The Splodz Blogz Christmas Message 2023
Did you know that today – Friday 22 December – has been given the grand title of “National Day of Christmas Panic”? Apparently, today is the day that Brits are most likely to feel peak Christmas dread. That’s according to a press release I received the other day, anyway.
Panic Stations!
According to analysis by people working for courier Gophr (these press releases are always more about advertising a company than they are about sharing significant research, we all know that – I’ll link to them once because they did provide me with the inspiration for this blog post), peak Christmas panic will grip the nation on the Friday before Christmas (that’s today if you’re reading this when I publish it).
“Grip the nation” is pretty strong, but I’ll keep going.
Apparently, this panic is all down to the fact that the time left to get everything done is running out. That is, do our grocery shopping, buy gifts, get everything delivered, wrap it all, and travel to wherever we are spending the Christmas break. Panic slowly builds throughout December, reaching its crescendo today. And they’ve coined the term “National Day of Christmas Panic”, as it is today that we will are all supposed to feel the height of the chaos.
There were no grocery delivery slots left for 22 December onwards way back on 4 December, and if you’ve bought gifts online and your order doesn’t arrive today, then it probably won’t arrive until after Christmas. In short, if you aren’t already organised, then you will likely have to brave the shops tomorrow – the Saturday before Christmas. Yuk.
Advanced tickets for train travel out of London sold out early in the month, which is an indication of just how busy public transport will be tomorrow. And if you are one of the four-million people expected to make a significant car journey today, which will undoubtedly cause traffic jams galore, I feel for you.
Worry and Stress
I don’t know, it all sounds a bit doom mongering to me, but I can see how it happens.
The pressure to create a perfect Christmas can cause overwhelming stress. People burn themselves out rushing around, lose sleep over the fear of forgetting a gift or an crucial part of Christmas dinner, bad dreams about overcooking (or undercooking) the feast reoccur on a nightly basis, family tensions flare up courtesy of individuals being tired and irritable so that even the simplest of board game becomes a potential disaster, and financial anxieties caused by overspending hide beneath the surface ready to burst forth in fits of ungrateful rage.
Sounds horrendous. I honestly hope that no-one I know or who is reading this blog is feeling any level of panic at the moment about not being ready for Christmas Day.
In some ways, I’m thankful today is just another normal working day for me. I’ll be heading into the office to (hopefully) get a bunch of stuff done and off my desk. I’m ready for a good old fashioned Finish Stuff Friday; I’ve got a list and I’m not afraid to use it!
Finish Stuff Friday
My friend Sarah and I talk weekly about our Finish Stuff Fridays. These are our intentionally productive Fridays, when we make a concerted effort at work and home to get heaps of little (and big) jobs ticked off so we can leave plenty of space for a fun-filled weekend.
I highly recommend the practice; a Finish Stuff Friday combined with keeping a One Hour Outside habit is an excellent way to make sure you finish the week on a positive note. There is something very satisfying about ending the working week feeling both organised and productive.
Really, today – Friday 22 December, National Day of Christmas Panic – is just a big Finish Stuff Friday. If you are feeling the terror we’re lead to believe is normal today, if you are overwhelmed by chaos, then maybe this can help you get things back under control?
One thing I know about panic is that rushing around like a headless chicken trying to do twenty things at once without any semblance of logic and order will only make things worse. If that’s you, trying a Finish Stuff Friday might just be the thing you need. Take a moment to step back from all the things, write a list, a proper and really detailed list, and work through it, one job at a time.
Leave the List Undone
I’m not suggesting for one moment that the answer to all the worries of this most pressured time of year is simply writing a list and spending one day ticking a few things off it. I mean, lists are really fantastic, but they are not miracle workers, and I wouldn’t presume to be so flippant. I’ve used previous Christmas messages to muse on the over commercialisation of Christmas, on the benefits of imperfection, talked about how remembering to buy the cranberry sauce is not what Christmas is all about, and explained why I don’t put up a Christmas tree in my house.
What I do know is that Finish Stuff Friday helps me get organised, which almost always leads to a less cluttered mind, and therefore a significantly more relaxed weekend. And if it works for me, then it might just work for you.
The other thing I know about Finish Stuff Friday is that, at the end of the day, if something on that list is left hanging over until the following week, then it really doesn’t matter. Having a list and working hard to get everything on it done is commendable – there is something very satisfying in productivity, especially at the end of the week. Not ticking off all the tasks doesn’t ruin anything. But an actual list with a few bits left on it is way better than having no idea what you forgot. You’ll certainly be a much calmer human.
And, if it needs saying, if you wake up on Christmas morning having not been out to get custard powder, or realise too late you have one too few potatoes, then so be it. You did your best, and that is plenty good enough. Honestly, please don’t panic.
Don’t Panic
If you are still struggling, then I guess there’s only one thing for it. Don’t forget your towel…
I hope that whatever you are doing over the Christmas period, however much panic you are feeling, however you celebrate and whoever you are spending time with, whether you are switching off and having a break or whether you are still online and/or working, that you will find time for the important things. The calm and pleasing things.
And if it all gets a bit too much, please take a moment – in your living room or on top of a hill somewhere – for some deep breaths and calming thoughts, to remember what Christmas and life is supposed to be about; being a good person, loving one another, and making time for the people, places and things that matter most to you.
I’ve been sharing my annual Christmas Message with ‘thoughts on living well at Christmas’ such as these – normally on Christmas Day but a bit earlier this year given the inspiration for the post – since I decided that if the Monarch and Prime Minister could have an annual speech, then so could I… albeit a written one rather than on national television!
Back to my normal outdoor adventure and random life posts next week!