DITCHING PERFECTION

Though 2020 has been characterised by chaos, Woman investigates how to make this Christmas the least stressful yet

- FIONA KINLOCH, RACHEL TOMPKINS.

While dubbed the most wonderful time of the year, the present buying, food prepping and penny counting associated with Christmas can make the season more chaotic than calm. Yet, when it comes to Yuletide stress, there seems to be a great imbalance between the sexes, with women twice as likely to feel very or fairly stressed during the countdown.

Despite the progress women have made in the workforce recently – narrowing the gender pay gap and securing more senior roles – studies show they still tend to shoulder the majority of domestic duties, which multiply over Christmas.

From wrapping presents and writing cards to decking the halls and preparing the feast, women normally have longer Christmas ‘to do’ lists and put themselves under immense stress.

However, the pandemic has meant that, with most Christmas parties a no-no, festive pantos cancelled and a question mark hanging over household restrictions, the idea of decorating the perfect tree and buying the best gifts may not be top of the Christmas priority list this year.

44% of women report an increase of stress during the festive season, compared to 31% of men

Lack of time, money and pressure to give or get gifts are cited as primary factors in festive seasonal stress

‘THE PRESSURE KEPT ME UP AT NIGHT’

Rachel Tompkins, 40, is a journalist living in Bicester, Oxfordshire, with her husband and two sons, aged seven and four.