Joan's stress free Christmas secrets:
have a lie in; make Christmas dinner for no more than 6 people; have dinner anytime from 4.30 pm -6.30 pm so no early morning turkey messin'; don't drink more than two small glasses of wine while cooking/preparing; listen to the radio while cooking/preparing alternating radios 4 and 6; give a message of thanks that my mother prefers to go to my sisters; politely reject invitation to dinner at sisters (love them both to bits but there are limits); ensure I am in charge of the remote after 7.00 pm - there are lots of things others can do whilst I watch Call the Midwife and Downtown Abbey, though neither lived up to expectations this year- plus there's a massive TV in the sprogs room for those who don't approve of mum TV; never eat Christmas pudding till Boxing Day; have friends and relatives over on any other day over the holiday period.
