It’s that time of year again when we are inundated with images of the ‘perfect’ Christmas. From the John Lewis advert to TV shows and Christmas films, there is a huge pressure on us all to have an amazing Christmas. But what with planning the Christmas meal, the pressures of hosting, family dynamics, social events and gift giving, that pressure can leave you feeling stressed, anxious and burned out before the festivities even begin.

Here are just a few ways to help you cope with Christmas anxiety, so you can enjoy rather than endure your festive period.

Family Stress

The adverts show us images of perfect families, all getting along, laughing and smiling, having the time of their lives. Accept that just because it’s Christmas, family friction and arguments are not going to go away. Try to have realistic expectations about what could happen.

Have a clear plan for the Christmas period, especially Christmas Day. Managing and coordinating who will be arriving on what day may help to keep certain family members apart and reduce tension. Be realistic about how much time you spend together, and if needs be, break up the tension with some games or activities, or a nice long walk. Stick to your plan and most of all, be realistic so you don’t end up disappointed.

The Pressure of Hosting

Don’t feel pressured to accommodate everyone at Christmas. It is your time off too. So, before you invite everyone and end up cooking for 20, think carefully about how much you can actually achieve without it becoming overwhelming.

Don’t be too rigid about family traditions, especially if that tradition always ends up with you feeling stressed out and anxious. Change things up so you can enjoy Christmas too. You could delegate more to tasks to your family in preparing the food, decorating the table, or organising drinks etc. You could also get different family members to take responsibility for a course, which will take some pressure off you. You could even decide to eat out at Christmas, which would mean that you could enjoy the day too.

Financial Strain

With the current cost of living crisis, never has it been a better time to pull back on the reins of Christmas spending to save money and prevent unnecessary financial stress. Many of us fall into the trap that we must get everyone the right gifts otherwise Christmas will be ruined.

Plan your spending well in advance, have a budget and stick to it. Some people even go for Secret Santa with family members, with a limit to how much you can spend. This is a great way to prevent overspending plus it is always a lot of fun seeing what people have bought.

Look after yourself

The most important thing you can do to prevent stress and anxiety spiralling out of control at Christmas is to look after yourself. With so much to do, it’s easy to burn the candle at both ends but getting enough sleep is really important.

Try and eat well, not just living on a box of celebrations and your gran’s mince pies! Eating healthily will help you stay balanced.

Try and get regular exercise, whether that’s a family walk, a morning run or squeezing in a few trips to the gym.

Take regular breaks from the pandemonium of preparation. Step outside for some fresh air, have a quiet lie down for 10 minutes, practice some breathing exercises or some mindfulness strategies. This will help you to stay calm and on top of your worries.

Lastly, make sure you build in some you time, whether that’s taking a long hot bath, finding a cosy corner to read, have a hot drink and relax. No matter what you feel you need to get done, building in some ‘you’ time will help you cope in the long run.

If you would like personalised help to manage your stress and anxiety, I offer confidential counselling in Basingstoke or online . Please give me a call or drop me an email.