5 ‘P’s to make your Christmas E-A-S-Y (PEASY)!

With the Christmas countdown on, let’s continue looking at the remaining pieces of the puzzle to help you plan ahead for success: family, work, play, home and the New Year…

This week, it’s all about family.

Here are 5 ‘P’s to ask yourself about how to make your Christmas and family time E-A-S-Y (PEASY)!

1. Plan
2. Prepare
3. Pack
4. Presents
5. Play

When you allow yourself time to do each of these, starting today, then you can look forward to a fun Christmas and a fabulous Summer! Here’s how:

Plan

• Who’s hosting your Christmas this year?! Are you visiting, or being visited? Who needs to know your plan?
• What’s important about Christmas (and your summer holiday) to you? What are the priorities to do well as a family?
• Does anyone in your family have any special needs that need to be factored in? For example you might want to plan mealtimes around times that work for the youngest (and oldest?) in your group – or have two sittings? Are there any dietary restrictions to consider?
• Where do you plan to go?
• How about renting a bach where everyone can meet? We had a fabulous family time at Te Hapu where they offer a choice of accommodation ranging from a family cottage, a cosy chalet or an expansive and revitalised shearing shed. Sometimes neutral ground can remove a layer of stress.
• When do you want to either get away by or have people arrive?
• Why is this Christmas going to be different from any other?! From my childhood memories, Christmas is the highlight of the year – Christmas, family, presents, summer fun, friends, freedom and a whole lot of time away from school – so be sure to make it different from any other for your family.

Make it special and :

Prepare

• What do you need to get ready in each of the following areas in order to keep things easy?
• Accommodation – what and where to book and/or how to cater for increased numbers?
• Travel – can you get together to make travel more efficient; for example are you eligible for group discounts? Do you need vehicles at your destination?
• Co-ordinate those getting together and communicate with them well-ahead in time. Is everyone arriving together or separately?
• Safety and security – who looks after your home if you’re away?
• Pets – do you need to book them into care, find a house/pet-sitter or call on a friend/neighbour to help out? Remember to give them your contact details and that of your vet.

Part of preparing is knowing what to do and by when, so:

Pack

• Food – who’s doing what? How will you share costs?
• Entertainment for wet and dry, cold and hot conditions?
• Clothes – a great chance to get the family excited by deciding what to take, how best to pack and travel light….layers are good!
• Pets – are they coming too? What will they need?
• Clearly label all you pack so you know how to find what you’re looking for!

And now for the exciting part:

Presents

• Make it real, make it manageable and make it meaningful! Here are some ideas of ‘How To’:
• Put all names in a jar and buy for one; or set a dollar limit on the cost – and set this at a level that is manageable for all those involved.
• How can you make this year’s present-giving fun and innovative?

And this leads me on to a real highlight of summertime:

Play

• How do you keep everyone entertained and yet allow for some individual space; some group activities and some romantic time out? “Yeah Right!”
• Remember to cater for all ages and all levels of physical and mental ability!
• It may be wet, dry, cold and/or hot….so have something up your sleeve to cater for all conditions.

When we went to Te Hapu, I decided to take my horse! We had family arriving from the UK and Wellington and we were leaving from Blenheim. There were 6 of us all together + my horse. We wanted to have a ‘runabout’ car so the young could have some independence, and we needed to take extra outdoor and sleeping gear for the overseas travelers.  We’d decided on the cottage because it was easy to access and provided interesting short walks for my elderly Mum. Luckily we’d taken all our provisions with us because we found that once we were there, we wanted to stay ‘in the wild’ rather than go into town for our entertainment. It was fabulous.

And here are some ‘Rules for The Season’:

• Keep things simple…
• Be clear about your expectations of each other (and of your children.)
• Focus on making your time fun….and then it will be memorable!
• Respect each individual’s needs …you are all, after all, individual…
• Plan, Prepare, Pack, Be Present and Play well!