It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Or should that be stressful? We love Christmas; but we don’t love the frustrations that can come with it. There’s gifts to buy and wrap, food to be cooked, and often a slew of events and parties to attend, which can mean carting the family from one destination to the other. But, when all’s said and done, it’s all in aid of having a great time and celebrating the holiday season.

To make life a little easier, here are three simple, but often overlooked tips that make for smoother sailing this December.

Getting the Gifts in Order

This season, ditch the pen and paper! Keep your Christmas lists where you can see them – On Your Phone! Having a digital copy of everyone’s list makes life a whole lot easier, and eliminates the frustration of arriving at the shops, going to the trouble of parking, and then realising you’ve left the important info at home!

While we’re on the subject of gifts, we know a little inspiration can go a long way. That’s why we’ve compiled out Betta 2015 Christmas Gift Guide, to make selecting the right present a bit easier. You can shop by gender, with gifts we’ll think they’ll love. Alternatively, check out the price-point gift collection. We’ve got ideas grouped by price, from under $50 to under $500!

Plan Ahead

If you’re hosting Christmas lunch or dinner, there’s no need to stretch yourself thin cooking on the day. Proper planning will allow you to chart out all the dishes that will be served, and more importantly, which of those dishes (or components of) can be made in advance.

This logic doesn’t apply solely to cooking either – dry and non-perishable groceries you’ll need for your Christmas feast should be bought well in advance of the day. That way, all you’ll have left to pick up is the meat, seafood and veggies, depending on your menu. It sounds simple, but you’ll be thanking yourself for having one less shop to go into on the 24^th!

Know Your Limits

It might be the most wonderful time, but here’s the thing – putting too much on your plate (metaphorically that is; come Christmas day, indulge!) can really bring you down.

Saying “no” is not something we like to do at any time, and especially not in the season of giving. But be realistic: if you know attending a particular event or making a certain dish at someone’s request is going leave you pressed for time, it’s ok to politely decline.

It’s also ok to offer an alternative - a simpler offering that is much more achievable.

Keep these things in mind, and you’ll be fine. But most importantly, have a merry Christmas!