Christmas is called the silly season for a reason. Once the trees are trimmed and the carols start piping through shopping centre speakers we all start to feel the pressure mounting.

Pressure to find the perfect gift for an ever-expanding family, pressure to find a parking space within a 5km radius of the shops so your perfect turkey doesn’t defrost during the hike back. Pressure to meet those end-of-year work deadlines that loom ominously.

More often than not our Christmas wish list is hijacked by a to-do list that would make even the most dedicated Santa question his career choice. There is little space for Christmas cheer while jostling for elbow room in shops and mindlessly throwing presents and food into wonky trolleys.

So how can we deck our halls and find our jolly? How do we avoid becoming the Grinch Who Stole Christmas?

According to CareSouth psychologist Leah Phillips it’s all about taking a little time to stop, breathe and remember what is important at this time of year.
“Taking time to be mindful and possibly even reflect on our values really helps to ground us at, what can be a difficult and busy time of year,” she said.

Leah’s most important tip to ensure that we all rediscover the magic of Christmas is to enjoy the small things. Be IN the present rather than hunting down the perfect present with the ferocity of a lion after its prey.

Enjoy the process of baking Christmas cookies with little ones, rather than worrying about the egg on the windows and flour on the floor. It’s not the end of the world if the Christmas stars look like blobs of soggy dough and not the beautifully iced delicacies in a Donna Hay cook book.

Did you enjoy quality time with those most special to you? Did your kids love the shared sense of responsibility while baking with you? Did you feel that Christmas cheer start to kick in? Yes? Then you are on your way to a Merry Mindful Christmas.

And even if the Christmas star cookies taste like wet cement that’s okay because it is all about the process. Just like the recipe you followed to make the cookies, mindfulness is about considering each step, each moment rather than focusing on the outcome.

Mindfulness should be your go to recipe this Christmas.

Here is a simple exercise our in-house psychologist Leah uses to bring herself back to the present:

S – Stop and take stock. Ask yourself what is my experience right now? What are your thoughts, feelings, sensations? Acknowledge and register your experience, even if it is uncomfortable.

T – Take a deep breath. Your breath is as an anchor to bring you into the present.

O – Open and observe, become aware of what’s around you, beyond your breathing. Start with your posture and facial expression, then move on to sights, sounds and smells around you.

P – Proceed/new possibilities. Allow your attention to move into the world around you, sensing how things are right now. Rather than reacting habitually or mechanically, be open and respond naturally. You might be surprised by what you see, hear and feel.