If you’re feeling stressed out by the holidays, take a break for some self-care. Here are 12 ideas to help you relax and enjoy the Christmas season.
The festive season is a favourite time of year for many. An opportunity where we get to catch up with family and friends and celebrate.
However, Christmas can also be a busy and overwhelming period, and most of us end up exhausted, stressed and wishing for a holiday just to escape and/or recover!
With that in mind, here are twelve ways you can practice self-care at Christmas to ensure you take some time to nurture yourself – both mentally and physically – around the hustle and bustle of it all!
Set a Christmas budget
It’s easy to over-indulge financially during the holiday season, and you don’t want to end up broke or with buyer’s remorse!
So set yourself a Christmas budget and stick to it. After all, it’s the thought that counts. It might even leave you with some cash to spend on New Year’s sales.
Avoid the stressful bits
The shops can be overwhelming, and every year the rush starts earlier, so plan, shop online or head to the shop first thing in the morning to avoid the rush.
If being in social situations stresses you, know your limits and map out your social functions. Remember, you don’t have to say yes to everything or everyone!
Deck the halls
Get in the spirit and sprinkle your home with some Christmas tinsel. Walking past your beautiful tree or past ornaments scattered around the house will help help to lift you and get you into the Christmas spirit.
Treat yo self
If you’re anything like me, it’s been a long year, and you deserve a treat, so treat yourself to a banging gift because you deserve it! And it doesn’t need to be anything excessive. Just make sure it’s something you want or need or is something to help with your self-care quest. It could be as simple as a massage or a pretty tea cup.
Connect
Between Christmas parties, shopping, cooking and eating and everything else that comes with Christmas, it can be easy to forget to connect with those important to us.
Make sure you check in on your family and friends and reserve some quality uninterrupted time for them – it will be good for you, and it will be good for them.
Enjoy
Take time to enjoy the festive season!
Unplug by putting away your devices or switching off tech for a bit. Rather, spend quality time with friends, catching up with family, or hanging out with your kids (furry or otherwise.
Give yourself a present in the form of time and space to allow yourself to be happy in the moment.
Give back
Giving back is good for the soul, and so many people and organisations are in need around Christmas time. You could volunteer to serve people Christmas dinner, donate clothes or food to help other families, give a cash donation to a charity supporting a cause you care about or foster some animals. And you can’t afford much, it’s the thought that counts. Why not invite a lonely neighbour over for dinner, or leave a surprise gift on their doorstep?
A free pass
Christmas is SUCH a busy time. Dinners, catch-ups, parties. It’s easy to get caught up in it all.
Go easy and allow a free pass (or two) so you aren’t swept away at Christmas. Remember, it’s OKAY to take a break and say no to a social commitment if you need to. Chilling on the couch watching a Christmas movie on Netflix sounds like the perfect evening to me!
Reflect on what Christmas means to you
What does Christmas mean to you?
Is it about family? Being with loved ones? Giving to others? Time off? Or something spiritual?
Set aside time to focus and focus on what it all means so you can enjoy the holidays with this as your main focus.
Learn something new
The holiday season is a great time to learn something new, be it a new recipe, how to make decorations by hand or even taking a short online course.
Another way to learn something new is to spend time getting to know people.
Spend a bit longer talking to your neighbours, drop into a seniors centre to chat with the elderly, or spend the long summer evenings talking about life, your dreams and goals, or nothing with your partner, friends and family.
Pamper yourself
In the same realm of ‘treat yo self’, spoil yourself by pampering yourself.
Take time out for YOU and get yourself to the hairdresser for a fresh colour and cut, followed by a facial, pedicure and manicure, or massage (okay, we LOVE massages). You get the picture.
If you don’t have a lot of money, that’s fine.
Run yourself a warm bath, light some candles and relax while soaking in some nice oils, salts or bubble baths. Or gather your friends around for a potluck dinner or a pamper session where you do each other’s nails over a glass or two of bubbles (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), followed by a holiday movie.
Here are some more ideas to inspire your pamper session!
Be grateful
The end of the year is a great time to sit down and reflect on things you are grateful for. It could be things you are grateful for that happened during the year, people, the present moment, sunshine, a warm fire, or dinner. Once you stop to reflect, you will quickly realise how much there is to be grateful for – big or small!
What’s your favourite way to practice self-care at Christmas? I’d love to hear your tips!
If you loved this post, you might like these:
3 Simple Self-Care Hacks to Help You Feel Less Overwhelmed
Self-care Isn’t Easy BUT It’s Important!
