Don't stress this Christmas with these tips
Christmas can be one of the most stressful times of the year with so many people to see, places to go and things to remember.
The countdown has begun and millions of Britons are dreading the prospect of yet another advent filled with chaotic preparations and stressful situations. The usual overload of shopping, socialising, family duties and over excited children can cause even the calmest of people to lose their cool.
In recent research commissioned by Kalms it was found that stress affects women more often than men; with 25% of women regularly feeling stressed compared to only 16% of males. So make this yule period as stress free as possible Kalms has worked with Stress expert Neil Shah to create some Christmas countdown tips and advice to keep stress at bay.
12 Kalms Days to Christmas
12 days to go – 13th December – make a list
Start a Christmas List – December is one of the busiest months of the year but Christmas won’t seem such a daunting prospect if you schedule your time to do the most important things in the right order. And be realistic – you can’t do everything!
Make a list of everything that you need to do between now until Christmas day and break it down into bite size pieces so you can handle it one step at a time.
11 days to go – 14th December – Relax
Take a break – despite what you think, the sky won’t come crashing down if you do! Even if you can only spare half an hour take the dog for a walk, have coffee with a friend or relax in the bath. It’s important to take time to regroup and re-charge your energy levels. If you do start to feel that things are getting on top of you, try taking a natural remedy like Kalms to relieve stress, as well as a good multi-vitamin for optimum health in the run up to Christmas
10 days to go – 15th December – delegate!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help, if you don’t ask you won’t receive! Involve your family in the preparations and let them know if it’s all getting on top of you. The spirit of Christmas is all about sharing and that includes sharing the hard work that goes into making it a special occasion. Ask someone else to pick up the turkey or help to wrap some pressies.
9 days to go – 16th December – Research on line
Stop before you drop - most people will agree that shopping for gifts is the biggest source of stress in the run up to Christmas. Research gifts on line and create a list to take with you. Remember that it is the thought that counts and even if you think a gift card lacks imagination – it will be money better spent on something they will use.
8 days to go – 17th December – battery powered!
Get it ready – prepare the kids gifts before wrapping them and make sure that you include batteries where needed. Also make sure you have a selection of spare batteries in case others are less organised.
7 days to go – 18th December – Fill the freezer
Start cooking – things like mince pies and sausage rolls can be made in advance and put in the freezer, ready to take out on Christmas Eve.
6 days to go – 19th December – Christmas wrapped, literally
Finish the wrapping – get the pressies wrapped and under the tree so that you don’t have to think about it again.
5 days to go – 20th December – Pop it in the post
Hey, Mr Postman – This is the last day for posting cards so pop down to the post box and let Royal Mail take the strain
4 days to go – 21st December – Fresh Food
Shop for fresh ingredients – now is the time to buy your fresh vegetables and fruit to make sure you’ve got everything you need.
3 days to go – 22nd December – Last minute details
Now’s time for the final check that you have everything you need for the big day. Make sure you’ve got all the details covered – crackers, trimmings, table cloth, Christmas music….just enough time to pop out and pick up the last minute things.
2 days to go – 23rd December – Clean up
Spick and span – if you’re catering for lots of people then today would be a good time to have a final tidy and clean up around the house ready for your guests.
1 day to go – 24th December – The night before Christmas
’Twas the night before Christmas…”- You’ve been rushing around for weeks getting everything ready, you’ll spend all day tomorrow either visiting or catering for your extended family; but now it’s Christmas Eve, Keep Kalms and look forward to a wonderful day.
Enjoy a simple meal together, listen to Christmas carols, heat up a few mince pies and watch your favourite Christmas movie. The Christmas spirit will take over and you’ll go to bed with a festive glow instead of a stress headache.