Here’s a fun fact: over 2 billion people worldwide celebrate Christmas. The religious connotations of the festival are still important to many, but for others, it’s a time for family members to come together and appreciate one another’s company. Even during difficult times, Christmas can be a way for warring family members to reconcile, for long-lost friends to reunite, and for lonely people to find connections among their peers in the world. It’s a beautiful time, to be sure.
Unfortunately, it’s also a time that can go (and has gone!) wrong. From culinary disasters to being unexpectedly short of funds, there are so many ways for Christmas to go wrong that it’s a wonder more of us aren’t anxious about it. That’s why I’m stepping in to help you this year. Avoid a disastrous Christmas with my guide on how to plan the perfect holiday for you and yours. I’m hoping these tips are useful to you! Here we go – without further ado, here’s how to plan the perfect Christmas.
Get your budget right
Whatever your budget may be, you need to know what it is before you embark on Christmas shopping. There’s nothing worse than discovering you don’t quite have enough to cover an expense, but realising you had more money than you initially thought can be pretty tough, too. If you’re looking for ways to bolster your bank balance before Christmas, you’d be surprised at how effective casinos like novibet.co.uk can be for quick cash injections.
Shop way ahead of time (if you can)
If you’re planning to buy perishable goods like food as presents, then you probably can’t shop too far ahead of time; many Christmas foods can be stored effectively for months, but some can’t. Toys and gadgets, however, can be bought way, way ahead of time. You should use whatever free time you have in the months leading up to Christmas to go buy presents. You’ll thank yourself when it’s December and you’re watching the mad shopping dash safely from your living room.
Make sure you’re considering alternative diets
There’s a good chance that a member of your family might be vegan, or might not eat the same food that the rest of the family does. When Christmas comes around, the spirit of inclusivity should lead you to find alternative food arrangements for that family member. It’s not fun to have everyone in the room enjoying themselves except the one person who can’t, and as the host of the day (if you are), it’s your responsibility to make sure everyone is catered for regardless of their preferences.
Allocate time on the day for activities
It might not feel like the most Christmassy way to handle things, but it’s a good idea to draw up a timetable with rough times when the family can do certain activities. Otherwise, you may end up with a chaotic day on which everyone wants to have fun with their new presents but nobody knows when to do so. Allocate time for fun and games, time for eating, and perhaps some family time for reflection if you’re that way inclined. You don’t have to stick to the timetable rigidly, but it does help to have one.
Put your decorations up early
Putting up your Christmas decorations a little early can be good for your mental health. Doing so promotes a festive holiday atmosphere, which can raise your spirits and bring your family close together. It’s also good physical exercise; if you haven’t tried to put a tree up recently, give it a go and you’ll be surprised how demanding it can be! Have a look at some of my favourite Christmas decoration ideas to give you an inkling of where to start.
Don’t opt for the obvious entertainment
While it might be tempting to head straight for the Christmas classic movie list, you might get something a little more out of an alternative Christmas movie marathon. Along the same lines, if Monopoly and Sorry! are getting a bit old, you might want to consider some different Christmas board games to play with the family. Any entertainment you plump for will result in a wonderful Christmas, of course, but why not go that extra mile and make it truly memorable?
Get your music ready
Many radio stations can be relied upon to provide excellent Christmas music when the occasion arises. Still, you might want to construct your own Christmas playlist. A lot of streaming services will offer rudimentary versions if you browse, but your personal playlist will have more memories and choices unique to you. Whatever your preferred method of consuming music is, make sure you build a good playlist that’s going to stand up to hours of play throughout the day.
Keep the spirit going
It can be tempting to just spend all your energy on the first hour or two of Christmas Day and not worry about the rest of the day. This would be a mistake, though; Christmas is an entire day, and you need to be awake and on top of it for as much of the day as possible. Keep abreast of developments during the day – do people want to go for walks? Is it time to start cooking? – and don’t be tempted to succumb to the Christmas tiredness that affects so many of us as the day proceeds.
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