December is such a busy crazy time of year even when you are feeling well and healthy let alone when you are suffering from a chronic condition or chronic pain. I know for myself that life feels like it has gone crazy this month between even more than normal scheduled doctors appointments and my retail job feels even busier than it normally does for this time of year. So for me that has flared my pain level up to a point where there are days that I can't manage anything other than my 4 hour shift at work or the appointment that I have scheduled for that day. The last few year's have been similar with either a surgery involved or other things so I came into this year with a plan of attack to make life that little bit easier at Christmas.
(1) Firstly I used to start planning and Christmas shopping from about July onwards but I feel for me that it's still not enough time. So this year I decided to make mostly handmade stuff and I started making presents in may. ( I think for next year though my plan is to start from about February because I still feel like I have run out of time).
(2) Secondly I like to wrap my presents a little bit a day for the whole month of December. So I will usually give myself a number like 5 presents a day. Obviously on those bad days I may not do any but on the good days I try to and that way I don't have to sit and wrap all of the presents in one hit on one day. For me it helps because just sitting in that position wrapping presents for an extended period of time can really flare up my pain.
(3) Thirdly is all of the baking and cooking. I like to be prepared with this too and anything that can be done before Christmas eve I do. Like the Christmas pudding and even some of the prep work for some things. The less that you have to do all on Christmas eve or Christmas day the better. Especially when you are suffering from chronic pain or the likes you don't know what each days holds as far as your pain levels and tolerance. Also get as many people to help you as possible if you can. Don't feel like you have to do it all yourself. I also start buying any of the baked goods that can be kept weeks before Christmas so that I don't have to go and do as much shopping when the shops are crowed.
I have been doing some more research and have a few extra things that I would like to implement for next year. I would like to organize all my gift wrapping and make up a wrapping station and also some printable gift lists.
I hope everyone is well and happy 11th day of Christmas.
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