Christmas Survival: tips for enjoying the big day

As you prepare for the holidays and navigate your way through the bustling shops, festive Christmas bazaars, school fetes, and heartwarming nativity plays, these Christmas survival tips should be invaluable to you. Despite the excitement that fills us during this joyful time of year, managing an entire day with specific family members can be quite demanding. That's why, in this article, we've compiled a list of Christmas survival tips to ensure you experience the true festive cheer this year!

When it comes to Christmas survival tips, it’s worth paying note to the modern-day proverb, ‘failing to plan is planning to fail’. The reality is Christmas planning is essential. 

With organising the Christmas food (if the responsibility of this falls upon you) lists, planning and timing is everything. This may be the most important Christmas survival tip you need to help keep the stress-monsters at bay this Christmas. With everything else you have to deal with, letting the food get the better of you is no way to enjoy yourself.

Make a list NOW – you may have a couple of weeks left, but things like large turkeys generally need to be pre-ordered. If you are no fan of the traditional meat choice, why not try a nice beef joint or (if cost is more of a concern) a beautiful piece of pork cooked well can be a lot more enjoyable than a dry piece of turkey. Click here for an interesting article with some handy ideas for Christmas alternative menus.

Being prepared on the food side of things is all about figuring out food options that you can prepare in advance. Things that freeze are always brilliant - you can prepare in advance and just pop them out the freezer the night before to thaw. Remember, the vegetables can be prepared the day before and even potatoes can be par-boiled ready to warm up in the microwave and pop in the oven on the day. All these little things will help you relax and enjoy that glass of bubbly on Christmas Day all the more.

You have the presents wrapped and the food and drink sorted but how will you keep everyone happy on the day. You may think it is not really your responsibility to make sure Uncle Martin is entertained, but keeping people occupied will make for a better feeling all round.

A simple yet effective Christmas surival tip could be all the adults to bring a party piece or game. Then the pressure is not entirely on you to bring all the fun ideas to the table. The musical ones can do a turn on their instruments (children included) and the not-so-musical could create a small quiz or game for everyone to play. If you all take it in turns throughout the day you will keep everyone entertained during the lulls between presents, food and that tv special everyone wants to watch. You may not end up getting through them all – but this may be a good thing if you have Boxing Day to keep the hoards entertained too.

I think it is one thing that people think they should do at Christmas, but really don’t want to. I think there are plenty of games out there now which will honestly get the whole family going, no matter how old they are. Having a couple of different games up your sleeve is a great Christmas survival tip, and  will quell the boredom and hopefully stop the children from running riot – it may even keep grandma from snoring in her chair! For more ideas, head to our main Christmas section.

If you were looking to purchase a family game and have a bit of room try a Giant Jenga, you can find three different sized sets here (the Mega Hi Tower being the most compact) and it is an addictive game suitable for the little ones all the way up to old Uncle Fred. It may also come in handy next summer while you are having a BBQ so it’s always a good longer term investment.

It is very often I hear people whinging about doing everything at Christmas and not enjoying themselves, but often they take it all on and don’t accept help offered (or ask for help where needed). The world will keep turning if the carrots are not cooked to perfection so for this Christmas survival tip, make sure you take a load off and enjoy the time with the family. It is not often that you spend time with them so make it a good time or you will resent every minute!

Getting every member of the family involved in some aspect will prevent any one person from feeling like a slave and will also make sure people all appreciate what you have done. Even if it is simply asking each member of the family for a bit of entertainment, food preparation or setting the table. This will be one less thing on your mind and a few more moments spent enjoying yourself.

In this quick and simple guide, we've shared invaluable Christmas survival tips to ensure your holiday season is a resounding success. These Christmas survival tips encompass many aspects of the festive experience, from meticulous planning to delectable menu alternatives and smart food preparation, ensuring you navigate the holiday whirlwind with ease. Plus, we’ve highlighted the importance of incorporating Christmas survival tips into your entertainment strategy, encouraging everyone to contribute and keep the holiday spirit alive throughout the day. By following these Christmas survival tips, you can increase your odds of having a stress-free and joyous Christmas celebration that leaves you and your loved ones truly immersed in the festive spirit.

If you enjoyed our tips or have some of your own don't forget to tell us all about them! Tag us @theplayexperts or use #littleplayexpert or #bigplayexpert to share with everyone what you have been up to.