How I wish I could make Christmas look
The school dates are numerous, it’s birthday party season (giving and going), and the realisation that you feel (even if you’re not) responsible for all the “the planning, the buying, the wrapping, the stockings, the cooking, the cleaning, the wrapping, the cleaning, more cooking, the clearing up, the laundry, the cleaning, clearing up toys, the washing up, the dish washer emptying, bed and bath, the cooking, the clearing up toys, the wrapping, the shopping, the laundry” (Cherry Healey). Oh and work is getting busy, and it’s nearly the end of term!
I’m trying to go for low expectations but in my head I am swanning around with a glass of fizz as my kids play happily and there are sparkles in the air. If you’re the same, this is what I’m learning….
1 - Have a look at The Organised Mum, she has a week by week guide on how you can be done and dusted by Dec 1st. (I caught up, and by that I mean I feel very happy we have Santa trips booked, we know where we’re going, and it kick started me into gift buying. So it might make you feel worse to begin with, but at the end of the day, you will have to do it all. Might as well start now!)
2 - Write down everything that’s happening from 2nd Jan backwards.
3 - If you run a business or blog, schedule in some downtime over the festive break, (maybe switch to airplane mode) to properly switch off and enjoy family time. Be clear about what your trading period is over Christmas. The sooner you let people know, the better (note to self, note to self).
4 - Schedule in some time off for you - a run, yoga, read in a darkened room.
5 - Have very very low expectations.
6 - Don’t try and do stuff that you never normally do (like bake). Think about the things you really enjoy and do them – ditch as much of the rest as you can.
7 - Breathe and find the magic, remember what it felt like when Santa had been, how lucky that we can see our kids enjoy it! Breath some fresh air, feel the sunshine, look up at the stars…
8 - Create a Christmas cocktail (Pimped-up Prosecco , Treacle Cocktail, Christmas Pomegranate Punch for the non alcoholic drinkers and kids, and here’s a Healthy Christmas Cocktail).
9 Play some Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra. Helpful Spotify list here.
