View source for 101 Things to Take the Stress Out of Christmas by Robin Snow

{{infobox1
|title=101 Things to Take the Stress Out of Christmas
|author=Robin Snow
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=Trivia
|summary=A light- hearted look at what you can do to take the stress out of the festering season.
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=No
|pages=128
|publisher=Short Books
|date=October 2017
|isbn=978-1780723297
|website=
|video=
|cover=Brightside_101
|aznuk=1780723296
|aznus=1780723296
}}

For many years one of my guiding principles has been that the C word should not be mentioned until the beginning of December but unfortunately C seems to be coming earlier each year and there are even shops where it never ceases to be imminent, which ramps up the stress levels considerably.  So, a book which promises 101 things to take the stress out of C seemed liked a good idea.  What’s it about?  Tips like putting the sprouts on to boil in November or joining a religion which avoids the celebration altogether?  Well, not quite.

Actually, it’s a lovely mix of the idiosyncratic, like moving the festival to the 25th of January to the more practical thought of listing a present you received from each of the last five years so that you realise that they’re not that important after all.  Talking of presents, I loved the idea of giving the same present to everyone you know - although I do wonder if a cheese grater is the best choice.  Rather better is the idea of buying all your presents in one trip to the local charity shop which looks to me like a win-win all round.  And - let’s face it - some of them are going to end up back in the same place before the turn of the year.

There’s quite a bit to encourage you to relax too, from spot-the-difference puzzles to an alphabet sudoku.  Knitting is advocated as the ultimate mindfulness activity (not the way I do it, it isn’t...) and talking about advocaat (as we so nearly were) there’s even a recipe for a snowball.  It’s all light hearted, but if you were looking for some advice on making the run-up to the twenty fifth just a bit more efficient then this might not be the book for you, although you might finish reading with an entirely different attitude to the celebrations...

I’d like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

If you really do want some help in getting ready then Delia Smith will almost certainly be able to [[Delia Smith's Christmas by Delia Smith|help]].  That’s the book which has long been my bible for the festering season.  You might also like to look at the day from the point of view of a [[The Christmas Carrot by Allan Plenderleith|carrot]].

There - and I never mentioned the C word once.

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