In normal years, the lead up to Christmas can be a joyous time. A time of anticipation about visiting family, sharing generous Christmas meals together and exchanging gifts. But this year is different. COVID-19 has meant changes to jobs and businesses, changes to schooling arrangements, travel restrictions, heightened hygiene awareness, particularly for those involved in health care, and changes to major events such as weddings and funerals. All this change has brought with it a good deal of anxiety, and the last thing needed is additional pressure at Christmas to make matters worse.
Here are some ideas that people have found helpful in terms of lessening financial and relationship pressures at Christmas time:
- Set a dollar limit per person – and stick to it!
- Have a home-made Christmas, where all gifts are homemade.
- Have a re-purposing Christmas – where basic components are purchased at charity shops and then reworked to give individuality and panache.
- Donate the money that would have been spent on gifts to a charity or charities.
- Buy local!
- Instead of one family providing all the food at Christmas for a crowd, have a pot-luck Christmas where all guests bring a dish to share.
- Invite at least one person not related to you to your Christmas table. This is an especially good idea if they are alone at Christmas.
- If you are able, pay it forward at the supermarket at Christmas time. This involves giving the checkout person an extra amount of money and asking them to use this to help pay a supermarket bill for the next person in the queue.
- If you have conflict with people in your family - don’t see them at Christmas time, or if you have to see them, make an agreement with them not to discuss topics that aggravate you both.
- If you have family overseas or interstate, catch up with them at a suitable time via Zoom or another online video app.
- Limit alcohol at Christmas gatherings.
The secret to having a peaceful, stress-less Christmas is to plan ahead of time. We might only be in November, but it is time to get those thinking caps on to lessen the pressure. Our local charity shops include:
The Salvation Army
Community Service/Non-Profit
123 Auburn Street, Goulburn
Phone: 02 4822 6913
The Smith Family Store
147 Auburn Street, Goulburn
Phone: 02 4822 2450
Legacy
13-15 MARKET Street, Goulburn
Phone: 02 4821 2451
St Vincent de Paul Society
Address: 2/136 Auburn Street, Goulburn New South Wales 2580
Phone: 02 6234 7470
Website: vinnies.org.au
