Christmas will be here next week, and needless to say, just about everyone is looking forward to it (note: there are probably a few people who don’t celebrate it and therefore will not have anything to do with it). However, Christmas can also be quite stressful, with all the shopping, planning, cooking, decorating, and traveling. Sometimes the stress can result in perhaps the worst Christmas ever. So here are some tips to make one’s Christmas less stressful and more enjoyable, especially for those of you out there who still have a ton of stuff to do.
- Shopping. Try to get all the Christmas shopping done in advance in order to avoid having to buy gifts at the last minute and thus risk any disappointments. Online shopping is your best bet.
• Planning. Coordinate your Christmas plans with all those involved. Doing so will avoid conflicting plans, especially if some relatives have more than one celebration going on, such as a couple having to visit each other’s families who live a long distance from each other or someone having to work on Christmas.
• Traveling. Take into account the distance you have to travel to a relative’s house, especially if it is a long journey. Flying can be a good alternative to driving if you so desire. But however you choose to travel, keep in mind the following factors: the weather, the number of people traveling, and the amount of luggage and gifts you are bringing with you.
• Cooking. Don’t do all the cooking yourself. Get everyone involved to bring a dish. Doing so will reduce the amount of time you have to spend in the kitchen.
• Decorating. If you have the time, manpower, and you can afford it, then feel free to decorate the house like in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Otherwise, just stick with decorating the Christmas tree and perhaps a Christmas wreath and nativity set. Doing so will save you time, money, and energy. It will also be less of a burden, especially if you have other things to do, such as chores and other household projects.
• Don’t overdo it. No matter how much you might want to have the perfect Christmas, try to avoid overdoing something just to impress everyone, whether it be decorating, cooking, or some type of activity. Otherwise, you might wind up having a disaster on your hands.
In conclusion, following these tips will save you trouble and will make your Christmas more enjoyable.
