It’s time to talk about Christmas again and specifically how to celebrate Christmas at home.
Excited?
Or feeling a low level of dread?
Yes, Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, but let’s face it, it can (and often does!) get a bit stressful.
Perhaps it’s your first Christmas hosting and you need some ideas on how to celebrate. Or maybe you’ve decided to forgo the family drama and have a low-key celebration with just your partner or kids. Equally, you may have even chosen to spend the day alone.
Christmas often comes with a lot of expectations but with some planning and boundary setting you can enjoy the season the way that you want to.
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Have a Stress-Free Christmas
Christmas is not just about one day though, the whole season is a magical time. However, many people do find it stressful so here are a few things to do to make it enjoyable.
Budget
Firstly, set a budget for gifts, food, activities, and travel, but also stick to it. It’s important to not go into debt for Christmas. Consider spreading the cost over a year so not everything has to come out of December’s pay packet.
Organise The Menu
Add to the Christmas food supplies each week, in the lead-up to Christmas, instead of a huge shop the week before. Cupboard things can be stored away months in advance, and you can buy fresh produce a few days before.
Make Plans Early
Decide what your plans are and let family/friends know well in advance so everyone can make the necessary arrangements. This way you can enjoy the season without running around last minute.
Set Boundaries
Christmas can be a tricky time with navigating family expectations. Regardless, know what your boundaries are, communicate them where necessary, and stick to them. If you have a partner, make sure you’re both on the same page when it comes to dealing with in-laws.
The Lead-Up To The Big Day
From the fireplace to the fairy lights, make your house feel homely and festive.
Put Up The Tree
We love making an occasion out of putting the tree up. Get the mince pies in the oven and crank up the Christmas tunes!
Make It Smell Like Christmas
Gingerbread candles and coffee essential oils are my favourites when adding Christmassy scents to the home. It’s such a welcoming first impression for any visiting guests too.
Decorate
Add decorations such as stockings to the fireplace, fairy lights, Santa signs and a wreath for the front door.
Make It Cosy
Get out the thick blankets, put a throw on the bed and even get the Christmas sheets on.
Get Comfy
Unpack the thick jumpers, PJs and get the onesies out.
Make a Hot Chocolate Stand
Another way to sprinkle a bit of Christmas magic in the kitchen or dining area is with a hot chocolate stand. Add a nice Christmas tray with some jars of marshmallows, hot chocolate, and of course the Christmas mugs. If you’re not keen on hot chocolate why not make a tea one instead with all the flavours and spices of Christmas?
Get Festive
Pop the festive tunes on and watch all the Christmas movies! (Not at the same time obvs!)
Make Some New Traditions!
Create some new traditions that you can do every year. It doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Simple things work well. Things like:
- Read a certain book
- Watch a particular movie
- Give Christmas Eve boxes
- Bake a favourite recipe
- Play a board game
Get Crafty
Sprinkle some creativity onto Christmas. It’s the perfect time to get crafty after all. Surely we don’t need an excuse though! Get some music on, or a festive film in the background, and start a creative project.
Things To Make
- A gingerbread house
- An advent calendar
- Tree baubles
- Decorations
- Christmas Cake/mince pies
- Handmade cards
- Christmas gifts
The Big Day! 10 Ways To Celebrate Christmas At Home
Yay! The big day has arrived! Whether you can’t wait to dive into your stocking or back under the covers, know that there isn’t one way to celebrate Christmas at home. It doesn’t have to be the way you see it in the movies or include tons of family (or the whole street as some of these movies will have you believe!). Now that you’ve done all the prep work you can create wonderful memories by celebrating in a way that brings joy to you and your loved ones.
1. Stay Traditional
Cook a big roast, open some prezzies and flop in front of the TV after.
2. Be Lazy
Stay in your PJs for as long as possible whilst you have a long lie-in and a leisurely breakfast in bed. Make a simple roast in the afternoon or plan something relaxing for later.
3. Order a takeaway
Forget the cooking altogether and let someone else bother with that. Psst! Make sure that you can get a delivery on Christmas day. One Christmas we made this mistake and had to eat leftovers from Christmas Eve…not good!
4. Prepare a Buffet
Fill your tabletop with an array of picky foods. That’s lunch and dinner sorted! Plus a Christmas Day buffet is a particularly good idea if you’ve got guests as you can spend more time mingling instead of cooking.
5. Have a Movie Marathon
Christmas movies never get old, right? Whether you think that Christmas Vacation is the best Christmas movie ever or are on Team Love actually, they’ll be time to fit them both in. Make some festive snacks and kick back. Or get the family involved in a Christmas movie quiz.
6. Play Games
When thinking about how to celebrate Christmas at home one of the first things that springs to mind is games. If you can face the family drama, dust off the board games, and get the scorepad ready. Or spend Christmas competing for the best Minecraft house. Alternatively, have a good giggle with some funny Christmas trivia.
7. Explore
Generally, most people will be tucked away in their homes so exploring your local area can be quite magical. Try a route you’ve not been before or see how many Christmas trees you can spot in the windows. You can walk off the Christmas food at the same time or make room for more!
8. Connect Online
Have a Zoom session with your relatives or pals. Open gifts, play games or just have a good Christmas catch-up. Places like Twitter have chats on Christmas Day if you are spending the day alone but would like some company.
9. Throw a Party
Clear some space for a dance floor and get the tunes on so you can see Christmas out in style.
10. Read in Front of a Fire
Finally, if you’ve got a gorgeous fireplace why not recreate the festive cards? Christmas is the perfect time to get cosy. So get under the comfiest blanket (add a cat or dog for extra bonus points) and pick up that new book you can’t wait to read. Grab a tipple of your choice plus some festive snacks with some background music. Or just enjoy the crackle of the fire and the flick of the flames for ambience.
Whether you want to be the life and soul of the party or have a quiet and peaceful time you can still enjoy Christmas. Go full out and cook the traditional roast dinner with all the trimmings and invite the entire family. Or put in a pizza and veg out by yourself for the whole day because it’s your Christmas so do what brings you joy. Let go of the Hallmark movie expectations, ditch the Christmas dread, and instead create your own traditions. Happy Holidays!
