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Feeling Christmas-crackered? Here are some easy ways to stop seasonal stress in its tracks from the Country Living team...

The Christmas break should be exactly that – a well-deserved break. Whether it's family gathering together to enjoy the festive spirit, friends catching up virtually over a warm glass of mulled wine, or the kids enjoying (or fighting over) their gifts together, Christmas is a time for all of us to wind down and take a breather.

Here, the Country Living team share how they de-stress in the run-up to Christmas so they can make the most of the season to be jolly...

Ben Kendrick Home and style director "While the fantasy of a winter walk in the glittering low sun is often trumpeted as the perfect antidote to festive chaos, the reality more often involves tramping through the rain before diving into the pub! So my favourite way to de-compress after Christmas is to have a ‘hot picnic’ – disappear into the countryside with a flask of homemade soup and some fresh, savoury scones. There’s always the option of a pit-stop at the pub before we go home."

Lisa Joyner Digital writer "Nothing lowers my anxiety levels like singing the beautiful, traditional carols at my local church. Not only does it stir up warm feelings of nostalgia from Christmases past, but it gives me a moment to pause, reflect and listen. There really is no greater mood boost – even if you haven’t got the best voice in the world. Fingers crossed that Covid rules will allow us to sing out loud this year!"

Lauran Elsden Commissioning editor "Every year, I pop on my pinny and reach for my rolling pin. I’ve experimented with many a mince pie recipe – Nigella’s star-studded sweets and Mary Berry’s marzipan morsels – and although mine are never quite as tasty as my friends’, there’s something so satisfying about batch baking. I find catharsis in the kitchen, methodically rolling out pastry, spooning out mincemeat to the beat of The Little Drummer Boy and finishing with a flourish of icing sugar."

Michele Jameson Group chief sub editor "I’ve found that setting aside an evening to wrap presents transforms it from an angsty last-minute chore into a lovely way to unwind. I turn up the festive tunes (the cheesier, the better), pour a glass of something delicious, then clear the living room floor and lay out all the gifts, paper and ribbons. The rest of the family are banned from entering until I’ve finished wrapping. It’s funny how that can sometimes take a whole evening…"

Lindsey Jordan Creative director "A dose of fresh air is the only way to counterbalance the full-on festivities in our home (think Wham! on repeat), but it’s not an option my kids (like many others) embrace. Luckily, they are always keen to take a tour of Christmas lights. We wait until dark, then stroll around our local streets, admiring the houses twinkling with icicles and gardens lit up with giant snowmen. Our thoughts are focussed on one thing: picking a favourite (usually the one that most resembles Blackpool Illuminations)"

Alaina Binks Home and crafts editor "You’ll often find me with a pocketful of treasures from a slow stroll through the countryside, in readiness to embellish a gift or reinvigorate last year’s twig wreath. I start in late September, gathering seed heads and dried grasses, before moving onto fallen acorns and cones in late autumn, and finally to holly and mistletoe (from my mother’s garden) in December. Searching for interesting shapes and textures takes my mind away from any pre-Christmas worries, and I find just as much joy in creating the arrangements."

Vicky Carlisle Executive editor "Six years ago, I had a little epiphany about how to de-stress the Christmas shopping. The annual shopathon had become a migraine-inducing marathon (I have a big family), so I decided to merge it with a me-time treat. I booked a mini-break in Winchester and topped off a day at the German markets with a massage, long bath and lavish dinner. I’ve repeated the format (in different market towns) every year since. Call me a smug Santa, but I’ve found it a great way to nail my shopping without shredding my nerves." (Read Country Living’s review of Hotel du Vin Winchester and book at countryliving.com/uk/hdvwinchester.)

Patricia Taylor Picture director "Christmas Eve is always joyous in my house as I love preparing the festive feast. I have a large family (there’ll hopefully be 12 of us on the day), so the food prep takes a long time. But I always find it quite relaxing, so long as I leave myself plenty of time. Once that’s done, and after adding the final touches to the decorations, I have a long soak in the bath before getting ready for my joy of all joys – Midnight Mass."

Laura Silverman Features editor "After years of working on Christmas Day on a daily paper, these days I treasure the time to myself. I’ll merrily see parents, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces and all manner of cousins on Boxing Day. But the heat is too much on the day itself: there’s too much expectation for jollity and pressure for perfect behaviour. Instead, I book a cottage in the Cotswolds for a couple of days, and enjoy Christmas on the sofa with a book and – my concession to festivities – a smoked salmon sandwich."

Anna Jury Features editor "Toddlers plus Christmas equals chaos. But last year I discovered one thing that cut through the commotion and helped me refocus on what’s important. I took my son with me to deliver cards to my neighbours, knocking on their doors rather than just posting them through the letterbox. The lovely smiles we got from everyone, and my son’s delighted response, is one of my favourite festive memories."

Charlie Hedges Picture researcher "Every year, on 26th December, my family and I take a windswept stroll along the grey shores of West Wittering beach. The silvery light, and the rhythmic sounds of the waves lapping the shore, is calming and soothing after the frenzy of Christmas. For many years, we would take our dog, a Lucas terrier aptly named Cracker. She loved it so much that, when she passed away, we decided to scatter her ashes on our Boxing Day beach walk. Alas, when it came to it, we couldn’t actually prise open the wooden box! We still laugh about that as we remember her – with great affection – on our annual walk."

Sarah Barratt Features writer "I love to make a splash at Christmas, both literally and figuratively. Every year must be bigger and better than the last, which means I’m often rushing about too much to enjoy any of it. But a dip in the sea soon sets me straight. The cold is so startling, it’s impossible to worry about anything else, and after a couple of minutes the shock subsides into a pleasant tingling sensation. By the time I return to shore for a hot chocolate, I feel revived – and ready to dive back into the festive fun."

Kate Langrish Contributing health and beauty editor "While the excitement of children at Christmas is magical, it can also be exhausting – especially when they are too hyped up to go to bed. So on Christmas Eve, my kids are allowed to open one present, which is always a new set of PJs. They put them on, leave a mince pie for Father Christmas, and then we snuggle up to read The Night Before Christmas and other wintry tales. In recent years, we’ve taken it in turns to read. Listening to a story has the most calming effect – whatever your age."

This feature is from Country Living magazine – SUBSCRIBE HERE