25th.
In the event that you’re hosting, make a food list so you don’t overbuy – and don’t be shy to ask guests to bring a dish to take the pressure off (and free up fridge space). On the day, do delegate: put your partner in charge of the drinks and the turkey; the kids can help to set the table and load the dishwasher; and a parent can check on the veggies.
Schedule some me time
Trying to squeeze salon appointments into a busy schedule is tricky enough as it is – add Christmas into the mix and that is multiplied. As a result, more women are choosing to take their beauty regimes into their own hands, with hair removal topping the list.
The Braun Silk-expert 3 IPL (RRP £299.99) provides salon-worthy results at home, allowing you to zap unwanted hair from your body and face quickly and easily, when it suits you. If you don’t have it already, put it on your wish list – otherwise plan a pampering session where you can indulge in some me time. It’s a great way to relax before the craziness of Christmas Day.
Break up the day
So you’re not all cooped up on the big day and getting under each other’s feet, schedule a walk and also have some entertainment on standby, whether that’s a film or a games session. You can easily find ready-made Christmas playlists on Spotify or YouTube for background music, and ask guests to bring board games with them if you’re running short.
There are a number of apps for group games that you can download to your phone or tablet too, such as Heads Up (a bit like charades), Reverse Charades (describing a picture) and Who Can’t Draw (a spin-off on a drawing game) for the older ones. Cut the Rope (puzzle game), Four in a Row (the classic game), Guess the Person? (similar to Guess Who?) and UNO (the card game) are good for little and large.
You may want to manage your guests’ expectations by giving them a rough time frame for Christmas lunch and the activities so they also have an idea of their expected departure time – after which you can change into your cosy pyjamas and put your feet up.
