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Christmas is a great time to catch up with family, indulge in delicious food and drinks, share gifts and relive the magic of childhood. Nothing can beat the expression on a child's face as they see all the Christmas gifts beneath the tree left behind by Santa. But Christmas involves a lot of work - whether you're hosting friends and family or are being a guest yourself. And when you're pregnant or have very little children in tow, it can be hard to relax and enjoy it. Here are our tips on having a very merry Christmas:
hidden package - pregnancy at Christmas time
Let's be honest, being pregnant at Christmas can be a bit dull. You have to pass on the champagne, egg nog, wine, stilton, pate, shellfish platters and those tempting bowls of nuts. If you're in your first trimester, you'll probably want to crawl into bed by 8pm and if you're in your last, even eating a small helping of Christmas dinner will make you feel uncomfortable. But it's not necessary to turn into Scrooge. Here's how to enjoy a pregnant Christmas:
- Don't volunteer to host everybody: it is more tiring that you think. Suggest to family that it's held at theirs this year.
- If you do have to host it, get as much ready-prepared food as you can to cut down on the workload or ask family to bring some dishes with them.
- Create an interesting non-alcoholic cocktail that you can drink without feeling deprived and may even have others asking you to share, like this Christmas Carol Punch
- Eat small portions of food so that you don't feel uncomfortable (but put aside a second plateful for later!)
- Try to get a rest at some point during the day so that you don't feel overtired
- Dress up in something that makes you feel beautiful, yet is still comfortable
- If you have to travel by car for some distance to get to family, consider getting a safety bump belt to relieve the pressure of normal seatbelts
bundle of joy - babies at Christmas time
A baby adds special magic at Christmas time. Grandparents will be cooing and doting. And you'll realise that there could be no better gift than your tiny baby. But babies don't know it's Christmas and they're not about to change their routine to accommodate their parents' later nights or few extra glasses of champagne. Here's how to cope:
- Babies not yet crawling are reasonably portable, so going to stay with family is ideal. But you'll need lots of kit. Plan in advance what you'll need like:
- Once your baby starts crawling, eating solids and being more interested in things around her, you might be better staying at home and having people come to you. On top of the things listed above, you'll also need all the feeding equipment like
blenders,
high-chairs,
bowls and spoons; plus safety equipment like stair gates and plug sockets; and more toys for keeping her entertained.
- Try to keep to your usual routine - particularly at bedtime so that your child doesn't feel unsettled with all the extra people and activity going on
- Cordon off a quiet area of the house and let older children (and noisy adults) know that it's out of bounds
- Use a baby monitor so that you can relax and enjoy yourself without having to constantly pop out to check on the baby
- If your baby is eating a wide range of solids, consider pureeing or mashing some of the Christmas meal so that they can join in the festivities
- Dress your tot up in a festive outfit for those special first Christmas photographs
- Go easy on the alcohol. Hangovers and babies are not easy bedfellows. Take turns with your partner to get a lie in.
dynamite comes in small packages - toddlers at Christmas time
Toddlers will love the excitement of Christmas and as they approach two+, will start to realise the concept of gifts and Santa Claus. But the merriment can be a bit much for some emotional toddlers, which can lead to tantrums or disrupted sleep routines. Here's how to make things go as smoothly as possible:
- As with babies, try to stick to the toddler's routine as much as possible. For example, don't suddenly decide to drop their after lunch nap just so that they can keep the family entertained, or you will end up with a very overtired child. If you have to keep them up later than normal, make sure they've had some sleep earlier in the day.
- Don't overwhelm them with presents. Family - particularly grandparents - will want to see your child open up the gifts they've given them, so consider holding back the gifts that you've bought them and save them for when they tire of the others.
- Don't let your toddler gorge themselves on sweets, chocolates and other Christmas goodies. It will play havoc with their blood sugar levels, resulting in energy peaks and bouts of irritability.
- If going away, pack their favourite toy or comforter.
- Make sure you have a DVD of their favourite TV show so that you get some time off, particularly on Christmas morning while you're trying to cook a meal.
- Let your toddler join you for lunch at the table and let them choose what they'd like from the lunch on offer. Even the fussiest child would be hard pressed to refuse a roast potato or slice of roast turkey.
- If your child is potty trained, expect a few accidents if you're going to a strange place. If you're considering potty training, don't start until after Christmas as all the excitement will make it a difficult time to stay focused on it.
- Toddlers find Christmas tree ornaments fascinating, so make sure that they're not the breakable kind.
Most of all, just enjoy spending time together as a family. It can be hard work but it's worth it.
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