How to Survive The Festive Season

And possibly thrive, with your relations intact...

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” Say it again. Sing it even. Louder. Turn up Bing Crosby, don your Christmas jumper, some sparkly earrings, and eat a mince pie for goodness sake. Now hold your head up high, strap yourself in and climb aboard the Christmas Train (wreck) - bound for festive parties, managing tricky relatives and sugar-high children; endless to-do lists, decking the halls and cranking the carols.

Don’t misunderstand me - Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year for me. Every year, however, I do also forget how exhausting it is, and try to remind myself not to put too much pressure on us all to have the most gloriously cliched memory-making moments through the holiday season.

Christmas can be like a concentrated 3-day Olympic Ceremony - there’s an obligation for the host and the participants to get it right - for diplomatic relations, for everyone to win something and get on the podium; to make it joyful, inclusive, stylish even!