Post Christmas reflection

So here we are, January is upon us. There was no snow at Christmas and no peace on Earth globally. Too many people will have been sucked into a commercial Christmas and one they cannot afford. So perhaps now is a good time to take stock of last Christmas while taking notes to prevent a GroundHog Day Christmas December 2019.

    Did you really need to spend as much as you did?
    Could you really afford what you bought or have you racked up debt that will haunt you all year?
    Have you been binning leftover food?
    Did you really enjoy Christmas?
    Were you stressed out at Christmas?
    Were you exhausted post Christmas?

The list goes on and on.

Christmas should be about you and yours. You do not have to celebrate the same way as others. In fact you do not have to celebrate at all if you prefer not to!

Rows, frayed tempers, broken relationships, fists to the face and body, drunken binges, huge debts and more are sadly Christmas reality for many.

Why set yourself up for such a scenario?

Now is a good time to plan for a very different Christmas from now on.

New Year's resolutions are fine but by now most people will have broken them. You can take stock and plan a fresh start at any time of year.

Rather than making "how you do next Christmas" part of a New Year's resolution simply plan ahead.

Think about what you enjoyed, what you did not like and what you hated and commit to implement change for the better.

Obvious ways to limit the financial burden include:-

    Stick to a shopping plan. Avoid spur of the moment purchases. All the glittering Christmas paraphernalia for sale looks grand but do you really need the latest baubles.
    Put a little money aside for Christmas as and when you can.
    Make a list, just like Santa, and stick to it, buying any bargains you come across during the year.
    Identify problem areas over Christmas and consider how you can avoid negative situations.

In the end Christmas is just another day unless for you it has religious significance. Holiday time from work, along with the children on holiday from school, can add pressure on relationships, but only if you let it.

So you hated Christmas 2018? So what are you going to do to prevent Christmas 2019 following a similar path? After all whether or not your Christmas is stressful is down to YOU!

Have a peaceful Christmas, tips and ideas
A more peaceful Christmas
Avoid Black Friday spending pitfalls
Decorating your Christmas tree on the cheap
What to do with Christmas leftovers