Ten Steps to a Stress-free Christmas
Are you dreaming of a stress-free Christmas? Join the queue. Too often, ‘tis the season to be jolly well exhausted as you try to deck the halls, get the tree up, wrap the presents, feed an army of relatives … and somehow squeeze in some quality family time.
Luckily, there are some tried-and-tested ways to keeping it easy breezy Christmas treezy. Here’s our top ten.
1. Be A Planner
This might not come naturally, but now the time to wield the clipboard. Make lists. Check them twice. Have a budget. This will save you.
Start early. While November is too soon to crack out the CD of NOW! That’s What I Call Christmas, it’s worth tackling some of the tedious, common-or-garden Christmas job: cards, wrapping paper, meal planner, who’s staying and for how long, checking cutlery, crockery and glasses, and making sure you have a few spare lightbulbs … boring but important.
Set a budget. Have at least a rough figure of how much you’re planning to spend on meals, drinks, presents and decorations. Nothing takes the shine off a New Year than discovering you must live off instant noodles for the next three months. Looking to shrink your costs? Hand-made decorations, an agreed spending-limit for gifts, and a few meals of cold-cuts are a good start.
Double-check dietary requirements. Don’t leave it until the oven pinger goes off to discover that someone’s gluten intolerant or become a veggie.
2. Be Realistic
This old Yiddish saying is your new mantra: “Man plans, God laughs”. However much you plan, it will all fall apart at some point. So what can you do to survive those Christmas disasters?
Emergency Meals. In case of emergencies, pierce film lid. Have a couple of big lasagnes or other crowd-pleasing meals tucked away in the freezer. Expect people to come a day early or leave a day late.
Drink and Be Merry! When it’s all falling apart, a chat and a glass of good wine can help. Ask your guests to bring a bottle or, if you’re the visitor, take a few with you. Top tip: white or sparkling wine can be chilled quick-smart in iced water if you run out of fridge space. That said, if you do drink, keep hydrated and don’t go crazy; hangovers and excited children are a match made in the depths of hell.
Look After Yourself. It’s easy to forget amid all the celebrations, but Christmas can be a very difficult time. Make time for yourself. Read a book in bed for a while, go for a stroll, anything that helps you keep calm. And do remember to check in with a card or a slice of something homemade to any neighbours that might be alone, too. Look at the big picture and don’t fixate on the bumps in the road.
3. Delegate
It shouldn’t need saying, but hosting does not mean doing absolutely everything yourself.
Wise Men (and Women) Bring Gifts. Ask those you’re hosting to bring a pudding, mince pies, or even the Christmas cake.
Share the Cooking. If you have a guest who’s a decent cook, they’ll be honoured to make a meal for everyone one day over Christmas. Be sure to explain what ingredients you have and what they need to bring.
The Chef Never Washes Up. It was true a century ago and it’s true today. ‘Nuff said.
4. Draw From The Past
Take inspiration from the ghosts of ye olde Christmastides of yore. Think, what did you most enjoy about this time of year as a child? There’s a lot of joy to be found digging through the past, and less complications means less stress. Similarly, if one family tradition is more stressful than it’s worth, why not ditch it and start a new one?
Board Games. Do get out those board games (and check nothing’s missing) for some old-fashioned family fun. And, if you want to really test the limits of affection in your family, there’s always the cut-throat classic, Monopoly.
Limit Screen Time. Go old school, get a Radio Times, and decide in advance what you want to watch. Choosing a few select Christmas specials or the traditional Bond movie means you won’t be stuck in front of the box, hopping between channels. Don’t be afraid to lay down the law with tablets and phones, too, especially with teenagers.
Stretch Your Legs. Get outside. Breathe the crisp air. Walking off some of those grand meals will do everyone the power of good … and sharpen appetites for the next one.
5. Pick Your Battles
The kitchen can be a little sanctum when your house is overrun, but you don’t want to be there all the time. Decide which meals you enjoy cooking and decide which to buy in and have tucked away in the fridge or freezer. How much time do you want to spend cooking this Christmas?
Don’t Sweat the Sweet Stuff. Unless you’re in training for the next season of Bake Off, puddings are generally more fun to eat than to make … especially at this time of year when people expect lots of them. Get your freezer stocked with some showstoppers and everyone will be too busy tucking in to care if they’re homemade or not. Remember to get a mix of chocolaty and fruity ones, and to check any special diets among your guests.
