As the holiday season approaches, you may feel overwhelmed with all the preparation and decisions required before the festivities. You may also want to ensure that everyone in your family’s happy with the arrangements, and like you, they’re looking forward to spending time together.
How do you accomplish all these holiday goals?
Be Thoughtful with Gifts
When deciding what to buy people, consider a few varying factors. Rather than simply buying for the sake of buying, it can be better to think about their current likes and dislikes.
The age of the recipient can also be a good indicator of the types of gifts that they may enjoy. One idea can be to look at gift ideas for kids aged 7, as an example, to see what kind of items a child of that age might be into. This could be especially important when buying items to go in their stocking from Santa Claus.
Using items that are popular with other children of a similar age can give you more of a chance of finding something they’ll truly love.
Follow a Plan Before Christmas Day
Once Christmas Day is upon you, you may feel like there’s too much work, yet not enough hours in the day. From setting the table to sorting out gifts, as well as cooking and cleaning up, the work may feel daunting. So much so that you’d probably rather lie in bed.
So don’t do it all on your own.
It is entirely reasonable for you to ask for help from others, especially if you’re hosting a large number of people. Although you could ask guests to bring certain dishes, and serve a potluck-style dinner, people could help in other ways.
Even your younger guests, tour kids or your guests’ children, could get involved with age-appropriate chores. It may speed up the time it takes to get everything sorted. This way, you may have more time enjoying the day with your loved ones, than trying to frantically keep on top of everything.
Put Away the Devices
Some guests may spend more time looking at their cellphone than engage with what is happening around them. If you have teenagers in the house, they’re likely to be on their mobile devices than have a chat with the aunts and uncles and cousins.
Why not implement a no-cellphone rule. This could be at the dinner table, in the living room while people are opening gifts or talking.
Enjoy the Outdoors
Just because it’s Christmas day, doesn’t mean you have to spend the entire day stuck indoors slaving over a hot stove and watching a marathon of Disney holiday movies. Unless a blizzard or some other bad weather prevents you from stepping outside, you can stroll through the neighborhood.
Everyone can benefit from a little fresh air, especially when the house is full of relatives, with little ones bickering and the kitchen in full swing.
Planning a Christmas day walk is a simple but enjoyable way to add a new tradition to the festivities, get everyone moving and burn off some energy.
You don’t have to go far; you could take a walk around your village, or take a look at the Christmas lights in your neighborhood. If you have little ones, then why not head up to the park and let the kids run around? Just remember to wrap up warm.
When you come back from your little outing, you’ll appreciate the warmth and comfort of your home a little more and everyone will feel refreshed, relaxed and reset for the day ahead.
Reminisce with the Family
Taking a trip down memory lane can give your Christmas day an emotional twist and make it much more enjoyable. Why not break out those family photographs after dinner and spend time together pouring over old memories?
From Christmases gone by, to hilarious holiday moments, even reminiscing about loved ones who are no longer with you, leave your phones aside and dust off those family albums and photo frames instead. You could even ask visitors to bring some of their photos along too.
Don’t Strive for a Perfect Holiday
Christmas is a time for family, friends and giving, but the pressure of having a “perfect” day can increase your stress levels and leave your guests feeling just as flustered.
Instead of worrying about the wonky Christmas decorations on your tree, the watermarks on your glassware, or even a few burnt pieces of turkey, accept that non-perfection is just as good – if not better – on Christmas day. It’ll certainly make your day much more enjoyable and you’re less likely to resent the holidays next year.
During the winter holidays, spread as much cheer as possible to your loved ones. By considering the ways that you can make your Christmas to-do list easier, that good cheer may also extend to you, too.
