Nerd Church! - Leave the Christmas Stress Behind

I hope wherever you are, and whatever you're doing, you have a wonderful time over the next week or so.

Regardless of your beliefs I hope you enjoy any holiday you may be celebrating - and just enjoy the week in general if you're not celebrating anything.

Christmas can be stressful though - family is stressful enough on its own: add the duty to buy everyone presents, the pressure to create precious memories, and the worry that you've over-spent, over-eaten, and have been drinking too much wine, and you have a potential recipe for disaster.

Try to remember a few golden rules to stop the stress:



Christmas doesn't have to be perfect.

The most perfect Christmases, paradoxically, are the ones which aren't perfect. The Christmases you'll remember in years to come are the ones where something got burnt, someone forgot to buy a present, or there was a problem with the lights - and you'll have still had fun, still enjoyed, and still made it special.

Enjoy your Christmas - the little things matter more than anything else.

Enjoy what you have - whatever you have.

Didn't get that must-have gadget, handbag, or piece of jewellery? The world goes on. Enjoy what you did get - even if it was just a box of chocolates, a totally random and inappropriate kitchen item, or a slightly beaten-up card.

I'm sure whoever gave you whatever unwanted gift was doing their very best. Smile and make do, and enjoy the fact that someone thought of you. (Buying yourself a little something is also worth a smile - you care about you, goddammit!)

Try not to take out holiday stress on other people.

You know all the reasons you get stressy and p**sy at Christmas? Everyone else has them too.

Try to be understanding and not take your stress out on others - even if they're acting unreasonably; they're probably stressed out too.

Nerd Church will be back on Sunday, 10th January.