Keep the Kids Happy. Some of the more elaborate meals for Christmas won’t be appreciated by the children’s table. Plan to either feed them early some evenings, or pick a crowd-pleaser like fish pie, lasagne or toad in the hole.
Be Clever About Casseroles. Making enough for 12 isn’t much more work than making enough for 8, so you can get two meals for the effort of one. You can always freeze portions that aren’t eaten.
6. Sort Out The Staples
While you’ll want a plan for at least the big meals over Christmas, there will be quite a few ones that are leftover-based. Seasonal veggies, pasta, rice, spuds, bread and common-or-garden Cheddar might not scream “Christmas”, but you’ve got a lot of meals to think about if you’re hosting.
Hot Drinks. There’s nothing that isn’t made better by a brew. Remember to stock up on tea bags, coffee, milk and sugar. Slice open a vanilla pod and pop it into your sugar jar to make it a bit special.
Your Five-a-Day. You’ll need loads of veg – just be sure to check which ones any children visiting don’t eat.
Don’t Forget the Dough. The difference between floppy processed white bread and a good crusty sourdough loaf is immeasurable when it comes to those Boxing Day sandwiches. Bread freezes brilliantly and you can even toast slices from frozen, so don’t let it go stale on the sideboard.
7. Be Sustainable
The climate crisis we’re facing doesn’t take on holiday over Christmas. Keep an eye on your environmental impact this year and enjoy a more handmade Christmas. Don’t make this the season of waste. Keeping decorations, wrapping and food sustainable is not only responsible, it will also help keep your Christmas stress-free.
Don’t Go Crackers. Better one lovely homemade cracker with a real present inside with lunch on the 25th than one every meal with a tiny plastic comb or clip-on moustache that ends up in landfill.
Wrapping Paper. A terrifying amount of wrapping paper goes into landfill or contaminated paper recycling every Christmas. The shiny laminate layer is the issue, but luckily there are recyclable alternatives. Check before you buy or embrace the traditional brown paper.
Bring the Outside In. Don’t stop with a sustainable Christmas tree. Homemade wreaths, holly and mistletoe are a stunning alternative to those shiny artificial decorations that quickly lose their sparkle.
8. Get A Ham
What’s the most versatile thing to have in your fridge over Christmas? It’s not a bird. It’s not a plane. It’s superham. If you need a meal quick smart, you never need panic with a ham.
Breakfast. Cereal just isn’t very Christmassy, so how about some ham and eggs or eggs benedict? That’s a proper way to start the day.
Lunch. Ham comes into its own for those last-minute lunches over the festive season: pea and ham soup, croque madame, or even just a good doorstop sandwich. If you’re looking for a good chutney, check out our friends at Rubies in the Rubble, who make absurdly delicious condiments out of food that would otherwise have gone to waste.
Supper. Ham can be the cornerstone of loads of great simple (and not-so-simple) suppers, like leftover turkey and ham pie, bubble and squeak, or even just cold cuts and an oven-baked potato.
9. Make It Last
Don’t fixate on Christmas Day – build it up too much and it will never meet your expectation. There are 12 days of Christmas traditionally. Make the most of them.
Take in a Show. Whether it’s a panto, a family cinema trip, or some live music, a special night out can be a real highlight of the festive season.
Celebrate your Community. Speak to neighbours about a little get together. You don’t have to host it, but strengthening the bonds in your community is good for the soul. And remember, if you’re hosting a big get-together, here at COOK we offer a 30% discount for community events. Ask in your local shop or look online for the details.
The Best Boxing Day. There’s something magical about Boxing Day, when the pressure of Christmas Day is behind you. Save a present for everyone to open and find a special way to mark the day. Don’t make it just about tidying up!
10. Don't Break Rituals
The days over Christmas are special, but don’t forego all the daily rituals that keep you sane.
Little Terrors. There’s so much for children to get excited about: Father Christmas, presents, family time, and all those sweet treats. But they also need routine. Letting little ones stay up hours after their bedtime or eating chocolate log for breakfast won’t do anyone any favours.
A Good Morning. If you need half an hour with a coffee and the paper to start the day, do it.
Protect the Pets. Dogs need their walks, cats need their naps, goldfish need feeding. There is that legend that animals gain the power of speech at midnight on Christmas Eve (which we can’t confirm or deny) but mostly they’ll be confused by Christmas. Don’t make it harder by throwing their routines out the window.
