It’s nearly Christmas and we love Christmas in the Purple house. Our house is sparkly, glittery and twinkly with decorations, Christmas plans are made, and my shopping is all done. So all that remains is to us to enjoy a fabulous Christmas.

I am mindful though that Christmas can be stressful for some. Christmas can be tricky if things are not right in your life at this time.  It can seem as though everyone else is enjoying a picture perfect Christmas, whilst you struggle on. Or perhaps in trying to achieve that Instagram Christmas perfection you are running yourself ragged and feeling less sparkly and more stressed!

So for those of you who are struggling right now, and looking for ways to cope with the festive season I bring you;

Five Ways To Have A Fabulous Christmas;

Keep things simple. As with many areas of life we can put expectations on ourselves which cause stress. Perhaps you feel that you simply must bake Christmas goodies from scratch, or attend all the festive events in your calendar. Whatever it is that you’re are doing that is causing you to feel that it’s all a bit too much, I gently suggest that you stop and rethink.

Christmas can be whatever you want it to be. Mince pies can be bought in boxes and they still taste great. You don’t have to go ice skating. Nobody is forcing you to decorate your house like something out of Good Housekeeping. Basically what I’m saying is make the Christmas you want. Do as much or as little as suits and concentrate on keeping things manageable and enjoying yourself.

Self care is still important. I will be continuing with my daily yoga, multivitamins and ensuring that all my needs are met. This will mean that I can enjoy Christmas (hopefully) meltdown free and feeling healthy.

Staying on top of my day to day self care despite the pressure to drop it, get drunk and eat until my stomach hurts, is in my best interests. So as well as treating myself to some chocolate and a glass of bubbly I shall also be treating myself with the gift of good health and a clear mind.

Avoid consumerism. It’s really easy to feel that you must spend, spend, spend at this time of year. First you have to bankrupt yourself buying gifts, then after Christmas regardless of need you must head to the post Christmas sales and buy even more. Don’t forget to stock up on way more food and booze than you can possibly eat and drink because it’s Christmas!

Don’t buy into the sales pitch. Buy what you feel comfortable with and don’t feel pressure to buy more because it’s Christmas. Personally I will be avoiding the sales and playing board games, watching TV and hanging out in my comfy house instead. Which leads nicely onto…

Cosy up. Fill your days with snuggle! Put soft blankets and cushions on your sofas, keep your house a comfortable temperature, and basically do whatever you need to feel really comfortable.

We are really good at doing cosy in the Purple house, it’s our usual state of being. So put your PJ’s on, film on, hot chocolate all round and cuddles for everyone.

Enjoy Christmas traditions. Traditions are really comforting. In our house we have a usual way of doing Christmas Eve, and Christmas morning, as well as traditions on Boxing Day and New Years Eve.

The children (and adults) know what to expect from these celebrations and it’s comforting to have traditions which happen every year. Don’t overdo it, as the traditions can end up feeling like chores, instead choose a few traditions for your family for this season and enjoy the routine and comfort that this can bring.

Whatever you do, have a good Christmas. I’ll be taking a couple of weeks off, after this Thursdays YouTube video, to enjoy my family this Christmas. So I’ll be back on the eighth of January, when I will be introducing you to our new family member Coco the Cavachon puppy who is joining us just after Christmas.