How to have the best Christmas ever

None of us can change what’s happening in the world right now. We can’t make the rules different to what they are and unfortunately we can’t make life magically return to normal. However their is a glimmer of hope as the year draws to a close that things may just get better. I made the decision a while back that I would enjoy Christmas no matter what. For me Christmas is a ray of light at the end of a dark year. I’m not anything get in the way of my enjoyment of the festive season. With that in mind here are 7 ways to make sure you have the best Christmas ever!

Take time for yourself

Christmas can be a busy time of year usually between Christmas shopping, planning a feast and enjoying festive fun days out. While this year may not be as hectic as other years it’s still important to take some time for yourself. We’ve all had a lot to deal with this year, we’re all feeling exhausted. If we’re unhappy and tired we don’t stand a chance of feeling good about Christmas. This is all about getting in that festive spirit, feeling relaxed and good about ourselves. I’ve already got a full post all about some festive themed self care activities you can do to avoid burnout and feel ready for Christmas so you should definitely have a read of that.

Don’t see the fact that you’ve got less in your diary this Christmas as a bad thing. See it as an opportunity to have the time to feel refreshed and relaxed and truly in the Christmas spirit.

Do what makes you happy

It’s not selfish to ditch the stuff that makes you unhappy and enjoy Christmas the way you want to. There’s a lot of expectation around the things others think we should do at Christmas and it can make what should be a really happy time truly miserable. I’ve talked about this a lot over the last few years but when it comes to Christmas there’s nothing you’re obliged to do. It’s an approach I have to a lot of things in my life and I truly believe it’s made me happier.

You should totally do Christmas your way. There are no rules but somewhere along the line the festive season came with a set of expectations and it’s a load of rubbish. We’re all different and we should all do things our own way. There’ll be people that don’t like it but sometimes you’ve just got to do whatever makes you happy instead.

Install a fireplace in your living room

Creating an inviting atmosphere in your living room can be as easy as installing a fireplace. Not only will a fireplace provide you with warmth during the colder months, it can also be an amazing focal point and add charm and character to the space. Whether you opt for a traditional wood-burning fireplace, a modern gas option, or one of the flame effect electric fires for convenience, each design can add something different and beautiful to the decor in any living room. Take the time to select one that complements both your decor as well as your personal tastes and lifestyle. It quickly flips any living room into the perfect place for relaxation evenings or festive gatherings.

Treat yourself

It’s been a year hasn’t it? If Christmas 2020 isn’t the time to treat yo self then I don’t know when is! Buy yourself a Christmas present (or 5) you definitely deserve it! I’m a massive fan of buying myself Christmas gifts, I absolutely love it. It’s something I spoke about in my how to treat yourself this Christmas post and it’s something I’ve been doing for the last couple of years. Honestly it’s so good. I even go to the extent of wrapping my gifts to myself and sticking them under my tree!

Seriously though, you totally deserve to get yourself something you really want. Not need. Want. I actually find it quite hard to spend money on myself and it’s not something I do a lot of throughout the rest of the year but at Christmas I totally indulge and it feels really good!

Save for later!

Bake something sweet

OK I’m not going to lie the food is one of my favourite things about Christmas! Sweet or savoury, I love it all! From the Christmas dinner itself to cheese and crackers, chocolates, party food and leftovers. If the food is classed as festive, I’m all over it. One of my favourite things to do at Christmas though is whip up my own treats. I really love baking so if it’s a festive bake I’m in my element. There’s so many yummy, traditional Christmas recipes to try from mince pies to gingerbread and yule logs.

One of my all time favourite things to make at Christmas though is my no-bake chocolate orange tart. I think it’s one of the easiest recipes I have on my blog. It tastes absolutely delicious. I love chocolate orange and it always reminds me of Christmas. There’s nothing quite like a Christmas sweet treat you’ve made yourself that you can enjoy while watching a Christmas movie!

Enjoy the build up

Right let’s be honest here, who enjoys the run up to Christmas more than Christmas Day itself? I know I certainly do! Even though December is certainly different this year you can can definitely still enjoy the build up to Christmas. Make the most of the stuff you can still do rather than dwelling on the stuff you can’t do. Take pleasure in everything from wrapping presents (even if you hate it like me!), putting up the decorations, wearing your Christmas jumper and drinking copious amounts of mulled wine.

Be in the moment

It’s so easy to get wrapped up in planning ahead and trying to create what you think will make the perfect Christmas that you forget to be in the moment. Christmas shouldn’t be stressful but I know it is for a lot of people. From worrying about cooking the perfect turkey to finding the best gift. We forget to be present and just enjoy what’s happening around us. This certainly needs to be the year where you just enjoy each and every moment as it happens. Be truly present rather than thinking ahead.

I know there are a lot of hard things going on but one of the things a lot of people said they actually enjoyed during the first lockdown was the slower pace of life. So keep that in mind and embrace a more relaxed Christmas.

Enjoy all your festive favourites

Last year I wrote a blog post all about my Christmas favourites. If you’re struggling with positivity you could maybe do the same. If you’re not a blogger then you could write a list. I always find that writing list about the small joys really helps me out. From films, songs, food and drink and books there a so many festive things to enjoy. If you’re having a bit of a bad day in the run up to Christmas take a day where you fill it with all your favourite Christmassy things and get your cheer back.

I hope you all still manage to have an absolutely wonderful Christmas. You all truly deserve it after this year.

Do you have any tips on how to have the best Christmas ever? Share them in the comments!

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