Take the stress out of festivities by figuring out what means most to you, and discover your own new traditions along the way…

For those of us who celebrate, the holidays are bound with traditions and ideas of what a ‘perfect Christmas’ looks like. It can be a time of year full of additional pressures we don’t need, from feeling like we have to cook an Insta-worthy roast, to buying presents that painfully dent our bank balance, or spending the day doing things we don’t enjoy but feel obliged to do.

But by thinking about what really matters to us at Christmas, we can help make it into something that’s meaningful and magical.

Emotions and expectations

Contemplating what’s meaningful to us can benefit our mental health, and reduce the stress of the holidays. “People who have a sense of purpose in life feel more satisfied and content, have fewer health problems, and even live longer,” says counsellor Laura Duester. “Finding a sense of meaning at Christmas is therefore great for both your mental and physical health, and will help support your wellbeing into the new year.”

With the cost of living rising, the pressure to spend lots at Christmas can be stressful. Counsellor Louise Brown suggests making space for your feelings about financial pressures, and responding to these feelings with kindness.

“It can be helpful to share your feelings with others, as it is likely that others will have similar experiences, and may be relieved that you have brought this up,” says Louise. “Offering mutual support and sharing ideas can help us to feel more comfortable with some of the harder decisions we have to make.”

It’s easy to fall into a comparison trap. Social media and adverts are filled with images of happy family gatherings, and if this doesn’t echo our own experience, we can be left feeling lacking or hurt. But the images we see don’t always reflect reality – from burnt roast potatoes to missing loved ones. Whether it’s a friend bragging about buying their child the latest toys, or pressure from displays in shop windows, remember that this is just a snapshot.

“Try to accept Christmas as it is, rather than having ‘perfect’ expectations,” suggests Laura. “Just like any other day, it will have great bits, but lots of imperfections and challenges, too.”

Making a meaningful Christmas

Once you’ve let go of comparisons, try thinking about what you would love to do at Christmas, regardless of what you assume is expected of you. From creating and embracing new traditions to letting go of the things that aren’t important to us now, we can have a Christmas that’s personally meaningful to us and our loved ones.

Thinking about your values can help you work out what a meaningful Christmas would look like. “It’s important to be curious about what’s meaningful and important to you,” suggests Laura. “It might help to imagine how you’ll feel when January comes – what will you want to remember doing and enjoying over the festive period?”

Laura adds: “There are no right or wron

Get into the seasonal spirit by trying your hand at making a budget-friendly, nature-inspired wreath

Whether you’re looking to carve out a mindful moment in the day for yourself, or for a fun activity to keep all the family entertained, and spend some quality time together, wreath-making can be a fantastic way to celebrate the holidays.

But getting crafty isn’t just a fun pastime; getting creative, regardless of what medium you explore, has been scientifically proven to reduce stress, boost your mood, and improve self-confidence. Plus, you have the added sense of achievement from creating something from scratch, which can be all the more meaningful, too.

When it comes to wreath-making in particular, you can put your own take on a traditional activity, and work to a budget by finding natural, free elements to include from your own garden, which can make it a great way to engage kids without breaking the bank over the holidays. But one key note is to always be responsible – ensure you pick items from your own garden, public spaces, or have permission if on private property – and take only what you need to avoid waste.

The good news is that, while most commonly associated with the Christmas period, wreaths can be a wonderful addition to brighten up your home throughout the year – changing colours and natural elements with the seasons. So, if you love taking your hand to wreath-making this winter, it can be something to look forward to again come spring – be-wreath me, it’ll be here before you know it!

Make your own wreath

Before you get crafty, take a stroll outside to collect some seasonal treasures. This could be anything from pinecones to berry sprigs, acorns, leaves, or scraps of bark to decorate your wreath.

Depending on how much you find, or the look you want to go for, you could create a classic, full wreath, bursting with greenery, or you might want a more minimalist take and decorate just a portion of the wreath, leaving the twisted willow base on display.

Plus, if you’re struggling to find decorative elements out in nature, don’t worry. You could always hang some spare baubles instead of using pinecones, for a fun pop of colour.

Method:

1. To begin, you’ll need a wreath base – you can buy these pre-made from stores like Hobbycraft, which are usually created from wire or rattan, and cost less than £5. Alternatively, you could craft your own by repurposing materials from around your home, or twisting together willow or vines – anything that you can turn into a makeshift hoop to form the base of your design.

2. Take your choice of ribbon, string, or florist wire, and thread this through a section of the wreath to create a loop you can hang it up from. Wherever you create this loop will form the top of your design, so keep this in mind moving forwards.

3. A good first element is moss, which you can secure using more florist wire. This can help add some dimension as you layer other items on top, and can disguise the bas

While we always hope the holidays will be relaxed and joyful, stress can show up as we navigate family dynamics, financial strains, and societal pressure. Here we share some ideas to help you find mindful moments so you can return to calm

1. Wrapping gifts

Whether you love or loathe gift wrapping, there are a few things we can do to make it more a mindful. Dim the lights, play some holiday music, pour a glass of your favourite festive tipple. As you wrap, take a moment to feel the texture of the paper, notice the colours of the bows, and the delicious sound your scissors make when cutting. Go slow and lose yourself in the process.

2. Going for a winter walk

Heading outside when it’s cold may not seem appealing, but there’s magic to be found on winter walks. Wrap up in your favourite coat, scarf, hat, and gloves. Pull on some boots with good grip to navigate any icy patches, and make your way outside.

