10 Top Tips for a Stress-Free Christmas

Christmas is a wonderful time of year but it can also be an extremely stressful one for many people. Rushing around doing last minute Christmas shopping, the financial strain of buying the perfect gift for family and friends, too many Christmas parties, along with the stress of family get togethers and having to cook a delicious Christmas feast for everyone.

This year take the stress out of Christmas with the following tips:

• Get organised this year by making a to-do-list for Christmas presents and food for Christmas day. 

• Make a Christmas budget so you know exactly how much you can spend on presents. You don’t want a huge post Christmas credit card bill.

• Don’t leave Christmas shopping until the last few days. Not only will the shops be packed but you run the risk of not finding what you’re looking for. Leaving you feeling super stressed. 

• Prepare as much food as you can the day before Christmas so you’re not stuck in the kitchen cooking on Christmas day. Organise for everyone to bring a dish so you can spend more time enjoying the day and less time cooking.

• Making homemade Christmas cards is a fun holiday activity you can do with your family. People love the fact that you’ve spend the time to make them something special. Homemade Christmas cookies and chocolates also make delicious presents for family and friends. 

• Too much caffeine can stimulate the production of cortisol which can lead to feelings of anxiety. Try switching coffee for a soothing herbal tea instead. Calming herbs like valerian, chamomile, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lavender and passionflower are traditionally used by herbalists to ease anxiety and help you get a good night sleep. You can enjoy these herbs as a tea or take them in tincture or tablet form. Our best calming teas are Bodhi Organic SereniTEA (chamomile, spearmint, lavender, lemon balm, lemon verbena) and Bodhi Organic TranquiliTEA (licorice, valerian, passionflower, aniseed, fennel).

• Don’t overcommit to so many Christmas parties that you feel overwhelmed. Remember to make time for the people who are most important to you. This is a great time to reconnect with old friends and family. 

• Stay healthy by keeping up regular exercise and healthy eating. Exercise is one of the best ways to keep your cortisol levels down.

• Support your adrenals during this busy time with adaptogenic herbs such as withania, bacopa, rhodiola and holy basil. These herbs will help support the functioning of your adrenal glands during times of stress, so you can cope with the stress of the holiday season in a healthier way. These herbs are perfect for anyone who is feeling stressed, tired and overwhelmed. You can take these herbs in tincture or tablet form or as a tea. Our best adrenal tonic tea is Bodhi Organic VitaliTEA (peppermint, spearmint, orange, ginger, withania, bacopa, Siberian ginseng).

• Supplement your diet with a B complex vitamin and magnesium (300mg, 2 x day) supplement. These two important ‘anti-stress’ nutrients will calm the nervous system to help reduce anxiety, along with boosting energy levels. Just what you need to get you through the busy festive period.

Don’t forget to have fun and enjoy this special time. Remember what Christmas is all about, having fun with family and friends, enjoying each others company and sharing laughs over a delicious meal, and being thankful for all the special people we have in our lives.  

Wishing you a happy and stress-free Christmas!

Written by Lisa Guy, Naturopath and Founder of Bodhi Organic Tea.