The countdown is well under way: With only a fortnight to go before Christmas, most people have finalised their plans for how, where and with whom they will be spending the Festive Season. As a result, some people will be excitedly looking forward to Christmas, but many others will be dreading it.
Yuletide, as I’ve detailed before on this blog and also in my book, How NOT To Get Divorced After Christmas, is one of the most stressful times of the year. It is supposed to be about love, peace and family togetherness, but it often turns out to be the opposite.
Two recent surveys confirm this: One, by Red Tractor beef and lamb, estimates that a third of men won’t lift a finger in the kitchen this Christmas. The reasons? A lack of confidence, previous failures and complicated recipes are the main ones they’ve come up with, along with the apparent belief that their other halves are happy to take care of the catering.
But the survey, published this week, also revealed that 50 per cent of women would like more help at Christmas.
As if this isn’t depressing enough, another study shows that a quarter of Britons argue over what to watch on television on Christmas Day, with most rows breaking out between 7pm and 9pm.
The survey, commissioned by TV channel GOLD, also showed that, incredibly, television is even behind arguments from 8am on the big day, with another flashpoint viewing time between 5pm and 6pm.
Family rows and men’s lack of domestic support are two of the main reasons why disharmony so often reigns at Christmas – and results in so many people filing for divorce in January.
But there are many other potential flashpoints: difficult in-laws, poor weather, anxiety over how much money has been lavished on the festivities and the particular problems faced by single parents, to name but a few.
Although Christmas Eve is only two weeks away, there is still time to revise your Yuletide plans. If you fear that you’ve taken on too much responsibility or have reluctantly issued invitations to relatives you really don’t want to spend time with, it would be wise to sit down and work out what changes you can make.
Women, who bear the brunt of the work and organisation, need to ensure that they have a good time as well as the rest of the family. That means delegating some of the chores and keeping meals as simple as possible.
After a year that has been difficult for many people, Christmas should be a time to put worries out of your mind for a few days and enjoy being with loved ones. So make sure that your plans for the Festive Season are designed to do just that.
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