Laois Christmas tips to have happy not stressed festivies

Christmas tends to offer many moments of joy and happiness, however, Laois Connects also say it can also be fraught with tension, stress and anxiety.  

The Laois Connects wellbeing partners have come together to offer some practical and manageable tips to support you have a happy Christmas in Laois and deal with challenging moments when they arise.

Have Realistic Expectations 

A good starting point is to understand that the festive season does not have to be perfect and to avoid as much as possible the inevitable hype that is associated with this time of year. Remind yourself that it’s okay if things do not go exactly according to your plans. Unexpected things will happen and upset your plans, so it is helpful to be flexible and permit yourself to let things go. 

Try to be realistic about what will work for you and what you can accomplish. Focus on what is most important to you.  Avoid the inevitable external pressure set by others, including social media and the persistent advertising that is at a particular high at this time of year.

Take Care of Yourself 

Taking care of your physical and mental well-being is key to managing stress and anxiety at any time of the year, and perhaps more so over the next few weeks.  Give yourself the gift of self-care as it needs to be given extra attention at this time of year.

Eat nutritious food and well-balanced meals, build in regular daily physical activity, and maintain a good sleep pattern which can be difficult with many late nights associated with the festive season. Ensure you still make time for the activities you always enjoy doing throughout the year and not to abandon your routines these because of the extra time demands that may be made of you. 

Activities that help you relax and unwind may include meeting a friend for a cup of coffee and a chat, going for a walk, reading, listening  to seasonal music, and songs and films.

Resilience is an important skill that can improve our ability to manage Christmas stress and protect our physical and mental health over the festive period. Protect yourself from Christmas stress this year with resilience, so you can enjoy the best things that Christmas has to offer.

Practice Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques 

Including mindfulness and relaxation techniques into your routine can help you manage stress and support your mental health. 

Doing things such as deep breathing, meditation, and yoga, can help calm the mind and reduce anxiety.  Taking a mindful walk in nature can be very rewarding.

Plan and Prioritise 

It can be helpful to create a special festive season plan, including a budget. If possible, minimise your use of credit cards which is difficult as we go more into a cashless society.  But in January, the credit account must be settled. Creating a spending plan for food, gifts and entertainment will help reduce New Year stress when the bills arrive. It might be a big ask, but it could be worthwhile to remove the tapping facility from your smartphone. At the top of your Festive Planning Page write “It’s okay to say no!”. This will help you not to be overwhelmed by obligations.   

The advice is issued as part of the Laois Connects initiative, co-ordinated by Laois County Council, has sought to promote Health and wellbeing in Laois since 2013.

The committee is made up of representatives from the HSE, Mental Healthy Ireland, Mountmellick Community School, Healthy Laois, Laois PPN, Healthy Laois, Laois Sports Partnership, Youthwork Ireland Laois, Laois Library Service, Jigsaw Laois Offaly, Laois Offaly Education and Training Board, Dunamaise Arts Centre, Age Friendly Laois and Laois Sports and Leisure section.

These various agencies and bodies are committed to providing support, information and activities to promote & support Health & Wellbeing in our communities.