Christmas special

Lightening the mental load this Christmas

By Chloe Lowe Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year for parents. The pressure to create the perfect experience for everyone builds into a behemoth balancing on a plate of mince pies, threatening to crumble at any minute.

The upward comparison with Insta-perfect mums and crafting geniuses, let alone the constant narrative in the press, on television and on social media, means the mental load reaches an all-time high during the festive season and it’s well documented that mums bear the heaviest burden.

The sheer volume of things to think about and do can quickly lead to high-stress, low mood and burnout and not enjoying a minute of Christmas.

It’s very British to need to present the perfect picture. But when you realise that you can’t control everything, including the actions of your extended family or your delivery man, it can be truly liberating!

How to create your ‘perfectly imperfect’ Christmas

Here’s a few tips on how to manage the mental load this Christmas and feel good about it too.

Grab a pen and paper and write a list of the top three things

that mean the most to you this Christmas.

Focus on those first. Doing a few things well will feel so much better than spreading yourself too thin and doing lots of things, just ‘ok’.

Ask for and accept help - it’s a sign of strength, not a weakness.

Slow down to speed up. Running on caffeine at one hundred miles per hour is detrimental to your mind and body. Slowing down and taking some deep breaths or even indulging in a Christmas movie, will help you reset, re-energise and get some headspace.

Ask yourself what your children really want and need this Christmas and focus on that rather than succumbing to the pressure to spoil them or compete with peers.

Reduce your time on social media. It’s amazing how many hours you’ll get back.

Avoid too many excesses. Don’t deprive yourself of a glass of fizz and a few mince pies but counter them with a family walk in the fresh air or a healthy breakfast or lunch.

And don’t forget to give yourself the gift of self-care so that you can enjoy Christmas too.

Chloe Lowe is founder of @parentlistapp (www.parentlist. app), the app for busy parents who want to find joy in parenting.

Choosing and caring for your Christmas tree

We all want a Christmas tree that lasts as long as possible. Here are some tips for selecting and maintaining your tree.

How do I select a tree that’s the correct height for my room?

Measure the distance between your ceiling and floor, which gives you the vertical height limit. Take a note of the height of your tree stand. Deduct the height of the stand from your vertical height limit and you have the maximum possible height of tree that your room can accommodate. Take these measurements with you. Doing this preparation will ensure you don’t end up coming home with a tree that is too tall.

Is my tree fresh and how long will it last?

A healthy tree will have bright and shiny needles, not dry and dull. If you spot any grey sections, that’s a sign of dehydration which means that the tree is not that fresh. If the tree is fresh, the needles should not break easily and should be hard to pull off. If the trunk is sticky and there is any sap residue, the tree is fresh. Also, the tree should be heavy, which means it is freshly cut and still contains all its water.

Which trees typically survive longest?

Choose Douglas or Nordmann Firs as the best options. If cared for well, they can last for about six weeks before withering, offering the best longevity throughout the Christmas season. Lower the temperature in the room where you put up your tree, as this really slows down the drying process and keeps your tree fresher for longer.

What are the best watering tricks?

Your tree will need one litre of water per three cm of the stem diameter. That means a fresh cut tree can consume four to five litres a day. Watering is critical, especially for Norway Spruce trees.

Check the water level daily and never let it go below the tree’s base. Without water at the tree’s base, the tree will dry out within a week. The temperature of the water is not that important and no, you can’t overwater your tree, it will absorb only as much as it wants.

How to give a fading Christmas tree new life

Give your tree a good trim which will reduce the number of water-requiring branches. Keep the room as cool as possible and move your tree to the darkest place of the room.

Families would like to thank Fantastic Services (www.fantasticservices. com) for this article.

fee fi fo fUn for all the family at the corn exchange pantomime!

written and directed By plested Brown and wilsher

Christmas Fairs

Enjoy a variety of local festive fairs in the runup to Christmas, each with their own, unique atmosphere!

5 and 6 Nov, 3–7pm Harmpstead Norreys Community Shop, Hampstead Norreys, Thatcham, RG18 0TD Candlelit Market held in the grounds of Manor Courtyard and beyond, over 40 wonderful stalls, food and drink, live music.

12 and 13 Nov, 10am–5pm South Hill Park, Ringmead, Bracknell, RG12 7PA Artists join us from around the country to show and sell their fabulous hand crafted items made with pearls, glass, ceramics, silver, wire, wood, paints, candles and much more – thousands of beautiful, unique gift ideas and festive wares.

19 and 20 Nov, 10am–4pm Yattendon Village Hall, Church Lane, Yattendon, RG18 0UE A showcase of Contemporary Art, Craft and Design featuring over 20 exceptional artists, designers, makers and craftspeople.

20 Nov, 10am–3:30pm Creativ.Spaces, 2B Southview Park, Marsack Street, Caversham, Reading, RG4 5AF A great opportunity to support local neighbourhood businesses and do your Christmas shopping for a second year running: a quirky take on the traditional outdoor Christmas market.

