About 42 percent of women find hosting Christmas Day the most stressful job of the year.
A massive 85 percent of women say men don’t understand the effort required for a perfect Christmas.
Half of men think women exaggerate the stress of Christmas, while a third think they could do a better job organising Christmas than women.
Maybe it’s dad’s turn to organise Christmas then?
Meanwhile, four in 10 women do not trust their partners to carry out essential tasks for Christmas.
Maybe not!
Here are some tips for surviving the silly season, how to avoid overindulgence, and having an escape plan when things turn pear-shaped.
Plan ahead
Leading up to Christmas can be stressful – unless you plan ahead, address stress, take control of some things, and relinquish control of others.
Take a chill pill. Magnesium is a more powerful relaxant than pharmaceutical drugs, so some hospitals include it on their emergency crash cart. More commonly, it is taken as an antidote to stress, migraines, tight muscles and insomnia. Learn more about magnesium here: Anti-stress with magnesium and Magnanimous magnesium.
Keep breathing. Try not to let Christmas take over your life. It is your holiday too. Make time for things you usually enjoy, like walking the dog or going to the gym, while also adding leisure activities you don’t usually have time for, such as reading in a hammock, beach walks and going to the cinema.
Don’t over-estimate how much you can achieve on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. If you have a habit of getting to Christmas Day, feeling tired from staying up late the night before, and guilty for not having quite finished what you planned, you need a more realistic goal.
What is my budget? If you can’t afford all the trimmings, the world will not end. It might be time to re-think your expectations of what Christmas is all about – on your terms. It is not a competition for most expensive presents or best decorations. Restrict presents to under a value, eg, $15, or ask everyone to make presents.
What is essential? If family members want non-essentials, what compromise/contribution are they willing to make?
Can it be done before Christmas? We usually have a list of housework-type chores the week before. Can any be brought forward?
Can you delegate? Look at people’s strengths and interests. Those wanting non-essentials should also be willing to organise them.
What can be bought online? Food, gifts and decorations?
Walking it off. Getting off the couch and outside will improve mood and reduce stress. It will assist digestion after overindulgence and give you space away from a crowded house. Singing in a place of worship will do the same. Click here to read 36 tips to reduce or cure stress.
Write lists, and keep them. They may need tweaking and updating, but they will be very handy next year.
Loneliness. Find a listening ear – someone removed from your situation. If you are an older person, contact Age Concern, which runs a volunteer visiting service.
Overindulgence
A typical Christmas Day’s food can add up to a massive 6000 calories – three times the recommended daily amount for women and 2.5 for men. Add alcohol to the mix and it is no wonder most people “crash” and need an afternoon siesta – our bodies can’t cope with it all.
Pile your plate with salads, seafood and lean meats, and keep fried, rich and creamy offerings to sample-sized portions. You don’t need to eat double just because it’s Christmas!
Keep well hydrated in hot weather by taking water with you everywhere.
Have a glass of water between each alcoholic drink.
If you are stressed, eat lightly and drink minimum alcohol on an empty stomach.
When feeling bloated, activated charcoal helps soak up excess intestinal gas and can reduce a hangover.
Milk thistle is a party must-have, helping the liver to handle the increase in food and alcohol, and detoxify.
Digestive enzymes aid the digestion of meals high in protein, fat and refined carbohydrates, and help reduce bloating.
Go for a walk to help work things through your system. FYI: Yoga is the only activity able to give a thorough and balanced massage to internal organs and glands. This rids them of toxins, stimulates and tones, so they function properly and all body systems work as they should.
Sleep
We feel great after a good night’s sleep, and dreadful if deprived. The need to shut eye gets so strong in humans that people have been known to fall asleep standing up, or with intolerably loud music played at them. 


At around 24 hours, sleepless people report confusion, forgetfulness and hallucinations. Apart from affecting the ability to concentrate and perform daily activities, sleep deprivation can induce anxiety and depression. This can snowball if the reason we are sleepless in the first place is due to stress.
Our brains need sleep to process and “file” new memories, which is good news for siesta snoozers and power-nappers who get a memory boost when the rest of us have afternoon “brain fade”. Without the opportunity to relax and re-organise our memories during sleep, dreams intrude into our waking lives, blurring with reality.
Physically, our bodies use sleep time to carry out maintenance such as relaxing muscles and repairing damaged cells.


