How To Have The Best Christmas Ever

After a year of general doom and gloom - redundancies, recession, tie dye still on sale in the shops - thank goodness for Christmas. Like a shining beacon of tinsel and high heels at the end of the year, it's the only thing keeping us going at the moment. So, make sure you've put a few crucial wheels into motion to make sure this year is the best ever - and none of them will break the bank.

Christmas Films
From classics like Elf and It's A Wonderful Life to cinematic offerings like A Christmas Carol and even silly kid's movie Nativity, there's nothing as cockle-warming as cosying up to a festive flick. You're bound to miss The Snowman on telly, so we suggest stocking up on Christmassy DVDs from Amazon in advance to fill those gaps between turkey sandwiches and trifle.
See if you agree with this list of the top 25 Christmas films.

Get Old Fashioned
We're talking parlour games (well okay, Pictionary and gin rummy - no one knows how to play bridge) - a great way to get the family involved and to hopefully avoid the opportunity for a fight, seeing as there's always one. Charades is always a good idea - especially if you combine it with drinking-game style penalties - and once you're done, why not roast some chesnuts in the oven for a snackette - yum.

Carol Singing
Unless you're vocally blessed, we don't suggest you rekindle the lost days of your wild youth knocking on doors to recite Silent Night in return for 20p and a stale biscuit. Good as that was, this year get dressed up and go to a proper carol service. Many big cities have several recitals in their cathedrals or town centres, so to get in a state of festive overload - and to remember the original meaning of Christmas - definitely head along to add your humming to the harmonies.

Panto Time
We wouldn't normally recommend pantos after endless trips to the local church hall to watch Peter Pan (why was it always Peter Pan?) as kids. But we'd pay good money to see Pamela Anderson is starring as the genie in Aladdin at the New Wimbledon Theatre in London this year. Wonder if The Hoff will be in the front row?
Get your tickets here!

Food For Thought
Give your Christmas diet a bit of forethought and you can easily avoid the 'bleurrgh no no no more Quality Street" moments. Make a list of your absolute favourite foods and offer to cook them (turns out mums are surprisingly open to the idea of sacrificing the cooking duties...). That way you get to make sure you only have smoked salmon, mulled wine and After Eights to gorge on, and everyone knows you can never consume too much of any of those.

Christmas Markets
Where could be better to dose up on mulled wine or hot spiced cider than an outdoor Christmas market? Get twee with the carved 'ethnic' gifts on sale (don't we all need a peg carved like a reindeer?), end up buying some fake snow and stuff your face with overpriced mince pies, all in the loveliness of being outside with the Christmas lights sparkling all around you. That's the spirit! Check out good markets near you at www.christmasmarkets.com

And some things to avoid...

Christmas Strops
There's always someone in the family on Christmas afternoon who gets tired and emotional. "I don't WANT another gin and tonic", "I already have a nail varnish in that colour", "I put the bins out yesterday!". Don't let it be you that everyone tries to wind up by balancing baubles on your head while you sulk in front of the telly.

One For You, One For Me
Going out to the shops with the express purpose of buying lots of things sounds ace, but imagine the Benjamins you'd save if you could do all your Christmas shopping without buying anything for yourself. Nothing wrong with rewarding yourself for your inspired gift-getting, of course, but wait til the sales for that £100 dress. Well we can try...

Over Indulgence
We're not saying you shouldn't get as merry as possible - tis the season, after all - but beware of the Boxing Day hangover when your boyfriend's mum is dishing up the bubble and squeak for lunch and all you can think about are Alka Seltzer, duvets and the Hollyoaks Christmas special (and hopefully not toilet bowls). Error!