De-S-T-R-E-S-S Xmas!

Take the Stress out of Xmas, de-stress Christmas, make Xmas easier

'Tis the season to be jolly.  But if you find there's more aaaaargh than fah-lah-lah-lah-lah in the typical Christmas, read our Informed guide to a low-stress Christmas and radiate good cheer!

Avoid Financial Stress

Financial worries are made worse at Christmas when spending goes up.  If you know your budget's likely to be tight, tackle the issue early.

• Don't feel pressured to spend more than you can realistically afford.
• You could perhaps agree with friends and relatives to set a spending limit. 
• Consider a more creative approach, especially if you’re good at making things.  Friends often appreciate a unique hand-crafted gift more than if you’d bought them something expensive but impersonal. 

Avoid Shopping Stress

Avoid waiting till the week before Christmas to buy gifts. If you are able to shop over several weeks or even months you'll find it much more pleasurable and also spread the cost.

• Make a list of all the gifts you want to buy before you go shopping. 
• Buy gifts online or from mail order catalogues.  But make sure you do it in plenty time for delivery!
• Buy a few extras, such as chocolates, just in case you forget somebody or you have unexpected guests bearing gifts.

 
Enjoy Your Christmas Party

Many of us don't enjoy parties, particularly work ones and find them more stressful than fun.   To boost your confidence:
 

• Don't worry about coming up with sparkling conversation. Just being a good listener can make you popular!
• To get the conversation going, ask open questions such as what someone is doing for Christmas or how their job's going.  Remember FORE – Family, Occupation, Relaxation/leisure, and Education.  Failsafe conversation topics!
• We all get on with certain people at work or socially more than others. At a party, talk to them first to build your confidence.
• Don't rely on alcohol to calm your nerves – it can actually make you feel less in control and therefore more stressed. 

 
Keep Healthy
 

• At Christmas we tend to eat a diet high in salt, sugar and stimulants, like alcohol and caffeine.  If you're not used to it, this can make you feel anxious and lethargic.
• Not only is alcohol full of calories (stress-inducing if you generally watch your weight), it increases anxiety levels and makes your immune system less efficient. Offer to drive occasionally or drink a glass of water between every alcoholic drink to prevent dehydration.
• Carbonated mixers, such as tonic, increase absorption of alcohol.  Choose fruit juice instead.
• Drink less caffeine – it adds to stress and drains your energy levels in the long term.
• Antioxidants can help to relieve the effects of stress. Good sources are red fruit and vegetables, like tomatoes, peppers, grapes and cherries, and also festive treats like satsumas and nuts. A little chocolate can be really beneficial as it contains antioxidants.  Choose a good-quality brand that is 70 per cent cocoa and has less sugar. 
• Exercise is a great stress reliever.  Take a walk when you can.
• Get enough sleep - plan for as many early nights as you can in the run up to Christmas.

 
Avoid Christmas Day Stress
 

• Co-operation is the key to a stress-free Christmas Day.  Get other people to join in.  Mum could lay the table; your partner could get the drinks and the kids could circulate with the nibbles.
• TV programmes tend to promote an unrealistic expectation of a perfect, harmonious day.  If things don't go exactly to plan, that's normal and not the end of the world.
• A degree of advance planning can be helpful. Write a list of what you have to do, such as when to start cooking.  Be flexible though - this is meant to be fun!.
• Encourage everyone to be honest about what they want to do for Christmas. Your relatives may not want to visit you every single year.  They may not mind if you'd rather go abroad sometimes or they may fancy that option themselves. Avoid tensions by reaching a compromise on what the whole family wants to do.
• Spread the distribution of presents over the whole of Christmas day, or even beyond. That way, children don’t get over-excited by the sudden arrival of heaps of new toys.

 
Stress free Christmas Cooking
 

• Buy as many non-perishable food items as you can in advance - supermarkets on Christmas Eve are generally manic!
• You may need to order particular food items (such as turkeys) from your supermarket by a certain date. Check to avoid last minute let-downs.
• Consider doing your food shopping online. The store will deliver your groceries to your door. Bliss!
• Peel and trim veg the day before and store them in water.
• Make sure that your meat is ready to go straight into the oven - and that everything is defrosted properly.
• Consider less time-consuming options to the strictly traditional. Pickled red cabbage is a great alternative to boiled veg; it goes perfectly with turkey and can be prepared in advance or bought in and served cold.
• Serving mashed or boiled potatoes instead of roast means that you can have more space in the oven for the meat, stuffing etc.
• Consider buying an easy-to-carve turkey crown, pre-made stuffing, bread sauce mix, gravy mix, and so on. While it would be great to be able to serve everything home-made, there are many pre-made elements of the meal in the shops which taste as good as your own, are cheaper to buy, and will save you time and stress on the day itself. The same goes, of course, for desserts.
• Make a list for the big day itself, write a list and stick to it. Sounds boring, but if you stick it on the wall in your kitchen and tick off jobs as they're done, you'll feel you're in control.
• And finally, get someone else to do the washing up - you'll have earned a rest!

  
Avoid Relationship Stress

Believe it or not, stress, anxiety and depression are common during the festive season. If nothing else, reassure yourself that these feelings are normal.

Stress reduction strategies:

• Don't look for miracles - even at Christmas!  If you and certain family members bicker all year long, you should expect some tension at Christmas lunch.
• Avoid known triggers. For example, if politics is a touchy subject in your family, avoid it.  If someone brings up a sensitive topic, use distraction and quickly move onto something else..
• Use relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or focusing on your breath, to cope with anxiety or tension.
• Family members involved in after-lunch activities (such as games, rounders in the back garden) may be less likely to get into arguments. Plan for something to do as a group after lunch if necessary.
• Christmas can be a time when emotional issues you've been keeping a lid on all year bubble up to the surface e.g. the loss of a loved one. It's a nostalgic time when people can tend to be emotional.  

Useful Websites


Relate
Relateline: 0845 130 4010 (Mon-Fri, 9.30am-4.30pm)
Website: relate.org.uk
The largest relationship counselling organisation in the UK.

Samaritans
Helpline: 08457 90 90 90 (24 hours)
Website: samaritans.org.uk
The Samaritans exists to provide confidential emotional support to any person who is in emotional distress 24 hours a day.

YoungMinds
Parents Information Service: 0800 018 2138 (Mon & Fri 10am-1pm; Tue-Thur 1-4pm)
Website: youngminds.org.uk
National charity committed to improving the mental health of all children and young people.