Christmas Tips and Ideas - Week 5 - Final Week

My only tip this week is to take a step back from the madness, give yourself one gift, the gift of time.  No matter how much there is to do keep some precious time for yourself. 

Involve everyone in the preparation, let the children set the table and see everyone to their seats, take the guests up on their offers of assistance, loading the dishwasher, entertaining the children, share the chores and they will all be done that much sooner.

This can be a stressed day or a relaxing day, it is after all only one day, it's a roast dinner with dessert, it's nibbles later and probably too much chocolate and alcohol.  But know your limitations and if you feel the need to take ten minutes, pour yourself a coffee (or something stronger) and take them.

When I feel the need I grab my coat and the dogs and walk, we walk the fields and watch the Red Kites soaring overhead, magical.  Nature has a way of grounding you.  Last week Lovely Hubby and I saw a Heron flying frantically over the farm something clasped in it's beak and then in close pursuit came the Buzzard obviously wanting the same snack, it didn't catch the Heron but while it lasted the flypast was magical and took our breath away.

We don't eat turkey in this house, but Archie the cat is definitely after our now defunct singing turkey, he sits for hours watching it.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, this will be a hard one for us and it's been a tough year, but as a family we are pulling close, the bonds we have are tighter than ever as we prepare to face another traumatic time, I will tell you about this another day, for now I give you the gift of time.

 You have to wrap it yourself place it somewhere safe, and then take the paper off whenever you need it.  If you get really stressed out and have no time.......

JUMP UP AND DOWN ON THE BL**DY BOX ........... it's a great stress reliever.

Linking over to Angela at Tracing Rainbows and  all the other top tipsters.  Thank you to Angela for organising this, I hope some of the things we have mentioned in the posts have been of use.  Angela's today has given me a few great ideas.

Sue xx