How To Have A Happy Christmas

Some suggestions and interventions, To give Christmas some cheer. There are two for each day, Through to the new year.

24th Christmas Eve.

AM: Plan to prioritise happiness. Draw three columns on a piece of paper and title them HAVE, DO and BE. List as many relevant wishes as you can under each heading and you might surprise yourself as to what is most important to prioritise.
PM: Have realistic expectations. Don’t let the happiness of Christmas depend on one thing or on external circumstances. If you make your happiness dependent on someone else or on getting something outside of your control you are limiting your potential.

25th Christmas Day.

AM: Happy Christmas. Focus on what you’ve got to give not on what you’ve got to get. Important states of being (e.g. happy, peaceful, joyful, delighted, celebratory) are created as much by giving as from receiving. Give what it is you think you are lacking and see how abundance comes your way.
PM: Get a bit holy. Give some space to God and through this site from the Jesuits you can sit back and be taken through a wonderful meditation on the meaning of the day. Visit Pray as you go and click to the right mp3, (which carry on for the whole year).

26th Boxing Day.

AM: Don’t compare yourself to others. Today, amazon will be expecting high visitor rates as people buy what they’ve seen others get. Naturally we compare ourselves to others but that game can never be won. The best trick is to free yourself from keeping up with the Jones’.
PM: Turn off the TV. Or at least cut your viewing by half. Or just turn it off for a bit. Findings show that TV has a mildly depressing effect at best. I bet the best Christmas memories didn’t involve watching TV. Try making some new ones this year.

27th December.

AM: Raise concerns. By now someone may be getting on your nerves. Relationships where people feel able to share their concerns openly with each other tend to be much happier. Try giving someone a feedback sandwich: positive, negative, positive; put the concern or criticism between positive comments.
PM: Relish and savour. There are probably some wonderful foods to be enjoyed. It takes the brain areas that register pleasure almost half a minute to reset so eat mindfully bringing all your attention to the present to make the most of the seasons edibles.

28th December.

AM: Writing thank-you letters. This is not just for the children. Giving thanks and showing gratitude is one of the happiness exercises that can have the most effect.
PM: Read the instructions. Most people complain that they haven’t got enough time in their lives. One of the best time savers is to actually learn how to use the new gadget, digital camera or program you’ve just got for Christmas. Take an hour or two to actually learn everything about it so that you can use its time saving capabilities for the rest of the year.

29th December.

AM: Endorphins walking. Endorphins are our inbuilt happy peptides. They are released during long, continuous workouts, when the level of intensity is between moderate and high, and breathing is difficult. Get those walking boots out.
PM: Ring an old friend. Tell them about your walk this morning or about what a wonderful Christmas you’ve had but, mostly, listen. Ask them about themselves. Give them a chance to really feel listened to and therefore valued.

30th December.

AM: Take stuff to the charity shop. Now the relatives are making their way back home again you can be honest about some of those presents you are never going to use or wear – but someone somewhere might. Just have a good excuse ready in case you are ever asked to produce the item again next time you see them.
PM: Five love languages. Words of affirmation, quality time, gift giving, acts of service and physical touch. We each have a preference for how we feel loved. The idea here is express love to your partner in the language they understand. Find out more here

31st December.

AM: Make some wishes. The new year is a natural time to reassess your life and work out how to prioritise happiness for the coming year. Use one of these wishing exercises to help you generate some dreams and goals for the next year.
PM: Party. Go to one. Throw one. Dress up as a bond villain. Go outside at midnight and shout happy new year very loudly.

1st January.

AM: Mini new years resolutions. Making a change forever is hard for someone with even the most determination. Try committing to something for just one month. If it works out try it for two.
PM: Happy new year. Make the most of the rest of the day as this is your last day off for a while.

And now for your comments: