How to embrace the Christmas spirit

Halfway through December, which means halfway through the festive season, we embrace the festive spirit of Christmas carols, lights, and accessories to light up the mood.

For some of us it’s not always easy to embrace the festive mood during our busy schedules. But with Christmas almost upon us, we need to make time to join in on the spirit, and not turn ourselves into the Christmas Grinch .

Here are some tips to get you into the festive mood as soon as possible.

• First things first, get your decor on. Put up some decorations in your house, in your office, even in your car. It’s hard not to smile when you’re looking at your finished masterpiece of a Christmas tree.

• Wrap your presents early. Seeing your creatively wrapped gifts under the tree makes you eager and excited to see everyone opening them on Christmas Day.

• Take a little bit of spirit with you. Get some Christmas accessories to wear or carry with you until Christmas Day. Buy some Santa hats for you and your colleagues or friends to wear and join in the mood together.

• Put that jam on. Playing some Christmas carols will get you into the festive joy sing-a-long spirit.

Okay, for those who are still struggling and have already taken to the Grinch phase:

• Ignore Christmas. That means no visiting friends or family who celebrate the festive season.

• No decorating. Make yourself the uninteresting, plainest person there is. You also cannot visit any store that has been decorated for the festive season. (Well, that is gonna be a hard one, guess you’re staying at home until the new year.)

• When someone hands you or offers you a nice Christmas cookie or treat, chuck it – throw that festive deliciousness away.

• Un-gift. Tell your friends and family that you would like nothing for Christmas. Since you are the Grinch, you are not allowed to receive any.

• Grunt and grin. Grin the whole time during the festive season, seeing that you don’t like it. When someone mentions anything about Christmas, let out a huge annoying grunt.

But if at one point you realise that there is a little more to Christmas than you thought and you find yourself wanting to give in to the Christmas spirit, smile and enjoy. For Christmas is all about warmth, laughter and happiness. And you won’t be in better company than with your family and friends.