It’s that time again – ‘The most wonderful time of the year!’ Even if you are or you’re not a fan of Christmas, chances are you’re having some sort of celebration, big or small, on December 25th. Regardless of whether you’re hosting or visiting a relative’s house, we’ve got 7 things you MUST do, to make sure you have a fantastic stress-free day.
1. Send Christmas cards
With the younger generation it may seem like the art of Christmas card writing is dying, nevertheless there is still a charm to it. There’s nothing better than opening a card from an old friend, and getting that warm feeling inside that they thought of you. If you send one as well, it’s likely you’ll get one in return!
2. Who’s bringing what?
Hosting or not, it’s tradition for every family to contribute with a dish. Some family can get very protective over the food they provide, so make sure you coordinate beforehand if it’s your first Christmas with one side of the family. Last thing you want to do is buy 4 kilos of prawns when Uncle Kevin buys them every year! You may even like to try our seasonal mango and lime cocktails for when the rellies arrive.
3. Make a food or cash donation
It can be very easy to become so absorbed in our own lives at Christmas – especially when there’s a list of parties to go to and dishes to prepare. That’s why we’d suggest you take a moment before Christmas to visit a local charity and make cash or food donation to those not as fortunate, for what can become a lonely time of year for some. If there’s the opportunity to adopt a family through your local charity, this is a worthwhile cause to be involved as well.
4. Deep clean your house
Christmas is naturally the most frantic time of year. The days sometimes merge into one and before you know it it’s 2017 and you’re back at work again! With this in mind, take a few hours out of your day to clean the house and make room in the fridge for new food that you’ll be purchasing. Someone once said a tidy house = a tidy mind!
5. Recharge the batteries – phones, iPads and cameras
If you have children, nephews and nieces, this time of year is an extra special one when they open presents and get involved in the many festivities that Christmas brings. In order to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the priceless moments, recharge your phone, iPad and camera the night before the big day, so you can take plenty of photos and videos to share with your friends on Facebook and Instagram at a later date.
6. Keep a couple of spare gifts wrapped for unexpected guests
It’s Christmas day; all your relatives are arriving, including your niece’s boyfriend, Brad, who you had no idea was coming. Everyone sits down to open the presents from one another, but there’s no present for Brad...queue awkwardness. To save the embarrassment on the big day, buy a couple of generic presents that can be given to any unplanned guests. That way, Brad’s getting a Jamie Oliver cook book, and no awkward look. Want to earn some extra cash whilst you buy your Chrissie presents? Take a look at our Rewards Credit Card!
7. Watch a Christmas movie and relax
At the busiest time of the year, take a moment to sit back and watch a Christmas film. You’ll laugh and cry, but the best part is you’ll have fun watching it, and will no doubt feel a lot less stressed by the end of it. Merry Christmas!
If you’re going abroad this Christmas, firstly lucky you! How did you wing that one? We have a few financial and security travel tips for you to read before you head away.
