Keep Calm & Carry On the Christmas Customs.

Christmas time for some is less about the rich food, champagne, and party wear and more about spending quality time with family and friends, engaging in fun activities and being grateful for the little things. I guess if COVID has taught us anything, it is that time together is a thing to be valued. As we hurtle towards 2021, there seems to be more of a focus on taking care of our own health and well-being than ever before, so how can we take the essence of a balanced festive season and sustain this throughout the year?

 Be more Seven-year-old like

 On Christmas Day, when the twister mat is laid out on the carpet or Aunt Dorothy suggests a game of charades, it doesn’t take us long to find the child within. We laugh until our sides ache and think nothing of looking a bit silly in front of loved ones, balancing pringles from our noses and engaging in a game of roll the Maltesers down the metal tape measure and see how many land in the mouth. Yet, when the decorations come down we seem to pack our seven-year-old selves away with them and return to adult-ing. We press pause on our fun side for another year. Maybe this year, keep laughing and show your silly side a little more often.

Cook from scratch 

 During the festive season many families work together to create a Christmas feast. A sea of colourful veggies, roasted meats and delicious treats adorn tables up and down the country. Food is often cooked from scratch and provided we follow the 80/20 rule and load our plates with 80% veg and lean protein, it’s healthy too. How often do you cook from scratch once the season if through? The lure of convenience foods means our microwaves are pinging as soon as the New Year chimes stop ringing. Make a change and take the essence of creating healthy meals from scratch into 2021, benefitting from the array of fresh produce available all year. 

Engage more

We are brilliant at engaging with friends and loved ones over the festive holidays. Connection is so good for the soul and sharing laughs, hugs and stories with those close to us is a perfect way to relax and just be. Covid has made connecting more difficult and it can be easy to bow out of the virtual get togethers as they do not feel the same. As soon as the hum drum of the daily routine kicks in we can often forget how good it feels to spend quality time with family, even if it is over zoom. In 2021, aim to create more space in your life to socialise with others, share virtual meals or even simply call those you might not see until the next Christmas season swings by.

Make with love

There is nothing lovelier than a gift that has been thoughtfully made by somebody close. Putting time and effort into creating a special present for somebody truly shows how much you care and many of us are great at this when it comes to gift giving at Christmas. It doesn’t have to cost the earth either. It may be a homemade batch of fudge, a candle holder or a knitted scarf. Continue this tradition throughout the year for birthdays to continue spreading the love.

Just ‘Be’

We are slaves to the ‘to do’ lists, often dictated by our work schedules and the endless number of tasks we need to get done. At Christmas, even if only for a few days, this can slow down, we switch off from work and we are able to simply ‘be’. There is a lesson here for us all. Most of us are lucky enough to have two days off work each week so carve out an hour or so to just be every week and give your brain a chance to switch off.

Good Giving

Giving is one of the things in life that is mutually beneficial. The recipient feels great and the giver does too. Win Win! Christmas-time sees many of us donating food to local food banks or time to local charities and this is something that can be continued throughout the year to benefit others and give you a sense of satisfaction.

Walk & Talk

The annual family post-Christmas lunch stroll is a fab opportunity to grab a quiet conversation with loved ones, take in the sights, breathe in the fresh air and burn of the trifle. Making this a regular event, perhaps every weekend is a great way to stay connected, keep fit and notice the changes as the seasons progress.

I'd like to say a heartfelt thank you to my supporters and cheerleaders on Linked In. Your engagement makes a huge difference. if you are planning to care for yourself during any downtime you have you could read my new book, You're Better Than You Think You Are

Sending you lots of love and wishes this Christmas-time.