{being with the mess at Mummy’s house}
Especially for Miss Lucy from Diminishing Lucy who has such a horrible time of Christmas that it just made my heart sad. I adore Christmas. So I’m sharing the love for my favourite grinch in town.
My Top Ten Tips to a Stress Free, Fun Christmas.
- If you are hosting a meal take all the help you can get. If people offer to bring a plate (or even if they don’t) get them too. It cuts the expense, the hassle and it makes people happy to help you, especially at Christmas. Be specific, tell them what you want. Or you’ll end up with fifty million pasta salads.
- When buying gifts for children that are not your own, have a limit of like $10 or $15 and get a bit creative. Things they can make themselves or hobby kits are great. Even buying something that you and your children (if you have them) can make for as a gift.
- Never buy gifts for people you won’t see in the 5 days leading up to Christmas. Otherwise it’s just an exercise in consumerism. The exception to this rule is relatives that live away. You may wan to send a family hamper or similar rather than single gifts.
- When it comes to the shopping for meals etc have a set plan in mind. Our Christmases always have a bit of a set menu; bacon and eggs for breakfast, Christmas lollies and seasonal fruit for snacks etc, ham and salad or roast and vege for lunch and the opposite for dinner. If we feel like it. You can get fancy as you like with the sides and extras and whatever. But really, if there is plenty of food on Christmas, most people are happy.
- Always let people bring their own alcohol. I never supply it. Maybe it’s because neither of my parents drink or because I am a tight ass. Who knows. I find it minimising the binging and keeps people friendly and just cheery enough.
- Always wrap presents with a friend or two and a bottle of champaign or two. We take turns visiting each others houses and wrap until their stash is all done. Than switch on another night. Great fun. Plus you’ve caught up with a few of your friends BEFORE it all gets mad.
- If you don’t want to do it, don’t. People always have suggestions about how Christmas will go. It doesn’t mean you have to do them all. Not at all! Do it your way or say, that’d be great, do you want to bring that with you when you come? It totally puts a stop to big fancy menu ideas that you have no patience for. Or the upside, they may be happy to express themselves with a fancy dish or game or something and bring it along with them. Everybody wins.
- Keep it relaxed. It’s too damn hot here anyway to go to too much fuss. In 2008 we ditched the dining inside idea for outside and dragged my inside table and chairs out onto the back veranda and we all hung out there. In the cool. With our drinky’poos. And they filed through the kitchen to get their meals before heading back out. It was relaxed and easy and simple.
- Have board games, the Wii or outdoor games such as volleyball and badminton set up. Hubby got this awesome set of outdoor games for Christmas this year just gone and it was a massive hit on Christmas day. I napped while they set it all up. In the arvo we played and played and laughed and moved the net to the front yard after one too many times of the ball on the roof and played some more.
- Don’t invite anyone who doesn’t wanna play along with your rules. If they start complaining or whining or whatever before the day suggest that they may just wish to stay home or go somewhere else. Remind them it’s Christmas at your place. When it’s their turn, you’ll do it their way.
{family! yay.}
Suger 
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