Decorations are going up – and so are stress levels – as we get to grips with a Covid Christmas. We might like to imagine we’ll be spending quality time at home singing carols, baking mince pies and playing charades, but when traditional activities are competing with the lure of Fortnite battles and an evening chatting with schoolfriends online, how do we hold on to the magic of a family Christmas?
“It’s all about getting your priorities straight. What does Christmas really mean to you?” asks psychologist Dr Sarita Robinson from the University of Central Lancashire. “There’s no point building up a perfect image of what you ‘should’ be doing. Especially now, with Covid, we have to keep things fluid and remember the importance of having fun and being in the moment with our loved ones.”
But what happens when those loved ones want “just five more minutes” on their Nintendo Switch before they’ll even look you in the eye? Parenting coach Noël Janis-Norton, the author of Calmer Easier Happier Screen Time, believes that setting rules is key. “Children of all ages – even teenagers – need rules and consistency,” she says. “Parents should take charge, clarify a daily routine and explain how much screen time can be expected. Everybody behaves better when things are predictable and they know what to do to stay out of trouble.”
In her own family, Robinson has a “no tech at the dinner table” rule. “It’s about being present mentally as well as physically,” she says. But she also advocates the benefits of screen time at the right time. “Allowing children to connect with their friends online can help them calm down. And, in my view, watching a romantic movie on Netflix can be just as relaxing as meditation or mindfulness. It’s all about what works for you and your family.”
So, if your family Christmas preparations are getting fraught, here are five ways that technology could rescue your mood – and your festive break.
1. Listen to a soothing story
For centuries frazzled parents have lulled children to sleep with magical bedtime stories, and now it’s the turn of the grownups. On the podcast Nothing Much Happens meditation teacher Kathryn Nicolai tells simple stories that transport your mind far away from never-ending Christmas shopping lists into a world of calm non-events. There’s no gore, no shocking twists, no unbearable tension, just cozy tales read at a comfortably yawn-inducing pace.
2. Consult a breath coach
We all know how to breathe, right? Well, according to practitioners of breathwork, many of us are doing it wrong. Taking short, shallow breaths from our upper chests leaves us on edge and anxious, instead – as fans of yoga and meditation will confirm – we should be aiming for controlled breaths from deep inside our diaphragms that achieve calm by reducing levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Yoga teacher and breath coach Aimee Hartley founded The Breathing Room in the Wye Valley to teach conscious breathwork and is now giving one-to-one sessions via Zoom.
3. Tap your troubles away
This kind of tapping has nothing to do with a performance of 42nd Street. A holistic technique based on the principles of acupressure, tapping aims to rid you of negative emotions. Simply put, you tap your fingers on specific points of your body while contemplating your worries, and the action will dissipate your anxiety. Download The Tapping Solution app for a range of guided tapping meditations that promise to release your fears and restore your confidence.
4. Make time for playtime
Shrug off your winter woes and boost your endorphins, known as happy hormones, with some family playtime. Sure, rummy and Cluedo are Christmas traditions but now might be the time to update your games repertoire. Beasts of Balance is the perfect mix of cutting-edge tech and an old-fashioned balancing game. For phone addicted teens, download the app Psych and challenge them to a quiz where clever lies can win you points.
5. Livestream pandas, elephants and tropical fish
If all else fails and your anxiety is still jangling like a festive one hit wonder, turn to the calming power of nature. Log on to Explore.Org, a philanthropic documentary channel and visit one of the live camera streams set up to watch animals around the world. See pandas rolling around and scratching their tummies in real time. Watch elephants splashing in puddles, rainbow coloured fish swimming round a tropical reef, kittens cuddling up together in a rescue centre or giraffes calmly munching leaves. Sanity restored.
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