24-27 Nov, 4pm Henley Christmas Fair Stonor Park, Henleyon-Thames, RG9 6HF, thecraftshows.co.uk/ henleyxmas Set on the front lawns of the very picturesque Stonor Park Manor House, beautifully-styled wooden chalets and heated indoor marquees await filled with a diverse range of festive eats, treats and gifts creating a truly unique shopping experience. our local suppliers, try some Christmassy crafting AND feel a warm glow knowing that all your purchases help support The MERL’s work with collections and communities.

26 Nov, 12–4pm and 2 Dec, 6–9pm Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Altwood Road, Maidenhead, SL6 4PF The perfect opportunity to browse for unique presents as local artisan stallholders showcase their handmade wares.

3-4 Dec, 10am–8pm (Saturday), 5pm (Sunday) Northbook Street, Newbury, RG14 the fayre is set to include a wide range of market stalls with traders dressed head-to-toe in typical Victorian attire, alongside Victorian-themed roving performers, a Victorian carousel, live music and entertainment and, of course, Father Christmas, helping to make this a truly unforgettable event for Newbury.

4 Dec, 11am–3pm Shaw House, Church Road, Newbury, RG14 2DR Enjoy a day of festivities set to a soundtrack of vintage tunes from Gramofun, along with hot food, mulled wine, Newbury’s Living Advent Calendar and an outdoor trail for children.

4 Dec, 1–6pm Unit 20, Stadium Way, Tilehurst, Reading, RG30 6BX Our brewery will be transformed into Reading’s premier indie indoor market hall for a special Christmas gifting market, joined by incredibly talented local craftspeople, delicious street food from Fink Street Food, coffee and cake from Anonymous Coffee Co. and of course, plenty of fresh DB beer!

27 Nov, 11am–3pm The Museum of English Rural Life, Redlands Road, Reading, RG1 5EX Find special gifts in our gift shop, seasonal treats in the café, meet 11 Dec, 12–6pm The Dog and Duck, Matthewsgreen Road, Wokingham, RG41 1JT Craft stalls, food, drink and carol singers in the garden

Get your child a letter from Santa

All children love to receive a letter addressed to them in the post. And what could be more special than a letter from Santa? Here are two ways of making this happen.

Royal Mail Letter to Santa

For children to receive a FREE letter from Santa via the Royal Mail children must post their letter to Santa in an envelope with either a first or second class stamp and addressed to Santa/Father Christmas, Santa’s Grotto, Reindeerland, XM4 5HQ. The letter must include your child’s full name and address.

Check the deadline for posting the letter to Santa at www.royalmail.com/christmas/letters-to-santa

NSPCC Santa Letter

Children can also receive a personalised reply from Santa via his elves at the NSPCC in exchange for a donation to the charity. The letter is ordered online. Check the deadline at https://letterfromsanta.nspcc.org.uk

Where is Santa?

Father Christmas is a busy man in November and December! Luckily we have managed to track down his schedule and found some local places where he will be visiting and where you can take children to see him – always a magical experience!

Father Christmas in Bracknell, 19 Nov–19 Dec Moss End Garden Village, Warfield, RG42 6EJ ticketsource.co.uk/ fatherchristmasinbracknell

A Wild Christmas at Beale Park, 25 Nov–24 Dec Beale Wildlife Park, Lower Basildon, RG8 9NW,bealepark. org.uk/christmas

Santa’s Breakfast: 26 Nov–24 Dec Dobbies Reading, RG2 9ER & Dobbies Hare Hatch, RG10 9SW, dobbies.com/events

Santa’s Grotto: 24 Nov–24 Dec Dobbies Hare Hatch, RG10 9SW, dobbies.com/events

Santa’s Quiet Grotto, 9 Dec Dobbies Hare Hatch, RG10 9SW, dobbies.com/events

Father Christmas at the Farm, 27 Nov–23 Dec Bucklebury Farm Park, Reading, RG7 6RR buckleburyfarm.co.uk/events/ father-christmas-at-the-farm, dobbies.com/events

The Santa Show 2022: Santa Saves Christmas, 3 Dec Kenton Theatre, Henley-onThames, RG9 2BP kentontheatre.co.uk

Christmas Spectacular at Odds Farm Park, 3–24 Dec Odds Farm Park, High Wycombe, HP10 0LX oddsfarm.co.uk/christmasspectacular-2022/

Santa Sunday Lunch, 4–18 Dec Cantley House Hotel, Wokingham, RG40 1JY cantleyhotel.co.uk/christmas-1/ santa-sunday-lunch.html

Breakfast with Santa, 10–23 Dec Henry Street Garden Centre, Arborfield, RG2 9JY henrystreet.co.uk/events

Santa Saves Christmas, 11 Dec Arlington Arts Centre, Snelsmore Common, Newbury, RG14 3BQ, Arlington-arts.com

Santa on Newbury Boat Trip on the Kennet and Avon Canal, 11–23 Dec K&A Trust, The Wharf, Couch Lane, Devizes, SN10 1EB, jubilee.katrust.org.uk/specials/

Santa Cruises, 17-18 Dec Hobbs of Henley, The Boat House, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 1AZ, hobbsofhenley.com/santacruises

Santa Boat Trip on the Rose of Hungerford, 17–24 Dec K&A Trust, Canal Walk, Hungerford, RG17 0EQ, rose.katrust.org.uk/specials