TIPS FOR SURVIVING CHRISTMAS.

I don't know about you but I just love Christmas my deckies go up early November and stay there until end of January! And I plan my assault on Santa, yep you heard me every year I go sit on Santa's lap and tell him what I want much to the embarrassment of my daughter. I just love him. I get a lolly which I throw away and sometimes, sometimes I get to go before the crying kids. It's funny some kids won't let me go in front of them even though they are crying and when I complain and say "but your crying" they still won't let me go in front of them. I have never understood why their parents always thank me ...

Christmas to me is the signal of the year of another year it's a time of retrospect and being grateful for the people I have in my life, breathing a deep sigh of relief if it's been a full-on year and enjoying some quality time with my beautiful child and beautiful friends I call family.

For many of us it is also a time of over indulgence, stress, anxiety, fear and anger, it is often those who are closest to us that push our buttons the most, and impede our ability to achieve our goals in life.

I wrote these down years ago when I was unhappy and needing to feel like I had some control of the day that often left me feeling disappointed. I pull them out every year and remind myself it is only ONE DAY and to create what I want from the day and enjoy it. I have come so far from that time in my life, I hope they help you feel stronger and more in control.

1. Remember it is ONE DAY, and make it ONE DAY! Christmas does not start on the 1st of December and finish somewhere mid- January, it's the 25th of December ONE DAY got it! Leftovers are not an excuse to keep overeating.

2. Start your day with big glass of water and an early morning walk, jog or swim, stay active all day, sit as little as possible.

3. Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, don't skip meals to leave room for more Christmas food it will only make you hungry and you will compensate for not having had your three meals.

4. Drink a minimum of 6 -8 glasses of water over the day, Christmas meals are heavy and can cause constipation, be friendly to your bowel - said in a deep firm voice, ha, ha get it.

5. Have morning tea and afternoon tea of a small handful size of food.

6. Go easy on the tea and coffee, it's a long day and an early start for many. Over consumption of caffeine will stimulate appetite and make you eat more. It will also dehydrate you and combined with alcohol sets you up to feel very bad the next day and will take important water away from your bowel. No more then 4 cups in the day.

7. Looking for a great stocking filler idea, Kmart sell skipping ropes for $2.00 put one in each child's stocking have competitions all day to see who can jump the longest. Skipping is great for your heart. *WARNING* alcohol, adults and skipping can provide many laughs. As can a faceplant from a skipping rope becoming entangled around legs, until the severity of the faceplant is painfully obvious. NOBODY wants to spend Christmas day in emergency! Please skip safely encourage skipping on the grass for all and take the skipping rope of the inebriated person's.

8. If it's your turn to host the Christmas lunch/dinner make a theme ask people to bring a certain dish, that way you will be able to control what foods are on offer. If you have a favourite salad or meal a member of your family makes and it's healthy suggest they bring that, flatter them by saying "oh I just love your tabbouleh, could you bring that". Or if you all bring a dish to your Christmas gathering make sure you bring a big yummy salad or a large watermelon for sweets instead of energy dense food. There is always enough of that!

9. Keep active suggest a family friendly game of cricket, rugby, footy, jump in the pool or have water balloon/gun fights, this is a socially acceptable way to vent frustration out on a annoying person, just don't make it obvious you are targeting them and keep it fun. Stay away from the dart board!

10. If drinking alcohol have two for one, one glass of alcohol and then two glasses of water.

11. If you are feeling stressed and are finding it difficult to deal with a particular family member be aware of how you are feeling, don't drink more alcohol to cope as you may wind up saying something you regret, or worse! And take note if you are nibbling more to cope with the situation, stress will make you eat more. Remember to breathe, it's just ONE DAY, go and play a game with the kids or watch TV, tidy up, become engrossed in your gifts, maybe even step out for a walk around the block.

12. Don't give gifts of food, chocolates, biscuits or alcohol and give away any you get, discreetly of course. Make it a work place prerogative to take all gifts of foods that can be donated, to the charity drop off points at your local shops. Don't take them home for family as they will only get eaten by you and that defeats the purpose.

13. If Christmas is at your place buy a pile of takeaway containers and when the meal is over as part of clean up place leftovers in containers for everyone to take home their share of food, this way you won't get left with a ton of food you will feel the need to eat.

14. Take the focus of food and make it about family. Take the time to sit back look at the people you have chosen to be with, your friends, family and your biological families, really look at them. See the people they are see their values, their attributes, their idiosyncrasies, their morals and find the things in them you like and love. If you can't find anything in them you like, love or accept you will have to resign yourself to the fact that they are who they are and that you can't change them. Asking someone to change so that it makes you happy is a form of abuse. It may initially make you happy but in the end it will make everyone unhappy. If you just can't accept them and find they drain you or anger you then make a conscious decision to limit the time you spend with them and do not react to their drama. Don't give your power away by becoming involved arguments, its only ONE DAY remember. If you know the relationship is unhealthy make a choice to start the New Year with a new start and walk away from all unhealthy relationships!

15. If you find you have over indulged in the day and are sitting on the couch feeling like you may burst, DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP! Negative self talk is the biggest saboteur of your goals, you are responsible for controlling this. One day of over indulgence is not an excuse to keep going well into the New Year. It is just ONE DAY.

I wish you all a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.