Now that we are only a couple of weeks away from Christmas, many people will begin to have a last-minute panic. There is so much pressure on parents, particularly women, to provide the perfect occasion, so it’s no surprise that it leaves many feeling drained after the big day. Presents need to be given a lot of thought as the wrong one can cause disappointment, the Christmas menu needs to be planned and all the food bought and masses of packages will need wrapping; no wonder Christmas can cause panic attacks.

Sounds quite chaotic, but it doesn’t have to be as bad as this. In future years, why not start with the planning a little earlier than usual. Keep a look out for suitable presents and buy them as you see them cutting out the need for panic buying at the last minute.

Make out a Christmas menu in plenty of time then you can buy the items that will keep with your usual shopping over the coming weeks. Keep them out of the way in a separate place to prevent people from eating your Christmas food before the given time.

Write your Christmas cards several weeks in advance then all you need to do is post them when the time comes.

Make sure in amongst the preparations you allow some time just for you. Many people find that relaxing in a hot tub (such as those from Vita Spa) can really reduce the stress levels caused by the run-up to Christmas. They can be a great way to unwind and if you feel your blood pressure is creeping up, they can provide a way of successfully dealing with it. Of course, other health problems such as insomnia can also kick in at this time of year and a hot tub will also be the perfect solution to this as well.

So, just plan ahead, allow some time for yourself and learn how to enlist the help of others; that way you will also enjoy the festive season as well as your family.