HAVE A MEANINGFUL Christmas

Stay true to your values, embrace the perfectly imperfect, and let go of comparison, for a festive season that will fill up your cup with joy, writes Caroline Butterwick

From sipping mulled wine at festive markets to bringing the family together around the table to laugh at silly cracker jokes, Christmas can be the most wonderful time of the year. But it can also bring with it a huge amount of stress, whether that's the pressure to make magical memories while worrying about the cost, or the intensity of hosting lots of people and ensuring everyone has a great time.

But stress aside, Christmas remains for many a truly special time: it may be a rare opportunity to be with loved ones, to take a break from work and routine, and to join in fun activities. ‘Christmas is quite a stabilising factor for many people,’ explains Dr Tara Quinn-Cirillo, a chartered psychologist. ‘A lot of people like the containment and the safety that comes with the festive period. You carve out time to see family, and I think it makes people have more purposeful connection.’ If you have a faith, Christmas can be particularly important to recognise, and can hold a real significance in your life.

‘There are the memories, as well,’ adds Dr Quinn-Cirillo. ‘It can make you reconnect – which we call bridging – to positive past events. If you’ve had previous nice Christmases, you may get a sense of happiness and hope at this time of year.’ Maybe Christmas conjures memories of crafting paper chains at primary school - the feel of the glue on your fingers, the fun of getting messy and doing something different. Or perhaps you associate it as the one time of the year when you get to see all your relatives, or make time to catch up with old friends over gingerbread lattes.