Christmas and New Year's Eve: 8-step plan to preparefot celebration with no stress
How to prepare for the holidays - 8-step plan for a stress-free Christmas (Photo: freepik.com)
Preparing for Christmas and New Year, especially in families with children, can often be exhausting and bring stress. But psychologist Catherine Gallissi, who has been through "all circles" and herself almost fell into depression during the holidays, has compiled an 8-step plan. Her strategy lets you plan Christmas and New Year without stress and fuss.
Bits of advice on how to survive the holidays without unnecessary nerves, according to The Sun.
Make a list and consider all family wishes. Don't think it's better to keep everything in your head. You won't forget anything if you write down a list of tasks, from gifts to parties and family gatherings. Also, plan your time after the holidays. You want to be cheerful and not tired, so review your plan and find minor tasks that can be eliminated.
Plan your budget and try to outsmart it. Of course, you can't do without gifts for children. But you can set a spending limit and calculate how much you can save. Instead of giving friends expensive gifts, suggest warm coffee gatherings—most will appreciate the idea, and you will not be left with an empty wallet at the end of the holidays.
How to survive the holidays without stress (photo: freepik.com)
Set priorities. You want to see all your relatives and friends, but you can't stretch yourself thin. So, write down everyone you want to spend time with. Then think about whether you can move some meetings to periods before and after the holidays. Then you will have more time, and no one will be offended because you will still pay attention to everyone.
Don't pressure yourself and your children with relatives. If you are tired of traditional holiday dishes, you don't have to cook them. Think about what everyone wants. And if it's a light dinner without turkey and salads, who will forbid you from creating a new menu?
How to survive the holidays without stress (photo: freepik.com)
Prepare the children. Sometimes, kids refuse a festive dinner or don't want to sit at the table long. Don't force them. Feed them at lunchtime, and let them play calmly in the evening. This way, no one will get nervous, you can sit at the table calmly, and the kids can have fun.
Don't dream of the perfect holiday. It's time to admit that Christmas or New Year will never be perfect; something can always go wrong. So, you will be less disappointed if you don't have inflated expectations. Even if you burn the cookies - learn to laugh at it.
Set yourself on a positive note. Prepare for the holidays with a positive mindset. Surround yourself with good vibes, listen to festive music, watch your favorite holiday movies, and enjoy the preparations.
Set yourself up for the positive (photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Don't compare yourself to others. Of course, you will see many photos with the perfect celebration on Instagram. But don't compare yourself to bloggers and those who only draw a "picture." Your children will remember a pleasant evening with you and a movie, with cocoa and warm conversations. And they will forget about the perfect dishes or grated forks.
Think about the holidays in advance. This point should be considered at the end of the holidays. When you collect decorations and pack the Christmas tree, write a "report." List all the mistakes and victories of this year's holidays. This way, you can consider all the mistakes next winter.
In addition, we have recently released the TOP-5 atmospheric movies for those who are tired of Home Alone.
