Festive sparkle!
7th December 2011
Festive sparkle!
What makes Christmas special? Ignite your festive spirit with our tips for a happier and more meaningful yuletide.
Everyone has nostalgic memories of Christmases past. But these days there seems to be more and more pressure to make the festive season the best ever. Wait a moment. Slow down. Get yourself a mince pie. Fretting about that ‘perfect Christmas’ will take its toll on the stress levels. And that’s not what the festive season is about! Let’s simplify and go back to the true spirit of Christmas. Fetch the holly and ivy! It’s time to spread some cheer...
It’s Christmas. Take the time to enjoy it.
The pursuit of the perfect Christmas can lead to over-planning and trying to cram a few too many things in. Isn’t life busy enough already? Christmas is an opportunity to spend time relaxing and enjoying memorable moments with the people who matter most. So take it. Shift down a gear. And don’t feel guilty.
‘Chores’ are moments to savour!
Decorating the tree, doing up the guest bedroom, preparing Christmas dinner – they’re not chores, they’re part of what makes Christmas special. Savour them. Put your heart into them. Your efforts are going towards helping the people you love most celebrate. And don’t think you have to go it alone! You’re not going to ruin anyone’s Christmas by asking them to stir the gravy for the turkey. Sharing a few responsibilities is a great way of bringing people closer together and making everyone feel part of the celebration.
Go to some local Christmas events
Nothing triggers that magical Christmassy feeling like a sense of community and togetherness at Christmas. So try wrapping up warm and heading out to some local festive events. You might bump into an old friend. Or maybe you’ll meet someone new. Either way you’ll feel part of something special in your community. And there’s a lot to be said for that. Grab a copy of your local paper and take a look at what’s happening.
Spread the presents throughout the day
Is there anything more exciting at Christmas than seeing a pile of freshly wrapped presents under the tree? Every family has its own traditions for the order of play on Christmas Day. But it can be fun to prolong the excitement by saving some presents for a little later on – perhaps after dinner. You can always start the day off with some small stocking presents in the morning. Reckon you’ve got the willpower?
Watch less television
There’s heaps of great stuff on television at Christmas. But there’s a heap of great people around you too. Christmas is about sharing time with them, having a giggle and taking an interest in them, not sitting in silence around the television. So try to pick your festive viewing sparingly. There’s always the record button.
Ignore the January sales
The run up to Christmas is shopping mayhem! You know what it’s like. Packed-out shops, worries about how much to spend, trying to pick the right gifts – it’s enough to send anyone into a festive frenzy. But no sooner has Christmas passed, the shops throw open their doors for the January sales, which these days begin on Boxing Day. Do you really want to throw yourself back into that environment?
Christmas is for relaxing and having fun with your nearest and dearest. So do it. Crack out the Christmas games. Enjoy a drink or two together in the comfort of your home. Blow away the cobwebs with a refreshing winter walk. They’re all better than being jostled in a scrum of stressed-out shoppers. Best of all, they’re free. No shop will beat that offer!