How To Plan A Stress Free Christmas

[mirry]

HI everyone , Incase you havent notised its December , .

I am trying to make sure I have a stress free xmas because ive had a fragile past 6 months. So Ive managed to pick up some good tips which I thought I would share (please can you share yours here too ?)

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Buy a throw away a foil roasting dish , so there less washing up on the day.
Maybe paper cups for the kids too and paper plates for evening snacks ?

When kids open presents, have a bin liner next to them, for them to place the wrapping paper in it as they go.

Prepare the veg all ready on xmas eve, (some people even cook the whole xmas dinner, so it just needs reheating on xmas day).

The night before , lay out breakfast bowls at the table , so it ready for use.

xmas eve , have a early night ,maybe with a LITTLE tipple to help you sleep ?


Also , what is your xmas day routine ???

we wake up and go straight into the kitchen to have breakfast,
then we get dressed and open up the living room door where father xmas has left all his lovely presents and open them. Usually with the radio on with lovely xmas music on.

Then we have xmas dinner and open the xmas tree presents and watch the queens speech. Followed by a good film and eat on off thru the day ,lol.

[Lilith1980]

I think the biggest stress factor for me will be doing dinner. I doubt I'll be cooking a bigger dinner but maybe cos its Christmas it has this effect of being more important!

So I think sorting all the veg out the night before is a good idea. Might even cook the chicken/turkey the night before. That will save some time and stress!

No kiddies so I think we will end up in front of the TV sharing a bottle of Baileys, with cheese and crackers close by for snacking! I may buy an interactive DVD game so we can do something fun as well.

[erialc]

Well I love christmas so tends not to be too stressful for me!

I like to be organised - presents all bought now only have to wrap them.
Ordered the turkey - feeds up to 10 - there is only 2 of us but hub wouldn't listen (he will have turkey sandwiches for weeks lol)

We like to have our meal at home just the 2 of us - makes for less stress I find (and we get to have it together), then this year as we have a new baby in the family (my niece) we are all going there to see her and have our presents together.

Top tip - spread the present opening out through out the day - gives the kids something later on to open .

As a child my dad was a policeman so often worked xmas day - we had a ritual - we would get up at midnight xmas eve and open one present each and then all the others we would keep until my dad came home from work.
I am 28 and still do the midnight present thing - hub disapproves so I ring my mum at midnight and we do it

Most importantly - Enjoy it and try to relax


Claire xxxx

p.s I was in town today and the shops were manic not my idea of fun

[darkangel]

Hopefully I will be spending Xmas morning with my daughter. That will be our special time, sitting around in our jammies opening the pressies and watching her face light up (she is 16 by the way - but still gets excited lol). Then I will be driving her to her dads for xmas dinner with his family.

As for me, Im hoping my darling boyfriend will be cooking the xmas turkey and I can sit back and enjoy. It will be our first Xmas together so looking forward to that.

Nighttime will be the most stressful part of the day, as we are going to visit my friends, again first time they will have met my boyfriend, and my ex will be there with his new partner and baby. Happy days eh!!!! If I didnt laugh about it, Id crack up lol. Its times like this that I wished I drank

Anyway, no matter what our Xmas is like, busy or quiet - we will cope

Luv to you all
Darkangel x

[kate]

The solution to a stress free Christmas dinner is to go to a restaurant, which is what we are doing

Kate

[domino]

Well, i ,ll be first up as per usual, no hubbi will , he will make a lovely cuppa and bring it up to me in bed. WISH ME A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS, then it,s shower ,take the dog for her walk, on return have breakfast.Daughter will get up that,s if she,s home from the night out with work mates,sit and open our gifts to each other,Dinner is usually around 2pm, hubbi washes the dishes, then it,s walk the dog again , then it,s chill time.This year will be the first year without my other daughter she moved in with boyfriend in november so we,re off to visit them on boxing day.that will feel more like christmas as we will be one family. What ever you guys get up to enjoy.xxxx

[kilvosa]

Hi There
I begin on christmas eve, this year have my daughter her boyfriend and one of my grandaughters shes nearly two also have a 10 and 11 year old.OMG
We prep veg xmas eve hubby makes the best stuffing ever and stuffs the bird(not me!) He takes them (10 and 11 yr old) to cinema this gives me time to do any last minute wrapping and to give me some piece.
Kids come home order a take away (7pm) no cooking. Get breakfast stuff ready clothes out. Kids go to bed etc in the morning we get up(have to wake kids normally !!!) have breakfast get dressed and start to unwrap presents we try to make it last all day kids really enjoy that. Have christmas dinner hubby normally cooks it . Play games with the kids and chill . Club sandwiches for tea etc
Hope you all have a great christmas
take care Annexx

[Pink Panic]

I'm spending Christmas Day with my two daughters as my much loved partner will be on an Oil Rig somewhere in the middle of the North Sea

I'm looking forward to seeing their faces as they open their pressies. The youngest is 10 and still believes so she will no doubt be up at 6 and straight into the Lounge to see if "he's" been!
Breakfast will be next then we will all shower and get glammed up as the three of us are off out to a Restaurant for Cmas Dinner. The idea of this was to make the day less stressful for me but I know I will be stressed anyways long before I get there. A nice glass of wine will help things settle hopefully

After we stuff ourselves my eldest daughter will drive us home and I'm going to settle down in front of the telly while they go and visit their dad.

Hope you all have a stress free Christmas and that whatever you all get up to that you have a great time.

Love & Hugs
Pink
x

[mirry]

Well i hope its a good one for all of us on here .

My xmas tree is looking a little sad , really need a new one but dont want to spend the money. Today I am doing the school fete selling jewellery - I have made lots of kids jewellery so hope i make some pennys , dread it but must do it.

[erialc]

Awww Mirry, I hope it all goes well at the fete!

Am excited because I think hub is gonna go get a tree at the weekend
We have a real one and as our conservatory roof is high we get a big one

I know what you mean - I used to have one that was my nans and never wanted to get rid of it but it looked so sorry for itself I had to. Now I think I prefer the real trees - the smell is great and reminds me of bein a kid when u could smell the tree as u were under the tree trying to feel what the pressies were lol

Have a great xmas

xx