The average amount of sleep needed is seven hours, with people who regularly sleep a lot less at higher risk of illnesses, such as heart diseases. The hormone melatonin, which helps us into sleep mode, is also a powerful antioxidant on a cellular level. Learn more about Steps for sound sleep
Exit plan
Lack of sleep, heat, excess food, a full house, noisy children racing around and stress affect everyone differently. Some people are happy with a nap, but add alcohol to the mix and we can sometimes see tearful, argumentative and even abusive behaviours. These people should be kept busy and consume less alcohol, so discuss this in a caring way with them first (if you can), and see how you can also make this happen at your end.
If it’s simply someone saying things you don’t agree with, make a phone call to a family member, hang up washing, check on a neighbour, take the kids and their outdoor Christmas presents to the park/beach.
If you suspect you/someone else will be faced with anger and abuse, have a plan that prioritises safety and removing kids from the scene. If you have a plan, you can be more relaxed on the day. Do not tolerate family violence.
Have a great Christmas and New Year!
A massive 85 percent of women say men don’t understand the effort required for a perfect Christmas.
Half of men think women exaggerate the stress of Christmas, while a third think they could do a better job organising Christmas than women.
Maybe it’s dad’s turn to organise Christmas then?
Meanwhile, four in 10 women do not trust their partners to carry out essential tasks for Christmas.
Maybe not!
Here are some tips for surviving the silly season, how to avoid overindulgence, and having an escape plan when things turn pear-shaped.
Plan ahead
Leading up to Christmas can be stressful – unless you plan ahead, address stress, take control of some things, and relinquish control of others.
Take a chill pill. Magnesium is a more powerful relaxant than pharmaceutical drugs, so some hospitals include it on their emergency crash cart. More commonly, it is taken as an antidote to stress, migraines, tight muscles and insomnia. Learn more about magnesium here: Anti-stress with magnesium and Magnanimous magnesium.
Keep breathing. Try not to let Christmas take over your life. It is your holiday too. Make time for things you usually enjoy, like walking the dog or going to the gym, while also adding leisure activities you don’t usually have time for, such as reading in a hammock, beach walks and going to the cinema.
Don’t over-estimate how much you can achieve on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. If you have a habit of getting to Christmas Day, feeling tired from staying up late the night before, and guilty for not having quite finished what you planned, you need a more realistic goal.
What is my budget? If you can’t afford all the trimmings, the world will not end. It might be time to re-think your expectations of what Christmas is all about – on your terms. It is not a competition for most expensive presents or best decorations. Restrict presents to under a value, eg, $15, or ask everyone to make presents.
What is essential? If family members want non-essentials, what compromise/contribution are they willing to make?
Can it be done before Christmas? We usually have a list of housework-type chores the week before. Can any be brought forward?
Can you delegate? Look at people’s strengths and interests. Those wanting non-essentials should also be willing to organise them.
What can be bought online? Food, gifts and decorations?
Walking it off. Getting off the couch and outside will improve mood and reduce stress. It will assist digestion after overindulgence and give you space away from a crowded house. Singing in a place of worship will do the same. Click here to read 36 tips to reduce or cure stress.
Write lists, and keep them. They may need tweaking and updating, but they will be very handy next year.
Loneliness. Find a listening ear – someone removed from your situation. If you are an older person, contact Age Concern, which runs a volunteer visiting service.
Overindulgence
A typical Christmas Day’s food can add up to a massive 6000 calories – three times the recommended daily amount for women and 2.5 for men. Add alcohol to the mix and it is no wonder most people “crash” and need an afternoon siesta – our bodies can’t cope with it all.
Pile your plate with salads, seafood and lean meats, and keep fried, rich and creamy offerings to sample-sized portions. You don’t need to eat double just because it’s Christmas!
Keep well hydrated in hot weather by taking water with you everywhere.
Have a glass of water between each alcoholic drink.
If you are stressed, eat lightly and drink minimum alcohol on an empty stomach.
When feeling bloated, activated charcoal helps soak up excess intestinal gas and can reduce a hangover.
Milk thistle is a party must-have, helping the liver to handle the increase in food and alcohol, and detoxify.
Digestive enzymes aid the digestion of meals high in protein, fat and refined carbohydrates, and help reduce bloating.
Go for a walk to help work things through your system. FYI: Yoga is the only activity able to give a thorough and balanced massage to internal organs and glands. This rids them of toxins, stimulates and tones, so they function properly and all body systems work as they should.
Sleep
We feel great after a good night’s sleep, and dreadful if deprived. The need to shut eye gets so strong in humans that people have been known to fall asleep standing up, or with intolerably loud music played at them. 


At around 24 hours, sleepless people report confusion, forgetfulness and hallucinations. Apart from affecting the ability to concentrate and perform daily activities, sleep deprivation can induce anxiety and depression. This can snowball if the reason we are sleepless in the first place is due to stress.
Our brains need sleep to process and “file” new memories, which is good news for siesta snoozers and power-nappers who get a memory boost when the rest of us have afternoon “brain fade”. Without the opportunity to relax and re-organise our memories during sleep, dreams intrude into our waking lives, blurring with reality.
Physically, our bodies use sleep time to carry out maintenance such as relaxing muscles and repairing damaged cells.


The average amount of sleep needed is seven hours, with people who regularly sleep a lot less at higher risk of illnesses, such as heart diseases. The hormone melatonin, which helps us into sleep mode, is also a powerful antioxidant on a cellular level. Learn more about Steps for sound sleep
Exit plan
Lack of sleep, heat, excess food, a full house, noisy children racing around and stress affect everyone differently. Some people are happy with a nap, but add alcohol to the mix and we can sometimes see tearful, argumentative and even abusive behaviours. These people should be kept busy and consume less alcohol, so discuss this in a caring way with them first (if you can), and see how you can also make this happen at your end.
If it’s simply someone saying things you don’t agree with, make a phone call to a family member, hang up washing, check on a neighbour, take the kids and their outdoor Christmas presents to the park/beach.
If you suspect you/someone else will be faced with anger and abuse, have a plan that prioritises safety and removing kids from the scene. If you have a plan, you can be more relaxed on the day. Do not tolerate family violence.
Have a great Christmas and New Year!
Send stress on an extended holiday
Here are some tips for surviving the silly season, how to avoid overindulgence, and having an escape plan when things turn pear-shaped.