Food whether its Christmas turkey, Chicken, Fish or a piece of Tofu shaped like a Christmas tree make sure you get to the super markets early and start buying bits each week in the run up to Christmas to keep the costs down and the enjoyment up.

Decorations if your getting into the festive spirit and need a bit of twinkle. Get some nice Christmas lights and dangle them around the room or better yet get a nice fresh Christmas tree from your local vendor (the smells great and for the following months the smell and pine needle will be reminding you about your wonderful Christmas)

Presents are all about letting people know that your thinking about them this doesn’t mean you have to go out and buy the latest ipod it does mean that if things are tight this year set a 5 pound/dollar present budget and see what wonderful things you can buy or buy to create for the people you love.

Booze is one of those things that has a tendency to flow really easily this time of year. If you haven’t tried it yet, get in a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of stones green ginger and feel the fiery warmth of a Scottish classic the Whiskey Mac (If you don’t like whiskey this beauty takes away the harsh edges and leaves behind a warm glow). If you wait till nearer the 25th often you get offers for this in local supermarkets.

Lock the doors! If you don’t want to have a hectic holiday period don’t have one. Close the doors and send your love by Card, Phone, Text or Email this period is about being around your friends and people you care about why spoil it visiting relatives you cant stand, lets face it they probably cant stand you either.

Cooking the food can be a pain in the proverbial, getting up at 5 to put a Turkey the size of a horse into the oven which somehow has to behave like the Tardis is a no brainer. Stop being a traditionalist get up when everyones ready then put the food in the oven, so what if its 3 in the afternoon when you eat, pour out a whiskey mac and get everyone peeling the Veg.

Television comes into play at some time in the day but make sure it and the games console are banned till after you eat. If somebodies bored then give them a peeler and a vegetable (amazing how quickly people are able to find fun things to do when they have a motive).

Christmas is just a day, if you don’t feel like doing it this year don’t do it. The whole point of it is being with people you love and being honest about how your feeling. Postpone it or call it off, nothings black and white judge it for yourself. If your carrying it all, maybe somebody else should be taking some of the weight if they don’t, don’t do it.

To help others at Christmas you might like to give charity Christmas cards see this site for more details Cards for charity