Ideas for Christmas made easy

Okay, so Christmas is coming and the stress levels are too, so here are our tips on making it go smoothly.

• Make lists for what needs to be done (decorating, food shopping, gifts) and start early. 
• Use a calendar and get family involved. 
• Make your list on a notebook that you can use again next year and even list names of babysitters and taxi companies.  
• Make sure you prioritise what is most important to focus on first.  Is it ordering party food to be delivered or lining up the babysitters?
• Set a budget and stick to it.  
• Schedule in quiet / quality “me” time.
• Gift buying made easy.  Gift tokens are great gifts and easy to buy.  Or take advantage of Snappy Snaps special offer of 3 for the price of 2. Last year we took a memory stick and created a personalized travel bag for everyone.  Everyone loved it.  It looked great and didn't cost a fortune.
• Do it all on one day as it will focus the mind and it will be another thing off the list.  You will get the best prices on line.
• Christmas card list.  Make it a family event and make sure you have enough pens and stamps.  Or you can each do 5 cards a night until it is done.  To save money, hand deliver the cards and get some exercise as a bonus.
• Get family members to help and allocate tasks over the whole Christmas period.
• Don’t go to a Christmas event or party out of guilt.  Save your energy for the most important ones.
• Have a cut off point.  Then you can stop planning and start enjoying the spirit of Christmas.  If you work towards a goal you are more likely to stick to it.

How to have a stress-free Christmas

Tips on staying chilled

It might be shopping, family, cooking, cleaning the house, kids on holiday or travel, something is bound to make you feel stressed. Remember, it is not the event that creates the stress – it is the thoughts about the event which result in feeling good or bad. So to prepare for the season the following tips will help.

Shopping:

• Make a list of the people you need to buy a present for Christmas
• Have a budget
• Get family members to help with ideas and shopping
• KIS – Keep it simple (i.e. SnappySnaps has a 3 for the price of 2 during November on personalized items. It looks good, it is a good price, and the recipient will love it. I got one for every member of my family and I know they will love it. You can put different pictures on different items, and the staff are so helpful)

Family:
Love them or hate them, they are family. You can not change them, so don't waste your energy trying. What you can do is choose not to get wound up this year. Repeat after me: "I will care a whole lot more about a whole lot less". When your mother says to you: "Dear, are you sure your want a second helping" or such like; stop, take a deep breath and think to yourself, "I am calm and chilled".

Cooking:

• If you don't enjoy it, get the family members who do involved. Ask friends and family coming to bring something; the dessert, an appetiser, a bottle of sparkle. They would bring something anyway, so ask for what you want. It will help them and you at the same time. Again KIS. It does not have to be a huge traditional meal. You can create your own traditional meal.
• Use M&S or John Lewis and order some simple starters. Not too expensive and it takes the pressure off of you.
• If you are cooking, ask the others to do the cleaning up. It is only fair.

Cleaning up:

• Ask in advance for help from the family. Set a date and time and ask everyone to have a power hour to clean their area and the family room or kitchen. Put on good motivating music and blitz the place.
• Same for after the event... Get your family to help clean up.

Kids on holiday:
You know it is coming and if you need cover arrange it now with other friends with children. Trade off or get them involved in a project or lesson. Plan now so you have it off your mind. Ask you children for ideas as well.

Travel:

• Plan again when to pack, what, and make a list. MAKE LISTS! It helps you to stay organized and you can see your progress at the same time.
• You can't control the weather, delayed planes or tired kids and spouses. You can once again choose to get stressed and frustrated or be laid back and chilled. So be prepared. Have activities to do, write out Christmas cards, do your life wheel for 2014, answer emails, tweet, read a good book, the list is endless. To get upset once again just wastes your energy and ruins your holiday.

Hope these ideas help all of you have a wonderful holiday season… ho, ho, ho!