‘Batteries Not Included’ and Other Catastrophes to Avoid This Christmas Day
We’ve all seen the festive adverts on television; warm, happy families gathering around the fire side and enjoying lavish Christmas dinners. They kiss, they cuddle, they smile, and they thank. It looks like bliss, but as anyone in reality knows, Christmas is rarely ever so wonderful – it’s more a warzone for many!
Is there really such a thing as a perfect Christmas? For most of us, it always feels like there’s always at least one catastrophe that will rear its ugly head; an older family member making uncouth remarks like it’s 1943, batteries that don’t fit in any electric presents, or kids bickering and refusing to share. Chaos and anarchy are bound to descend.
photo I, Briho
With all of this in mind, let’s consider how we can avoid some common Christmas Day catastrophes.
Enough Sockets?
A common complaint of the Christmas festivities is a lack of plug sockets to spare. When you’ve got kids getting all the latest electrical hardware like iPhones and laptops, the first thing they want to do is whack their chargers into the walls and hook them all up to their machines. Sure, there’s enough sockets for a while, but then suddenly lamps start switching off, radios cut out mid-song and the Christmas special of Doctor Who gets replaced with a black screen. Well, it’s because a socket invasion is going on!
You need to prepare. For example, you could buy some surge protection products from XP Power to sustain the demand of electricity usage, or make simpler arrangements if you so choose. Alternatively, you could go a simpler route and simply invest in a cord extension. This will provide you and your family with more than enough slots to charge your phones and computers. In the end, you can breathe a sigh of relief as all your machines will stay powered, meaning you won’t have to interact with your family members as much!
Shared Presents
If you’re a parent who’s on a tight budget, then shared presents have no doubt become part of your present buying plan. That’s completely fine, but strategy is key here. For example, make sure that shared presents are the more expensive ones; i.e, games consoles, the video games themselves, TV’s, etc. This should apply to everything that’s costly, except for phones which are obviously for one owner only.
If you expect your children to share cheaper items, you’re in for a shock. At least with an expensive present they will better understand that you can’t afford more than one, and will therefore be more likely to accept the circumstances. However, if you’re expecting them to share things that are cheap and easy to buy, like deodorant or something, you’re in for a few tantrums. Make sure that what you buy to be shared can A) be appropriately used by more than one person and B) is reasonably more expensive than a typical present. After that, things should be fine.
Your Own Temper!
If you’re having a big Christmas, chances are there’ll be a family member who shows up who you just can’t stand. Perhaps it’s a mouthy in-law, or maybe it’s a few nieces and nephews who constantly misbehave. It could be that a baby has been added to the mix since last year too and will bring their crying fits and filled up nappies with them for you all to enjoy.
In these situations, make sure you’re as calm and tolerant as you can possibly be. In these kinds of circumstances that are full of conflicting personalities, arguing absolutely makes things worse. That quick complaint to get something off your chest might just spark a full-on debate that divides the household all Christmas long. Put your differences aside and whip out some monopoly instead… that never causes any arguments. Good luck!
About the Author:
Rupesh Singh is freelance writer and founder of moneyoutline.com You can follow him on Google + & Facebook.
