Why Is Self-Care So Important at Christmas?
The festive period is undeniably lovely. The smell of mulled wine filling the kitchen, presents wrapped and ready under the tree, and plenty of cosy nights in watching endless Christmas movies, snuggled on the sofa and drinking a steaming cup of Winter Warmer Herbal Tea from Wild & Rust. There really is a lot to be happy about!
But, that doesn’t mean it can’t be difficult, too. A lot of people find Christmas to be a very stressful time of year, and even if you love it you may still feel more drained than ever come January. That’s why self-care is vital at this time of year, and if you haven’t practised it before then this is the perfect time to start. Old or young, Christmas-lovers or secret Scrooges, everyone deserves a bit of ‘me’ time this festive season.
Let’s look into why it’s so important and how you can incorporate a little bit of sustainable self-care into your routine this Christmas. Read until the end and you’ll find some brilliant self-care gifts for your loved ones, too!
Why Is Self-Care So Important at Christmas?
The festive season isn’t always picture-perfect. It can be the busiest time of the year, with more stress than usual and a lot of socialising. Whether you’re an introvert or not, having day after day of Christmas events is tiring! Add to that a never-ending to-do lists, juggling schedules, negotiating family dynamics of who is visiting who when, present shopping, pre-ordering Christmas food, and decorating your home for an endless stream of guests all whilst trying to keep the magical spirit of Christmas going for those with little ones and, well.. you get the idea.
Winter is also notoriously difficult for mental health in the UK, with 64% of people reporting their conditions worsen at this time of year. Darker days and cold weather along with the pressures of Christmas can lead to you feeling lower than usual. You want to make this time of year perfect and be on top form constantly, but it may simply leave some burnt out and in need of about 365 days off to recover.
If you do sometimes struggle at Christmas, you’re not alone - far from it! One-third of British people report feeling anxious or stressed in the run-up to festivities, which definitely isn’t good. Something needs to be done, and that’s where self-care comes in.
What Actually Is Self-Care?
Self-care is all about taking care of - and prioritising - your own wellbeing. It’s about taking the time to do things that make you feel good and relieve feelings of stress and low-moods. When practising self-care, it’s important to remind yourself that you’re taking this time for yourself because you deserve it and because you love you. It’s never a bad thing to give yourself some TLC!
A wealth of benefits have been found from practising self-care, including:
- Boosting self-esteem
- Reducing stress and anxiety
- Improving mental health
- Improving relationships
At Christmas, when you might be feeling more stressed and tired than normal, taking time out to look after yourself is essential. Trust us, just give it a go this year and see how much it improves your festive season!
How to Practice Self-Care at Christmas
There are hundreds of different ways you can start using self-care to have a less stressful, more joyful Christmas. One of the first ways you can take care of yourself is simply by saying no. Christmas is a time of parties and gatherings, but if you just don’t feel up for going to another meal out or mulled wine evening, it’s okay to skip and have an evening in instead. If you go to everything you’re invited to, regardless of whether you actually want to, you’re on a fast-track to burn out!
Having some evenings - or whole days - for yourself is essential during the busiest season of the year. Take a long, warm bath with our Unwind Body Oil, read the book that’s been on your list for months, or watch TV with a herbal tea. Do something that’s just for you, and just because you want to.
People find all sorts of things that help them feel better, and it’s all about discovering your own rituals. Whether yoga calms you, running makes you happier, having some much needed hygge as a family or nothing is nicer than putting your feet up and doing nothing, find out what makes you feel good and make time for it.
If you’re struggling at Christmas, part of self-care is also about reaching out for support. If you need a shoulder to cry on, find one! If you just want to rant about the stressful day you’ve had, give your friend a call, reach out to a relevant local social media group, pop onto your neighbourhood WhatsApp group. You may find that there are more people around you that can relate than you may be aware. Community matters and especially in the past 18 months, this has become much more prevalent. People care.
Sustainable Self-Care Gifts For You and Your Loved Ones
Self-care is all about loving and taking care of yourself, and we’ve got plenty of treats to help you do that. Whether you’re looking for self-care Christmas gifts for someone this year or are looking for bits and bobs to make your evenings in cosier, we’ve got plenty to choose from.
Fill your home with lovely scents to make your self-care nights all the more special with our Lavender Diffuser or light up our Seaweed & Samphire Candle for a warm, cosy glow. Run a bath and drop in a CBD Bathbomb for true relaxation, before taking care of your skin with our Fruits of Nature Body Cream.
All of our products are made sustainably and with as little impact on the planet as possible so that your Christmas self-care gifts can be guilt-free.
Start Taking Care Of Yourself This Christmas
Don’t let the festive season get on top of you and your merry spirit this year. Our Christmas self-care tips and gifts are perfect for carving out some time for yourself amongst all of the busy shopping trips and family events. Remember, even though it’s Christmas, and we are all guilt-ridden with wanting to give the season to be jolly our very best, you can still say no!
If you’re looking for the perfect Christmas self-care gift for someone you love, take a look at our Mindful Gift Sets. Filled with lots of thoughtful goodies to make every day a self-care day, they’re perfect for slowing down and giving yourself some love. We wish you a relaxed, mindful and sustainable few weeks as you prepare for and brace yourself for the big day. Happy Self Care!