Christmas has been dubbed the most wonderful time of the year, and rightly so. School’s out and there’s joy and cheer almost everywhere – what’s not to love? We only wish it was always that simple.

Though it all seems like endless fun, the older you get the more you’re privy to all the worry, stress and not-so-cheery feelings that can plague you this time of year. Read on for some solutions to any Christmastime blues you’re feeling.

GIFTS:

Everyone loves getting them but not everyone loves buying them. The pressure to get good gifts for those you love –  without depleting all your funds – is real. It helps to get organised and make a list of those persons you intend to get presents for (so no one gets forgotten accidentally) and to start thinking before hand about what each person might like. Last minute shopping without a plan can easily spell disaster.

Also, don’t stretch yourself thin – not every single friend or relative is likely to get a gift. If you can’t afford a Christmas gift for someone this time around maybe try getting a gift for their birthday or something else, if that makes you feel any less guilty.

FAMILY:

If you’re from one of those families that have those big celebrations and reunions this time of year – that may be yet another reason this time of year can get stressful. Family’s great and all that but every now and again there are those spats and there’s always the usual trouble of playing host if you’re house is the chosen chill spot. Try to remember that time with family is precious…and that patience is a very good virtue to have. If all else fails be polite, make the necessary rounds of greeting then excuse yourself if possible.

BUDGET:

Spend reasonably and prioritise on purchases. It’s hardly fun to live like a king for two weeks this season and then be a pauper even months after.

Ultimately, despite what popular media would have you believe, this holiday hasn’t been celebrated for centuries with it’s only meaning being an excuse to buy out store merchandise or rack up ridiculous debt. Whether you embrace the religious sentiments attached to the holiday or choose to simply believe it is a time for peace, goodwill, charity and brotherhood, this time of year isn’t about money or materialism.

You can have a Merry Christmas without having a gigantic wad of cash to spend or without getting a sack full of gifts. Put on that Mariah Carey album (you know the one), get dressed up in some red and white or red and green and decide to have some fun. Call up some friends or family members. Watch some of those cheesy but cute Christmas movies. Give to the less fortunate or just do something nice for someone – even if it doesn’t seem like much. And you’d be surprised that when all is said and done you’ve had a very Merry Christmas.