The festive season can be one of the best times of the year, but it can also be the most stressful. Shopping for gifts, Christmas parties and time with family can take a toll on your mental and emotional health and leave you with little time to relax and enjoy the festivities.
Follow these tips to help you avoid stress during the festive season:
Plan ahead – Waiting until the last minute to purchase gifts, plan a party or send out Christmas cards is bound to make you feel stressed. Give yourself plenty of time to complete your to-do list in case the crowds are large and the lines are long.
Watch your finances – It can be tempting to overspend on the perfect gift for someone. But if that means your finances will suffer, it is not worth it. Set spending limits for yourself and stick to them.
Adjust your expectations – You will not be able to make it to every party or purchase the perfect gift for everyone. Holding yourself to impossibly high standards is the best way to generate stress. Remind yourself to manage expectations and let go of any guilt.
The Dangers Of Christmas Stress
Paul, a homeowner is Bristol, was busy getting ready to host a Christmas Eve breakfast for his family and friends. The night before Christmas Eve, Paul put up festive decorations on the inside of his home. Despite being exhausted from his hours of food preparation, he decided to also decorate the exterior of his home.
Paul strung Christmas lights around his windows and a few shrubs. He plugged the lights in and went to bed. Early the next morning, Paul was woken by fire service sirens and realised they were outside of his house. He saw flames and smoke coming from the front of his house and quickly ran outside.
The fire service was able to extinguish the fire, but Paul’s home suffered extensive damage. A firefighter determined that the fire was started by the Christmas lights, which were old and weathered. Paul was so tired when he was hanging them that he did not take the time to inspect the lights and wiring for any obvious damage. If Paul had taken care of himself and not felt stressed, he could have noticed the damaged lights and avoided this accident.
