SWAP STRESSMAS FOR CHRISTMAS
Every Christmas Eve, sixteen people, aka my closest family, sit with sparkling eyes around the festive tree, wondering what Father Christmas (as Santa is known in the UK) brought for them this year.
Shipping sackfuls of presents from London to North Germany takes some organization, but instead of reindeer, we rely on UPS. Actually, my mother arranges delivery and collection. I only need to fill the parcels.
No surprise, then, that I have to look for what I call goldilocks presents. Not too big, not too small; not too fragile; not too cheap and certainly not too expensive. They have to be just right. To stand any chance of getting the goods bought, wrapped and shipped in time, I begin my Christmas shop in August.
After twenty years, I buy presents like a pro. Mostly, I use the Internet, and since I give myself nearly four months to tick every name off my list, I get to take advantage of some fantastic bargains. Using cash-back sites also makes a difference. But more than anything, buying presents has become a joy.
Rushing to supermarkets on Christmas Eve to pick up a shower gel gift box is so not my thing. No wonder people are tired come mid December. To most, getting hold of something, anything, has become a chore. It doesn’t have to be like that. You can beat Christmas stress.
I no longer set out with the mandate to find something for my mother. If I do, great. If not, I’ll see what next week’s offers bring. Since I continuously check offer sites and gadget sites and clothes sites, I have the luxury of selecting just the right winter coat and a matching hat for half the price. Last month, I got 70% off a bobble-head figure, which I had made for and in the likeness of my stepdad. Totally cool. My family no longer find socks, shower gel, tins of cookies and other last-minute disasters under the tree, but unique items that I know will make them happy.
Yes, there’ll be plenty of work, plenty of chores to do before the big day. But at least my efforts will be worth it. By giving presents they will treasure, I have given myself a payoff for all my efforts. A reason to smile through the manic panic. A sure-fire way to beat stress.
Is it too late for you? Not at all. There are plenty of offers on all the time. Shops are bending over backward to make you part with your money, even if they have to give you huge discounts. And every present you buy now will save you a headache later on.
One more tip. Forget wrapping paper.
Roll the presents up in face cloths, towels, or T-shirts, which become part of the present. Tie the string directly around the bottle. Stick a bow smack on top of the CD. And use Christmas bags for at least some of your gifts. Bags can be recycled next year, and the area under the tree still looks festive.
What about you? Are you a Santa-in-training, or a Christmas stresser?