Notice the way the bracing air feels as it hits your skin. Look out for interesting patterns, perhaps there are footprints in snow or some particularly pleasing brick-work. Listen out for birds singing, squirrels scurrying, and trees swaying in the wind. If you’re in a city, can you hear snippets of conversations on the breeze?

3. Making hot chocolate

Having a mindful moment is all about doing something slowly and with intention. With this in mind, making a hot chocolate can become a ritual. Use your favourite mug (the bigger the better in our opinion) and use your senses to explore every step of creation, from warming the milk and adding the chocolate, to finishing with a flurry of marshmallows.

If possible, take some time to sip it slowly, noticing the flavour with each mouthful. While drinking, cosy up with a good book, listen to a calming playlist, or simply look out the window and take a moment to be fully present.

4. Lighting a festive aromatherapy candle

Aromatherapy is a simple yet effective way to make any moment more mindful, as it triggers our sense of smell and pulls us into the here and now. Look for warming and fresh scents such as nutmeg, pine, frankincense, cinnamon, orange, or clove.

Use your candle as a way to signal relaxation time, perhaps after you finish work for the day, or when the kids are tucked up in bed. Light the candle and pause for a moment to watch the flame (you could even try a candle meditation) and notice the scent, taking slow, deep breaths.

It may seem natural to not want to let someone off the hook for what they have done, but be warned – these bitter feelings can hurt you too

You may have heard stories about people forgiving others for the most heinous of crimes, things that seem unimaginable to you – betrayal, lies, scandals, and even felonies. You may have wondered how on earth could they do that? Many of us hold grudges from the past, or feel that to let go and forgive may send the message that we condone wrongful behaviour. So, why is it that some people find it easy to forgive, and others seem to struggle?

When comedian Chris McGlade heard from police that his father had been murdered, he forgave his killer in an instant. To help me understand why, Chris told me of his upbringing with a father who had an irreverent sense of humour, and didn’t take life too seriously.

“He was the most outrageous man, with the most outrageous sense of humour, but a massive heart. There was never any malice in him, and he always forgave, and that left an indelible mark on my life.”

Chris says that at the moment the police told him the news, an “irreverence came over me”. At this darkest of moments, he made a joke. When the police looked surprised, his wife said: “Oh, it’s just his way.’’

He reflected: “It was my way, but more importantly it was my family’s way, it was my dad’s way.’’ Chris felt the presence of his father in that moment. He says: “I could see him in my mind’s eye saying ‘Go on, that’s what you do. You laugh, you don’t get angry – protect yourself with a laugh,’ and at that moment, I felt this love. It wasn’t something I had to think about, it was just instinctive.’’

Chris is now touring with a comedy show, Forgiveness, about life growing up with his dad, and his decision to forgive his father’s killer. His story is an extremely unusual case.

Most of us go through life, carrying resentments and grievances from various experiences. It may seem natural to not want to let someone off the hook for what they have done to us, but the problem is that these feelings hurt us, too.

In her book, Forgiveness Made Easy, life coach Barbara J Hunt explains how the word ‘resentment’ comes from the Latin, ‘sentire’ to feel. ‘Re-sent’ literally means, ‘to feel again’. When we hold on to feelings of resentment, we are stuck in a ‘pain loop’, feeling all of the old emotions, again and again, like a wound that never heals. One study published in the journal Aging and Mental Health found that unforgiveness can cause depressive symptoms later in life.

Forgiveness, on the other hand, has a wealth of physical and emotional health benefits, including reducing levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, and improving sleep. First and foremost, forgiveness is for you.

One major stumbling block Barbara J Hunt explains in her book is our ego. In order to protect ourselves, we keep our emotions of hurt hidden under the shell of our ego. Feeling resentment allows us to focus on what the other person did wrong, rather than fully feeling our own pain and grief.

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It’s time to tackle taboos, as we put your most pressing gut health questions to the experts to get some much-needed answers

It happens to all of us. Sometimes, you wake up and something just doesn’t feel right. Sometimes, it can catch you off guard, you could be enjoying your morning coffee and oop – you need to move, quickly. Sh*t happens. So why are we so ashamed of talking about it?

It’s no secret that our gut health needs to be looked after, but how much can we really know when the majority of us aren’t comfortable asking those all-important questions? Well, we’ve asked them for you. Linda Albinsson, head nutritionist at London’s Advanced Nutrition Clinic, answers some of the most commonly searched questions related to our guts and bowel habits. It’s time to talk sh*t.

1. Is gut health really so important?

It’s really the root of everything. Your gut bacteria impacts your metabolism, oestrogen, your mental health, bone health and longevity! And time and time again, I see gut issues on those with eczema and skin issues, inflammatory conditions, and pain conditions such as joint pain, headaches, etc. Though we don’t always see gut symptoms in these clients, so stool testing can be useful here – it’s possible to have chaos in the gut, but be almost completely asymptomatic.

2. How do you know if you have bad gut health?

Watch out for wind and changes in bowel movement.

If you’re unsure, have a look at the Bristol Stool Chart – this breaks poop into seven types, with three and four considered ‘normal’ (fairly smooth, sausage-shaped). Some people can find it a little difficult to work out where they are on the chart, especially if your stool varies from day to day. Really, you want your poop to be consistent and very similar in shape.

Many of us have a sluggish gut, which means we’re likely not fully eliminating. If you’re only going to the toilet once a day, for example, and it’s not ‘100% complete’, you’ll quickly get a jam. And if, when going to the toilet, your elimination feels more like the work of gravity than muscular movement, it’s possible that you’re not properly eliminating.

Constipation is also a common cause of wind and bloating, and, believe it or not, fatigue! The sweetcorn test can be a useful home assessment to investigate the speed of your gut transit.

3. Are the