Family therapist issues advice on how couples with young kids can ‘cope’ with Christmas

Do you find yourself stressing around Christmas time?

A family therapist has issued some advice on how to better cope with some of the anxieties and pressures that come with the holiday season. David Kavanagh says that new couples often feel under pressure to make Christmas as magical for their kids as it was for them when they were younger. However, the therapist says that hoping for such an outcome is often an unrealistic expectation. “I think people need to realise their own limits and set boundaries about how much they can do at Christmas," he says. "People shouldn’t expect to do all the work of making Christmas happen, without realising that this will have an impact on their own energy levels or emotional connections to one another.” Kavanagh goes on to say that a lot of couples' panic around the Christmas period comes from excessive alcohol consumption as well as the need to provide the 'perfect' gift. He says that while a lot of people view the gifts they buy for people as a symbol of appreciation, this shouldn't be the case.

"If this gift is something they would never have chosen for themselves, or do not like, it can leave them feeling disappointed or dejected. "Healthy couples communicate their wish lists early, and give each other the benefit of the doubt, if mistakes are made, the happiest couples will laugh off such mistakes.”

You can find more tips for surviving Christmas in a new relationship here.