6 ways to take care of yourself this Christmas

Are you exhausted yet, or is it just me? Christmas is joyous and wonderful and all that, but let’s face it, it is mostly about the children. Their cherubic faces light up at the idea of Santa and presents and more presents.

It’s always fun but it’s always stressful.

I have spent the past two weeks attending concerts, graduation ceremonies, dinners, morning teas, performances, and parades…all of which required dressing children in something special and almost always I needed to bring a freaking plate.

Add to that, the fact that there are so many parties. (NOT complaining about those!). We often indulge in a bit of extra food and a bit of extra cheer (code for booze), and can tend to burn ourselves out trying to get everything ready for the big day.

Mum friends I know tie themselves in knots trying to make the time magical for their kids. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But my message to you is this: please, please, please look after yourself.

Find a way to remind yourself that you’re important too. Here are a few ideas:

• Sneak outside while the children are playing with their new EVERYTHING to have a cup of tea in the sun on Christmas morning. Bah, it’s Christmas, a champagne cocktail is perfectly acceptable.
• Paint your toenails red on Christmas Eve.
• On Boxing Day, leave the kids with whomever will have them and go for a walk in the bush/along the beach. Connect with nature while all the crazy mofos out there are bashing each other up at the sales.
• Buy yourself a nice bottle of champagne and don’t share it with anyone.
• After you put the kids to bed on Christmas night, sit outside and listen to the crickets, and congratulate yourself on all you’ve done to give to others this year. With the drink of your choice, obviously. Foot massage from partner (if you have one) is totally optional.
• Sit down and write down a few things you’d like to achieve in 2017. Then write a plan on how you will achieve it, and involve others to help you get there.

So by all means have a beautiful Christmas, but don’t freak out if it isn’t perfect. What’s more important is that you’re taking care of yourself, because 2017 is coming, and it’s going to be effing rad.