Christmas Survival Tips 'n' Tricks #DitsyDecember

Christmas is a great time of year - don't get me wrong - but sometimes, it can all easily get a little too much. Whether it be the presents, plans, food, or simply the people - the season can be equally as much of a stressful time of year as it is a festive one. But, with a few handy tips 'n' tricks things can get a lot easier and so, today I thought I'd impart some I've picked up on over the years that helps make Christmas a lot more enjoyable...

GET STARTED - I think the main thing about surviving Christmas in general is to just get started. Sometimes, I think we can all be little guilty of putting the festive season off and trying to ignore it - but then, it eventually creeps up on us - and then, we end up panicking and stressing trying to get things together in a much more limited amount of time. Instead, try and just get started as soon as you can. It sounds simple, but the sooner you start - hopefully, the sooner you'll get things done - and then, you can relax and *fingers crossed* enjoy Christmas in peace!

ORGANISE, ORGANISE, ORGANISE - Once you make a start, I'd highly recommend getting organised first. Get a notepad and make a few notes - or even jot some ideas and thoughts down on your phone. Make lists - and check them twice. Sorry, had to. As with most things, the key is to plan, plan, plan. You might have to spend a good chunk of time doing that before you can actually get started on 'doing' things (buying presents and cards, food and drink, making plans) but in the long run - it'll be worth it.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME - I've already mentioned how important it is to just 'get started' and get going - but I guess the main thing with that is actually making the most of your time. Even if you don't get cracking as soon as you would have hoped, ensuring you're maximising the time you do have as much as you can really does make a difference. Even if you think about all of the time you might typically spend doing other, less productive things (we've all been there), in the run-up to Christmas - you could perhaps utilise that time in better ways. Instead of aimlessly scrolling through your phone in the evening (again, definitely including myself in doing that one pretty often), you could scroll through maybe do a bit of online Christmas shopping or browsing and before you know it - you've got a chunk of things ticked off of your list without even realising it. Basically, any spare time you've got that you could maybe dedicate towards something else could be a really helpful, easy way of getting through your To-Do List this Christmas.

...BUT ALSO, TAKE TIME OUT SOMETIMES TOO - As much as I keep bangin' on about getting stuff done, making the most of out time and just generally bossing through Christmas like one of Santa's Elves - it's equally essential to relax, chill and take time out for yourself occasionally too. Christmas, as I've said, is a pretty intense time of year and if you're not careful, it can turn out to be super stressful too. Ultimately, though, it would be a time when we enjoy ourselves and it should, in theory, be a time when we can take time out and so - why don't we focus on that more, eh? 

JUST ENJOY IT (OR AT LEAST TRY TO)! - As I just said - the main thing about Christmas, aside from everything else is that you just enjoy it! Or at least attempt to as much as you can. It only comes once a year and ultimately, is a time to take a step back and spend time with loved ones - something we don't always get the chance to do all that often - so please try and immerse yourself in the season and all of its amazing qualities and just have fun!