During the run-up to Christmas and the New Year, you may have noticed that some people are getting really excited, whilst others are getting moody and short-tempered.
With so much pressure and unrealistic expectations to have the “perfect” Christmas the pressure starts NOW.
ROUND 1
- buying presents for family & friends
- buying presents for work colleagues (Secret Santa)
- providing extra food (planning the BIG shop)
- ordering the biggest turkey
- decorating the house (arguing over who should do it)
- buying another Christmas tree (the one in the attic is so “last year”)
ROUND 2
- sending Christmas cards (where are the addresses? don’t miss the deadline for overseas!)
- buying something new to wear on the day
- relatives coming round to visit (sleeping overnight, will they drink to much and argue?)
- working out which set of parents/grandparents to visit first
- …and the list goes on
Why do we do this every year!
The great religious message of peace and good will to all men doesn’t stand a chance against the power of TV adverts, and the LOUD marketing message to – buy, buy …wave good BYE to all your dosh.
It’s hard to imagine that we manage to survive the festive period. It feels like a game of Jenga, where one more items added to stack makes the whole lot come crashing down.
However we do survive whilst juggling the 9-5 job, watching the bank account, credit cards, praying for the next pay rise, carrying out regular household tasks, and trying to lead a normal family life.
What happens when the dreams of a fairy tale ending crashes into reality? Even with military precision and all the troops co-operating tempers flare up, patience plummets and you are tempted to run away or hide in the shed until the festivities are over.
Your Emergency Band Aid
This is a job for…your Relationship Survival FIRST AID Kit. It’s time to whip out your guide on “How to Survive the Festivities”, as when you can’t get to Accident & Emergencies a Band-Aid is the only answer.
The A-Z Guide will help you navigate through the festivities, buying you space to – stop – think – and re-evaluate the emotions you are experiencing, so you can introduce more useful strategies.