We asked for YOUR help this year for the ONE THING you recommend for being less stressed this time of year and 30 of you gave us these stellar Christmas hacks!!
Welcome to The One Thing! Every week we’re bringing you the one nugget of info that you need to know or didn’t know you needed to know! Whether it’s a tip to make your life a little easier, a pearl of wisdom, something to make you think, or maybe something to make you laugh, The One Thing is here to serve you every Friday!
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Ok, so this time of year is stressful. It’s been a long year and we’re all exhausted, and we somehow have to simultaneously survive the busiest time of year while finding time to make sure we’re all prepped for Christmas day – and have to find time to be festive and merry in between?!
If you’re feeling stressed, you’re not alone. In a recent Capsule poll 83% of responders said they are feeling STRESSED right now.
So, we asked you all for your best tips to having a less stressful Christmas – whether it’s something your family does when it comes to buying presents, or Christmas Day meals, or just something you’ve been trying out this year that is working.
Here’s the ONE THING you recommended!
GIFT BUYING
- “DON’T GO TO MALLS. Online shopping only!”
- “My husband and I don’t do a traditional present – we buy ourselves an experience, like a nice hotel stay, dinner out, couple’s massage etc. Each year we alternate as to who’s turn it is to organise/buy it. It makes it so much easier.”
- “If you’re having a big family Christmas, make sure you talk to everyone ahead of time about what the expectations are and what you’re doing for presents.”
- “Do a family secret Santa. You only buy one present that is drawn out of the hat before Christmas, rather than a present for everyone. We spend a bit more on that one present.”
- “We don’t do normal presents – we do Silly Shirt Secret Santa. So, you draw your person out of the hat and have their t-shirt size. Then you have to buy them the silliest t-shirt you can find. The first thing we do on the day is exchange T-shirts and you have to wear them for the day.”
- “Our version of Secret Santa is one group for adults and one group for kids. You draw a number out of the hat and you pick your present. When it’s your turn, you can steal someone else’s. We do it with the kids too, but it needs some adult intervention (although we are probably worse at stealing things and getting upset about it).”
- “My sister (Type A personality) calls everyone in October and asks what they want for Christmas and she makes an Excel sheet and you buy off of that.”
- “We have a rule of presents only for kids under 16 in our wider family.”
- “Maybe it’s not romantic but my husband and I buy ourselves a present (up to $150 value), wrap it up and give it to the other. Then we slap a card on it saying it’s from us and put it under the tree. We’re always happy when we open it!”
- “We do a silly second-hand shop secret Santa for our extended family.”
- “Kids get a secret Santa present in our wider family, then the adults give $100 to charity and we write on a decoration who got the money and hang it on the tree.”
- “This might not help now, but good to keep in mind for next year – shop early! I sometimes do my shopping for the following year on Boxing Day! Or, in the Black Friday sales. When I see something on special that would make a good gift, I buy it immediately.”
FOOD
- “We do a competition on Christmas Day (anyone who knows my family would not be surprised by this). It started as a cocktail comp – each family was responsible for doing a round and we judged it. Now, it’s a dish. Everyone brings an appetiser, main and dessert. We vote. We all bring four items to put in hampers. We assemble the hampers and they are given to the winner of each section. It solves the food and the presents.”
- “BBQ with salads all the way!”
- “Plan your food early. Buy everything in advance except for the stuff that needs to be fresh.”
- “Ditch the traditional sit-down meal. Everyone bring a plate and go to the beach.”
- “Set a full menu and then assign everyone to bring one thing from it so you don’t need to cook it all.”
- “We get a food bag – whichever one of My Food Bag, Woop or Hello Fresh we like the best that year. There’s three of us siblings (and our families, plus our mum and dad) so each family is responsible for appetisers, main meal and dessert and we alternate who is doing what part each year (the main is obviously a lot harder than the rest). Whoever is on appetisers is also responsible for looking after everyone’s drinks (we each bring a bottle of an alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage). I like it because you don’t have to think or do any prep and the instructions are all there.”
- “Ditch what’s expected and make your favourite dinner. Ham? Nope. Mine is salmon with miso.”
- “We go out for Christmas lunch to a restaurant and so no one has to cook or do dishes. And we pay for our meals instead of presents. It’s ideal.”
- “We do Christmas brunch. Get it all over and done with early and then we have the whole afternoon to do something nice – or do absolutely nothing at all. Last year we went to the beach then got takeaways and watched Home Alone.”
GENERAL CHRISTMAS LIFE HACKS:
- “One year I escaped to the movies on Christmas Day and it was GREAT.”
- “Don’t go on social media during December. It’s INSANE. It makes you feel like you have to buy stuff and everyone is stressed so just stay off it.”
- “I say no to going to family gatherings if they take a toll on my mental health.”
- “We do one year my parents, one year my partner’s parents. That’s the way it is – saves arguments/disappointment/too much driving each year.”
- “Go to bed early as many nights a week as you can. Everyone is exhausted and mean this time of year. We all need to be well rested to deal with each other.”
- “Saying No! It’s a whole period, not just a day. Slow down, say no more often – do it tomorrow!”
- “Quit trying to cram everything into Christmas Day. Split up when you see other people/relatives. Boxing Day / Christmas Eve or any other day of the year is still good!!”
- “Go camping!”
- “Leave the country. My husband and I do this every year. It doesn’t make us popular with our families but I love not dealing with all the drama. We go on holiday from around the 22nd of December and come back in the New Year.”
