Got family and friends coming for Christmas? Worried the combination of over-excited kids and over-indulged grown-ups could prove a recipe for disaster?

Then read on!

surviving family

Christmas might be the season of good will, but there’s nothing like lots of different characters in a confined space to bring out the worst in the best of us.

So how can you avoid losing the Christmas plot by making sure your good will doesn’t run out? Life coach Dawn Ann Campbell from the International Authority for Professional Coaching & Mentoring has come up with 5 top tips for avoiding Christmas meltdowns and making sure your Christmas goes with the right kind of bang.

5 top tips for surviving family & friends at Christmas

1. “Remember the 4 wise monkeys – yes, there are four!” says Dawn. “Think no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil and do no evil. Treat these as a mantra of sorts; sticking to them will help you avoid getting embroiled in family fights or rehashing old feuds.”

surviving family

2. Set boundaries and stick to them. “Stay away from people you don’t like, or at least limit the time you spend with them, especially with family members,” she says. “If you feel it’s necessary to do your duty, do it – but get out as quickly and quietly as you can. No-one will thank you for gritting your teeth longer than you have to!”

surviving family

3. Stay on budget. “You can’t buy love, so keep it real and pay attention to your finances by not letting your Christmas budget run riot,” Dawn advises. “Remember, the commercial Christmas campaigns we see all around us are part of a machine expertly designed to part us from our hard-earned cash. Buying more ‘stuff’ doesn’t bring lasting happiness. In fact, it’s just a ticket to financial stress!”

surviving family

4. Be kind to yourself. “One of the best gifts you can give yourself is lots of quality ‘me’ time to recharge your batteries,” Dawn says. “This is how to make sure you feel your best when you’re with family and friends. After all, tis the season to be jolly – and it’s hard to be jolly when you’re frazzled and worn out.”


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Christmas is officially underway at Crummy Mummy HQ! Yes we are all wearing matching jim jams (@twinkledustltd in case you were wondering) & no Misery Guts doesn’t have a pair because we don’t call him Misery Guts for nothing 😂 The decs are out, the tree is up🎄& there are already a zillion needles all over the carpet 🙄 but that’s what it’s all about, right? Christmas 2018 let’s do this! #twinning #twinningiswinning #christmas2018 #christmascountdown #tistheseason #ootd #family #fun #childhood #capturingchildhood #capturingtheday #mama #mummy #mum #motherhoodalive #rememberingthesedays #myhappycapture #oureverydaymoments #documentyourdays #snaphappybritmums @britmums

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5. Stay grounded. “Keep things in perspective by volunteering for a good cause, or pay it forward by doing something special for someone who isn’t in a position to return the favour,” she says. “It’s all in the spirit of Christmas – and there’s no better way to have a truly perfect day.”

surviving family

Are you playing host to family and friends this Christmas? Are there any tips you can take from Dawn’s advice? I’d love to know which ones!

If you liked this you may also enjoy reading:

10 simple self care tips for a stress-free Christmas

Why I won’t be contributing to the teacher’s Christmas gift collection

7 steps to bedtime success in the run up to Christmas

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