Christmas is supposed to be the happiest and most jolliest time of year but realistically, for most people, it also comes with a lot of stress spanning many different aspects of life from family, finances, burn out and more. No holiday is worth sacrificing your mental health over, so here’s how to practice self-care over Christmas.
Whether it’s a judgemental aunt that you’re forced to spend Christmas Day with, a moaning grandparent, a social calendar that’s a bit too full or worry about Christmas dinner, there’s plenty that can go wrong over Christmas and plenty of things we have to juggle and navigate – some of which we don’t really want to.
I feel like we all have to play our part and do our bit over Christmas to make things run smoothly – perhaps that making a dish you don’t really have time for or keeping your mouth shut when a relative remarks on your love life again – rarely is Christmas the perfect portrait it’s portrayed to be on Pinterest.
Which in itself is another element of stress which can materialize, especially in our generation where everything is online and the goal is to have the perfect aesthetic for other people to lust after. Christmas doesn’t look like Instagram in real life – and that’s perfectly okay too.
So in this post, we’re going to look at how to practice self-care over the Christmas period, with physical and mental activities you can do to make this time of year a bit more manageable for yourself.
How To Practice Self-Care Over Christmas:
Learn to say no
Your calendar over Christmas can fill up pretty quickly, from Christmas parties, days out to Christmas events such as Silverstone’s Lap of Lights and seeing friends and family. But your calendar is yours to control and you can say no to plans if you feel like it’s going to be too much.
Watch your alcohol intake
I’m never one to deprive myself of something I enjoy, especially over Christmas. And you shouldn’t either. But we all know how easy it can be to take it one step too far with alcohol. Although it’s nice to relax and unwind over Christmas with a glass of something nice, we don’t want to be feeling hungover every day and unable to enjoy the rest of the festivities so watch your alcohol intake.
Have a safe space to take yourself
Having a space in your home that’s cozy and quiet in which you’re not going to be disturbed in is a great option if you’re having lots of people over during the holidays. Being around people all the time can be overwhelming, especially if you’re an introvert or enjoy your alone time.
Get organized
Whether it’s presents, Christmas dinner or something else, it will always benefit you to be organized over Christmas (or any major holiday really!) I always say that the more organized you are now, the less stressed you will be later on and I think that’s a good rule of thumb for Christmas.
Try and stick to an exercise or wellness routine
The Christmas period is one that throws routine well and truly out of the window – but lots of us thrive on routine. So try and encourage yourself to keep a few elements of your routine in place over the Christmas holiday, particularly your health, well-being and exercise. Make the time forrestorative Yoga, exercise routines or walks outside.
Don’t feel pressured with food
You can’t have Christmas without food but for a lot of people, especially those witheating disorders, food can be a really tricky thing to navigate over the holidays. I don’t have an ED, so I can’t give that specific advice, however in general, try and not feel guilty about eating over Christmas. The pressure of food comes from both other people – and yourself.
Take some time for yourself
Tying in with the point about your social calendar, if you need some time for yourself, then you should absolutely take it. If you enjoy going out alone, perhaps eating out alone or going on a solo cinema trip, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t continue doing these things for yourself just because it’s Christmas.
Let go of the idea of perfection
I love Pinterest as much as the next person but I don’t think it’s helped any of our mental health with the whole comparison game, especially around holidays when all the images are so pretty and perfect. We can’t control how our Christmas goes, not really. Make the most of each day but don’t compare it to someone else’s.
Get outside, despite the weather
We all know that nature and being outside is good for our physical and mental health and getting outside for a walk, a run or a bike ride even over Christmas, even when it’s cold out, can do wonders for our mental well-being and self-care, especially over the Christmas period when sometimes, we just need a moment to breathe.
Set boundaries
I feel like I could take all the points mentioned above and put them under an umbrella labelled “boundaries” because really, everything we’ve already said is about setting some sort of boundary for ourselves over Christmas to ensure we can maintain a healthy mental equilibrium. But just take a moment to reflect on whether you are setting boundaries – and if these boundaries are being met.