As fun as Christmas could be, this could also easily turn out to be the most stressful time of the year. You will be under a lot of stress to make the right dinner, get all the ingredients, get all the gifts, send all gifts in time, gathering the family under one roof and deal with the many financial obligations too. On top of this you will also be faced with long standing family feuds or sibling rivalry if you are inviting the whole family for Christmas. Instead of enduring another stressful holiday with gritted teeth, you can make some changes in the way you celebrate Christmas and choose to make your family happy. Here are a few tips to keep your family happy this Christmas season.
1. Have a different routine
If you have the same routine year after year, there is a chance that your family might get bored. And if there is someone who is spoiling for a fight, then you would also be giving them an opportunity to start fighting at the right time. Instead of succumbing to their arguments and mean behavior, you can just change the routine and leave them with no time to bring their petty squabbles. The rest of the family can have a merry Christmas.
2. Make it a time when the family can air out their worries
And that includes you. If you are completely stressed out, take this time to tell them what exactly is stressing you out. Also encourage other family members to talk about their problems. A worry free mind is a happy mind and Christmas could be the best time to unload some of the stress and the worries that have been plaguing you and the others through the year.
3. Get them what they want as long as the demands are reasonable
If their demand for a gift is reasonable or if their demands for an increased allowance can be met by you, then give in. if a few dollars would ensure that your family is happy, and then you should not think twice about it. What’s a few dollars more if you can get a happy family instead?
4. Go home if you are stationed else where
If you are working out of town or the country or if you have been stationed elsewhere, take a few days off to celebrate Christmas with the family. Make them happy by giving them the gift of your time. A family that stays together also stays happy.
5. Think of a new ritual
You might have some rituals that give you comfort every year. Change it this year and experiment instead of sticking to the same things. Comfort is good, but there is also excitement and joy when you try out new things. If you always buy a fresh tree for Christmas, try an artificial one this year and have fun as a family assembling it from scratch.
Christmas is a happy time, so do your bit to keep everyone around you happy. Your family is the most important gift that you can have in your life and you should try your best to keep them happy, especially during the holiday season.