There’s a list of Christmas rules that does the rounds ons social media every year, which I think is genius.
3 Christmas Time Rules
- Don’t go into debt trying to show people how much you love them.
- Don’t go home to see your family if it damages your mental health.
- If someone comments on your weight, eat them.
Today, because Christmas is well and truly on the way and for some that’s not always a good thing, I thought we’d take a look at each of those points.
Let’s get stuck in, shall we?
1. Don’t go into debt trying to show people how much you love them
In other words, give what you can afford.
Of course we all know that, but it’s really easy to get swept up in the tinsel, right?
Actually that’s not entirely true. Our place has a strict No Tinsel Policy (it hurts my eyeballs) so there’s not a lot of tinsel action happening here, but you get my point.
Don’t worry about what anyone else is giving their kids/you/anyone at Christmas. Give what your bank balance allows and tell people you love them.
Words are so much more meaningful than things.
2. Don’t go home to see your family if it damages your mental health
This is a big one.
Maybe you feel like it’s just one day or you should suck it up for the sake of your kids or this will be the year where you don’t cry in the car on the way home.
Or maybe you could give yourself permission to put yourself first for just one day. And let your kids see what a true stress free Christmas Day looks like.
It’s ok to say, “No thank you, we won’t be joining you this year” and leave it at that.
Because sometimes saying nothing, actually says everything.
3. If someone comments on your weight, eat them
What is it with people thinking it’s ok to comment on your weight? It’s not ok. Ever.
Weight is SUCH a personal issue – it’s fraught with emotions, triggers and memories.
The only time anyone should ever comment on your weight is if YOU raise the subject and ask for advice, help or opinion.
And just quietly, as someone who has battled with weight my entire life, I can honestly say I’ve never once asked anyone for their “opinion” about my weight.
So if you find yourself sitting across from a friend or relative this festive season and you feel the urge to say something like, “Do you think you should be eating that?” or “Geez, you’ve beefed up a bit since I saw you last” or “You could borrow a dress of mine but I don’t think it would fit you” please don’t.
We’re all adults. We know what we should be eating and drinking. If any of us choose not to for an hour, a day, a week, a year, that’s our choice.
It’s also our decision to change it.
And believe it or not, dropping weight related comments into a conversation can’t – and don’t – actually help with that.
Yes, the Christmas decorations are up at our place. That’s rule #4 – when it comes to decorating, there are no rules!
Decorate when you want to and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks. Life is too short to spend it worrying about what other people are doing and thinking x
How is the lead up to Christmas for you? Will you be following any or all of these 3 Christmas rules?
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