The end of the year and Christmas are very much times of buying gifts for friends, family and colleagues. There is a lot of spending and often a lot of stress as well. It is all shopping and cooking fancy meals and generally large and beyond your means. But as much as it is fun and a celebration of the birth of Jesus and the end of a year, it is a time when people often forget to look after themselves. So as the end of the year draws closer and Christmas looms ever larger on the horizon, take stock of where you are, what you need and ask yourself how you would like to spoil yourself this festive season.

Sleep tight

One thing that we all do almost every night is go to bed and sleep. So why not spoil yourself with some quality linen or bedding. We spend approximately eight hours a day sleeping, which is one third of a whole day, but it is a time that we never really focus on making ourselves comfortable. Imagine climbing into a bed adorned with high thread-count, Egyptian cotton sheets. It feels incredible and is a little bit of luxury, that if you don’t buy for yourself, will probably never be gifted to you. So, splurge, and sleep like royalty.

Drink well

Are you a fan of Scotch, or gin, or even wine? If you have a particular favourite drink that you really enjoy, why not splurge and by the very best. If you are a fan of gin you don’t always have to drink the cheapest gin on the market. The same applies to whiskey or brandy or whatever it is that is your particular poison. This is about spoiling you and as much as you enjoy a glass of the cheaper stuff on a regular basis, think how much better your day would end if you could come home after a long day at the office to have a glass or two of something really special.

Me time

Gifts don’t always have to be things. In taking stock of where you are it might be a good idea to take some time out. Either in and around the festive season, or if that is not doable, then book some time off in the middle of the year. It can be time for you to be alone and do the things that you want to do, or it can be time away with your partner, time to reconnect and be together, appreciating each other and focussing on the relationship with external distractions cast aside.

Read

In our busy lives, so often, it is the simple pleasures that we end up missing out on. Reading is one such pleasure that quite simply doesn’t enjoy the love and attention that it did forty years ago. Fewer people make time to read these days despite the fact that they really do enjoy it. Reading is relaxing, and it is a great way to build general knowledge and expand world views. If you are a person who loves reading but battles to find the time, buy yourself a good book, one that you have been wanting to read for a while, and make time this festive season to read a bit every day, enjoy your lifestyle.