5 Common Christmas Disasters and How to Avoid Them

Although Christmas is a time for peace on earth and overindulgence, this temporary period of relaxation can often quickly be disrupted by a festive disaster. From kids finding out the truth about Santa to an unwanted gift, here are some of the top challenges to a perfect Christmas and how you can prevent them from affecting the big day. 

Last Minute Christmas Shopping

Last-minute shopping is a killer of the Christmas spirit, and many people find themselves rushing around the mall on Christmas Eve without a clue of what to buy their beloved relatives. If you are concerned about leaving your present buying too late this year, you should consider combining your shopping with holiday giving by gifting your loved ones a donation to a charity that they feel passionate about. You can donate with one click of a button, and will be given a card or e-card to give to your loved one on the day. 

Conflict Within Your Family

From politics and social issues to old family feuds, joyous family meals can often be broken up by arguments and cries of dismay over the Christmas turkey. If your family dinners end with tears every year, you should try to prevent them by avoiding drinking too much alcohol, ensuring that your family has realistic expectations about dinner, and by discussing any problem areas or issues that may arise before the big day itself. 

A Burnt Turkey Dinner

There is nothing more disappointing than the screech of the smoke alarms and burnt turkey dinner on Christmas day, after an entire year of looking forward to the occasion. To avoid being becoming a disaster in the kitchen, you should research good recipes before you start cooking, time your cooking, and keep an eye on the oven while you are partying. You might also consider nominating one person to stay in the kitchen, or bring your party into the kitchen where you can split your attention between your family and the oven. You might also want to host a trial run to ensure that you know exactly what you need to do when. 

Broken Decorations and Lighting

After a year of being shoved in your attic, it is completely normal to find shattered baubles and blinking fairy lights in your Christmas décor collection. To make sure that you are not left in the dark over the festive period, you should test your lights a couple of weeks before Christmas and invest in spare bulbs and batteries for electrical items. You should also keep your pets away from your décor, and make sure that your decorations are safely stored when you pack them back up in the new year. 

Travel Disruptions

Not one Christmas goes by without major travel disruption, and whether this is due to train strikes or COVID, it is likely that you will need to take extra time for your travel this year. Then, you should make sure that you travel in plenty of time for Christmas day, that you avoid traveling on peak days and times, and that you check delays before you leave home. You should also have a contingency plan for if things go wrong.