taniaaust1
Senior Member
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I thought it would be good to start a thread on this for ideas on what people do to make xmas more managable and offer their tips.
Here's some of my tips
Cards
- Cards, think about starting doing them right now.. dont wait till it gets closer to xmas when the rush season truely starts.
- Consider if sending ecards by email is easier then handwriting and posting them
(hopefully someone can put on this thread some free ecard sites for cards. I used to know some good oens but lost the links).
- If you dont get them done, it isnt the end of the world (First few times I didnt get my cards out to anyone, I was quite upset about it and felt so embarrassed. Now I just accept it if that happens)
Presents
- Dont try to be getting these all at once. Maybe get one a week or fortnight when you are out doing your normal shopping or order online.
- I keep a present chest and collect presents all year (whenever I see something which I think someone would like on special..so this also works by saving me money too).
Ive put more energy into this since about Oct and already have all the presents for all my nieces (which there is a ton of) and nephews. Ive already also got the gifts for 3 out of my 4 grandchildren by doing this.
- If it gets to xmas week and I dont have a present for someone.. I just then buy some chocolate for that person when Im shopping. Do not spend too much energy in the few days leading up to xmas.. preemptive rest if possible.
Its going to be amazing this year if I can get both presents and cards done for everyone.
Christmas Day
- One xmas we set the xmas table up in line with bedroom door and bed, so I could see everything what was going on throu a bedroom doorway.. so I could lay in bed and watch and listen to the family.
- If you arent going to last out well at the xmas do.. think about just going for the most important part/s of it. When I could still drive.. instead of getting there when it first started, I went there only just before the familly started to eat.. (so I was feeling refreshed at the dinner table). As my family opens the presents after lunch.. this was far better then arriving a couple of hours earlier when everyone else did.. to me a nice xmas lunch with family and the present time was more important for me to feel a bit better at then an extended time being with them where i just was going to be very sick. Do you want quantity time or quality time?
- Stick up for your needs.. dont play things down.. if you need to lay down.. do so.. dont be embarrassed about borrowing a family members bed in the back bedroom for a couple of hours right in the middle of the xmas party. If you usually have to pace.. dont change your pacing much.. just do whatever you can do. I literally lay down anywhere if I need to (often at that point, people will offer a bed)
Here's some of my tips
Cards
- Cards, think about starting doing them right now.. dont wait till it gets closer to xmas when the rush season truely starts.
- Consider if sending ecards by email is easier then handwriting and posting them
(hopefully someone can put on this thread some free ecard sites for cards. I used to know some good oens but lost the links).
- If you dont get them done, it isnt the end of the world (First few times I didnt get my cards out to anyone, I was quite upset about it and felt so embarrassed. Now I just accept it if that happens)
Presents
- Dont try to be getting these all at once. Maybe get one a week or fortnight when you are out doing your normal shopping or order online.
- I keep a present chest and collect presents all year (whenever I see something which I think someone would like on special..so this also works by saving me money too).
Ive put more energy into this since about Oct and already have all the presents for all my nieces (which there is a ton of) and nephews. Ive already also got the gifts for 3 out of my 4 grandchildren by doing this.
- If it gets to xmas week and I dont have a present for someone.. I just then buy some chocolate for that person when Im shopping. Do not spend too much energy in the few days leading up to xmas.. preemptive rest if possible.
Its going to be amazing this year if I can get both presents and cards done for everyone.
Christmas Day
- One xmas we set the xmas table up in line with bedroom door and bed, so I could see everything what was going on throu a bedroom doorway.. so I could lay in bed and watch and listen to the family.
- If you arent going to last out well at the xmas do.. think about just going for the most important part/s of it. When I could still drive.. instead of getting there when it first started, I went there only just before the familly started to eat.. (so I was feeling refreshed at the dinner table). As my family opens the presents after lunch.. this was far better then arriving a couple of hours earlier when everyone else did.. to me a nice xmas lunch with family and the present time was more important for me to feel a bit better at then an extended time being with them where i just was going to be very sick. Do you want quantity time or quality time?
- Stick up for your needs.. dont play things down.. if you need to lay down.. do so.. dont be embarrassed about borrowing a family members bed in the back bedroom for a couple of hours right in the middle of the xmas party. If you usually have to pace.. dont change your pacing much.. just do whatever you can do. I literally lay down anywhere if I need to (often at that point, people will offer a bed)
- so if I survive the flight okay (first one in 6yrs) then things should be so easy, no cooking, oh I'm looking forward to that so much, taking presents which have to be small, preferably jokey ones - and thats it - hurrah.