A STRESSFREE CHRISTMAS

If you’ve landed here in the hopes that I have all the answers to you not ending up a stressed out crazy mess this year, I’m afraid I will have to disappoint. I wish I had them and could guide you safely on the road to a blissful holiday season full of homemade mince pies and lots of Scandi hygge. As the snow came down yesterday, although more of a thawing tease than a white Christmas and we spent the weekend decorating the house I started contemplating this past year. The events of 2017 have played on my mind a lot recently but that’s for another post.

One thing I desperately didn’t want to repeat this December was the awful stress I experienced last year. Ironically I had no reason to feel like we had to make a big deal of Christmas as Caspian was still too little to fully understand what was going on. Even on Christmas morning, it was only the three of us so no guests to impress.

Maybe last year’s high expectations of a perfect Christmas was down to the fact that the one before had been exactly that. Maybe not perfect, but pretty amazing. It was Caspian’s first and I can still picture our gorgeous 10-month-old baby boy sitting in his high chair munching on roasted parsnips and turkey. His dimples coming to life with every smile and giggle. How much fun it was dressing him in festive PJs and a Santa’s hat he was still too young to notice. How he would pull at a few baubles but not be strong enough to knock the whole thing down. It was our first year as a family and it was indeed magical.

TO TRAVEL IS TO LIVE – ALSO AT CHRISTMAS TIME

That year, we also spent a couple of days between Christmas and New Year’s in Falmouth in Cornwall visiting old family friends of Daddy Long Legs’. Going away for a few days was the perfect finish to our Christmas break. This added to the warm and fuzzy feeling I recall from that year and which I hope we can recreate this Christmas.

I’m thankful that we are off on another trip this December as I think it breaks up the Christmas days and it’s good for the soul to get away. To travel is to live as the famous Danish fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen said and that is indeed so.

Before we jet off to Val di Fiemme in Italy to hopefully experience proper snow and a chance to build a snowman, Caspian and I are off to Denmark for a few days. Normally this would stress me out as it’s hard to balance work, travelling alone with a toddler and trying to please friends and family while there. Always feeling like I’m stretching myself a bit thin trying to see everyone. This time I’ve decided to try and relax. My body is telling me to. Plus Copenhagen is also magical at this time of year so it would be a shame not to enjoy it all.

TRY AND TAME YOUR HIGH EXPECTATIONS

Not only at Christmas time, but often all through the year, I have to remind myself to breathe. To try and release this tension I’m constantly carrying around. It can’t be healthy. Perfect simply doesn’t exist so to strive for it does indeed stress you out. I do wonder why we put such pressure on ourselves? I feel it’s the high expectations that seem to cause the downfall and so I have lowered mine this year. It’s not about the presents, although I love surprising loved ones with gifts and I can’t wait for Caspian to open his. Money shouldn’t be the focus at this time of year, although it’s hard not to think about costs. End of the day it’s about being together, enjoying the little things. It’s about kindness. About love. That’s hygge to me.

8 thoughts on “A STRESSFREE CHRISTMAS

  1. Interesting comment about having high expectations. Maybe the secret is having more realisitc expectations. I’m going to be staying in four different locations during seven days. My expectations are for a demanding time! Hope you have a great Christmas.

  2. One year, we decided to just spend Christmas in Copenhagen. It was so stress free, without any of the obligations you have when at home. At the city is so beautiful at that time of year.

  3. Christmas and the festive season has started alot differently for us here in Portugal compared to last years in the UK. I’m not sure if it’s the warmer weather or the fact isn’t not quite as commercialised as the UK but it just doesn’t feel like Christmas is coming. And enjoy Copenhagen, I love that city, especially this time of year x

  4. I was hoping for stress free Christmas as we’d decided on secret santa for the adults then it gkt changed so now I’m stuck buying many things that people don’t need rather than just the one unwanted present 🙁

  5. Christmas is notorious for being a stressful time of year but most stress we bring it upon ourselves. I am definitely going to be taking it easy. Have fun in Denmark and Italy.

  6. You are right, we do ply expectations on our own heads and feel terrible when things don’t quite live up to what we’d envisaged! But that’s totally to be expected when you have a baby or young child – you want to make it all so special for them! Ha det så bra i Köpenhamn!

  7. I love Hygge, and high expectations can interrupt the Hygge lifestyle. If I could have any gift for Christmas it would be for a simple stress free one x

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