How to Take the Stress out of Christmas
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Christmas preparations make me stressed. Come boxing day I always feel I'll after it all, any hints how to calm down and enjoy it all
It is stressful!! It’s a condensed all in one over the top time. That’s what Christmas is but once it arrives then it’s your time to relax and do as you please. Just don’t try too hard, do things as you go along, get things when you see them. Do your work bit by bit - doesn’t have to be all at once. It will come together.
Imnotcheap Well you are ahead of me then! 
. I’ve only done half my presents shopping! Nothing wrapped yet either. I’m not hosting though so don’t need to worry about the dinner.
Do a couple of things per day during the run up to the big day. Make your stuffing while cooking that days dinner and freeze. Prepare pigs in blankets and freeze or buy ready made. Peel, blanch, cool, dry and freeze parsnips, Swede and carrots. Do the same with potatoes which can be cooked from frozen in hot fat on the day. Don't bother with yorkies unless you really want to. Set table day before, make sure salt and pepper full and pop folded serviettes in wine glass etc etc etc. You will be fine. Oh and get yourself a magnetic timer to go on fridge.......invaluable to remind you when to put in an take out of oven!
Lynibis I have a list of cooking jobs to start on the Saturday as I'm in work Christmas eve. Alexa is great timer as can label timers. Love the potato idea will use that definitely
Imnotcheap I have Alexa but have never thought of using it for anything other than the odd bit of music lol.
I hate waste so always use my spuds up by par boiling, cooking and freezing, great for ordinary dinners too. When I make packet stuffing I always sieve it and use the dust to sprinkle over the roasties.
Lynibis I freeze left overs for roast dinner at different date. I make my own stuffing from scratch its better made in advance
I don't think you can. I have a list of things to get done and tick a few things off each day but I still get stressed about stuff.
Maybe if you have to do it all yourself you could get other people to help you with the prep etc.
Imnotcheap Maybe you could get some of your guests/family etc to help prepare with you to get ahead a bit 
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TiaTia my partner will be helping with shopping tomorrow and some cleaning jobs. Half my problem is doing Christmas stuff means falling behind with every day things
Imnotcheap Try not to stress yourself out with things, it's only one day and you can catch up with other bits after Christmas, try and enjoy the day as best as you can.
TiaTia my partner keeps saying what's the worst that can happen. Right now my kids driving me mad with getting excited
Imnotcheap Enjoy your kids excitment...they won't always be little ones, make memories.
If i had my way we would celebrate it in January as everything is cheaper.
Do as much as you can as early as possible. I start Christmas shopping in about June - keep a notebook of what i have bought and for who. For cooking the Christmas dinner - prepare anything you can ahead of time and don’t be afraid to ask your guests to help you
Try and prepare as much in advance, peel veg and make stuffing then store in the fridge. Make trifle tomorrow and run the hoover around the house. Enjoy x
Pjran I'm preparing stuffing now ready to cook tomorrow maybe if I can get someone else to hoover I'll be fine 
Imnotcheap you will be fine, just keep saying that out loud and I’m sure others will help. Take care, it really doesn’t matter if things don’t go as you’ve planned. They all love you.
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