Blogmas day 19… Seems surreal, as I am sitting here at my desk while listening to Christmas music and writing this article. Where did the time go… Christmas it’s in 6 days and whoah what a month it has been so far. Well… I truly must say that I may not be the best one when it comes to pieces of advice of not being stressed since I am an entire nervous system and I am way behind Blogmas… 
but hey here is a chance for me to try to save it all.Â
However, the thing about holiday season is that it can be incredible as well as stressful! With so many traditions, preparations, gift buying, there comes a great pressure and you might live under the impression that things are getting under hand. All in all, no matter where you decide to spend this year’s Christmas, make sure you protect yourself and your health and keep in mind the following:Â
Small steps preparation
I know that these days can be so stressful with all the little details you have to focus on, but you must try to keep your composure. If your aim is to be very productive in the very short amount of time left, then you might want to take your favourite agenda and your pen and start writing down all that is left to be done. Chances are you might find out that things are not so bad nor so many and you can take care of all of them.Â
Food time
Let’s all be honest and admit that the holiday season wouldn’t be the same without all the delicious food that we eat. While preparing the Christmas dinner I want you to have in mind at all times the number of persons coming over as well as the recipes you have to prepare. I hate to be that one party breaker, but food waste it’s real… and with the right quantities and ingredients we have in mind we can prevent that.Â
Budgeting
Having a budget is an essential thing to keep your focus on, as we have discussed also in Blogmas Day 6. We tend to overspend during this season and it can be a bit overwhelming, but you can find the best tips that work for you (tracking using an app, writing all your expenses down, substracting the amounts spent from the total amount).Â
Choose wisely your shopping time
I think that by now we are all aware that not all shopping can be done online and you might want to go physically into a hypermarket. From my experience, my piece of advice for you would have to be to either go early in the morning or later at night (near closing time) so you can take your time and not be crowded and annoyed by all the noise and pushing going on. Also, a shopping list will help and save you precious time. Planning ahead always helps! 😉
Establish clear boundaries and me time
Establish clear boundaries and take time for yourself, whether that it would be an hour, less or more… You need it to rest and reset and get ready for your plans. Keep in mind to listen to your gut and your needs. Prioritize your well being, what you want and feel like doing or not really. Journal, read, take a bath, cuddle up… basically all that you love to do or would make you feel happy and relaxed. Taking things slow it’s part of the process and as your health is #1 you have to keep it at its peak.Â
Be kind to yourself
Here goes a little reminder that you have to be just as kind to yourself as you are to others. Don’t be so harsh on yourself, because you did and you are still doing the best you can do. Other than that, you are human after all. 🤗
Remember what Christmas it's all about
These times are for your family gatherings, for giving more than receiving and you might want to keep that in mind at all times, so you don’t have to worry about everything and anything. Socialize, laugh, connect with friends and family! After all, this is what the Christmas spirit it’s all about.Â
