It’s nearly that time again!  Christmas is coming up fast upon us and another year is drawing close to an end.  To ensure your Christmas build up is as frictionless as possible try some of the following:

 

1) Start Early

Get all your shopping and wrapping done as early as possible.  For gifts you just need a place to hide them, or tree to put them under once wrapped but food shopping is slightly harder as you’ll need enough freezing space for perishables.  However, the more you get done early the less chance there is of you running around last minute and getting stressed.

 

2) Set Limits

To take the (self imposed and/or media imposed) stress out of trying to get as many gifts as possible for those you care about why not try something a little different.  Set limits (either in number of gifts bought or total spend on gifts) for each person you’re buying for.  Agree this with them so they do the same for you.

This both reduces the chances of  you starting the new year in debt but also focuses your thinking on getting something you’ve really put some thought into as you have to be more selective.  Make it fun.

For the really creative, you could of course go even further and make your own gifts for those you care about.  Just don’t blame this post for any suspect Christmas jumpers that you end up opening with one arm longer than the other!

 

3) Enjoy the Build Up

Following steps 1 and 2 will help you enormously here but whatever your approach to the festive period try to enjoy the build up as much as possible.  Christmas is about so much more than just one day so get those decorations up and make the most of this magical time of year by enjoying it and getting back in touch with your inner child.

Christmas is not just for kids after all but also for us big kids!

 

4) Focus on the Festive Spirit

Christmas is about a whole lot more than opening presents on Christmas morning.   Make the most of the chance to spend time with family and friends and catch up with those you haven’t seen for a while.  Enjoy the giving and time spent with those you care about most.

I hope these simple steps help you achieve a frictionless build up to your big day this year.