How to Avoid A Christmas Meltdown

While the holiday season can be a time of great joy, happiness and togetherness, Christmas can also bring with it some stresses that we'd all rather avoid. Often these feelings are caused by us focusing on the wrong things. Focus on the “three Gs” instead to help you have a happy Christmas.

The first of the three Gs to focus on is gratitude. Instead of trying to live up to some impossible Christmas ideal, be grateful for what you do have. The perfect Christmas is not measured by the amount of money you spend or how many decorations you can put on the tree - it's about how happy you can make your celebrations.

Sometimes at Christmas people feel sad because they are reminded of people they have loved and lost, who are no longer here to celebrate the holiday season, but your focus should be on the here and now and showing love to the people you still have near you.

They say it is better to give than to receive and science actually backs this up. Studies show that people who give are consistently happier than those who receive. An experiment at the University of British Columbia found that participants reported greater happiness giving a gift to someone else than they did when buying a treat for themselves.

But giving does not have to be about spending lots of money – it really is the thought that most people appreciate. In fact, a handmade card and something inexpensive that actually means something is far more likely to raise a smile than an expensive card or gift with no thought put into it.

The holidays provide us with the perfect excuse to be a bit nicer to others – and doing good, in turn, makes us feel better about ourselves. During the countdown to Christmas why not flex your Goodwill muscles a bit. Smile at a stranger, complement someone for no reason, call a friend just to say you care - and feel your heart swell as you watch the happiness of those around you grow.

Be kind in words, thoughts and deeds and you can't fail to improve the festive season. Not only should you be kind and loving towards others during the festive season, but make sure you extend your good grace to yourself! Give yourself a break, validate yourself for your efforts and be kind to yourself over the Christmas period.