Christmas is a time of coming together, of rest and contemplation. But let’s be honest: the celebration doesn’t look idyllic for every family. We give tips that will bring you closer to stress-free Christmas days.
Prepare the food, clean the house and damn it: the Christmas tree isn’t up and the presents aren’t ready? We all know that all too well, don’t we? And already a really nice and happy family time becomes something that we want to get over with quickly. But that doesn’t have to be the case at all. These simple hacks will make your life easier and hopefully less family stress this Christmas. Especially if you spend all those days in one house.
The family is not a guest
Play host for your sister, parents or another loved one? nope You’re part of the family, just like everyone else, and it doesn’t have to be all your fault just because the tribe comes to stay with you. It’s not up to you to provide everyone with drinks or snacks. Just tell everyone where to find it when you get hungry or your throat is dry. A small buffet-snack table with a candy bar can be an idea – but be careful: keep it out of the reach of children. Otherwise there can be risks and side effects from sugary little monsters.
When it comes to drinks, an extra drinks fridge is the best option, or if you have the opportunity: everything on the terrace, the balcony or the garden, it seems to be cold enough. If someone wants beer, cola or water, the motto is: “Get it yourself!” If you make that clear at the beginning, you will be more relaxed straight away. I mean: As a family, shouldn’t you “just feel at home” anyway? So: mi casa es su casa and so on – and your fridge is also their fridge.
Babbling prankster or drunken disgust Alfred?
A heart and a soul is one of the classics that often run at Christmas. But no one wants a disgusting Alfred in the house if it can be avoided. Alcohol can evoke the condition or sometimes improve it – but you decide for yourself whether you drink a lot or not. We should better serve some relatives non-alcoholic sparkling wine inconspicuously, others are deeply relaxed when they can sip their sips to themselves. The right measure is crucial. But above all: better no alcohol on an empty stomach, otherwise the first ones at dinner won’t be able to find a chair. But that should be possible with the snack stand from before. Cheese platters with grapes are also an option.
Stress-free Christmas dinner
Shopping for Christmas is felt to be an absolute absurdity without a day of vacation and ensures that we don’t feel like contemplating at all. Then there is the preparation and cooking over several days. phew! You think about locking the front door and pulling down the shutters beforehand! Distribute everything that is possible. Everyone can bring something, for example various salads. A permanent kitchen crew can help chop up the ingredients or one person can watch the roast in the oven while the cooking expert puts the finishing touches on it.
By the way, simple ideas for meals are: A roast with oven-roasted vegetables and gravy (the hardest thing is not to forget the long cooking time); a raclette evening where family members bring pre-cut ingredients; Sausages with (potato) salad. It doesn’t always have to be something super difficult or classy. Better something that works and everyone likes it. And for overnight guests, delicious rolls with cold cuts and scrambled eggs can be served for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast is the best meal of the day anyway.
No chance, Mr. Dishes!
With the family in the house, the whole set of plates is quickly messed up – the dishwasher should always be filled up directly after the meal. Control check: Is there enough of everything for the next round? If not: turn on the machine and don’t get angry later. If you have to do the dishes by hand, it is best to decide at the beginning who will help with the dishes. Unless your family is already super helpful and comes up with the idea themselves?
The fact is: It helps to reduce the inner stress level if the dishes are not piling up in the sink. So it is best to soak leftovers in casserole dishes or pots directly with a little warm water and washing-up liquid, play a round of card games – and then force people to help or have them do the dishes. Rinsing is simply corrosive and a shared sorrow is really only a sorrow halved.
when do we do this when do we do this
Questions about when you eat or when gifts are given should be nipped in the bud. Give the family a rough schedule from the start: when is lunch or dinner, when is tea and coffee – when are the presents? A little tip: If the children are allowed to unwrap one or two small presents on Christmas morning, waiting until the evening with the new toys often works better. But hey, no guarantees!
Is the whole family staying under one roof for a few days? Then schedule times when everyone can just be on their own or when a classic Christmas film is being shown for fun – to sit down for a moment and leave just as quickly. Do you eat early or late? That can also be important. If there is already a feast at 6 p.m., the little ones can perhaps wait until then for the presents, if it is 8 p.m. the Quengel-O-Meter will most likely already be in the red.
Distraction is key
As already mentioned: With Christmas films in the background, some people will always gather in front of the screen and leave the rest of the family time for other things. But it also works wonderfully without a TV. For example, a jigsaw puzzle is a good idea as another entertainment station (…if the attention span is good enough), selected board and card games to piece together and pull off each other, or a stop dance for the kids. Of course, decorating the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve is always fun for the little ones – or baking cookies on a quiet morning when the oven doesn’t need to be used in the coming hours; of course only under supervision.
Christmas gifts for everyone
For some, gifts at Christmas are the non-plus-ultra: they have to be there, no arguments! Then how about online wishlists? Everyone can write down their own wishes there free of charge and send the list to their loved ones. Depending on the website, they can even reserve wishes for themselves so that nothing is given away twice.
And among adults: does it still have to be given at all? Buying nothing is also an option, leaving only the children who are most excited about it. Rule of thumb here: No loud gifts that will strain everyone’s ears for the rest of the evening. The screaming dinosaur, the little toy car with a siren, or a robot that’s constantly making noise… these are great gifts for the kids’ room, but not for the family gathering.