Christmas with the Invisible F

Imagine if Santa had fibromyalgia.

No seriously. Just try to imagine it. What would happen?

Here’s my conservative guess:

● The presents would more than likely be late.

● He’d probably forget some of our pressies or mix them up and not even realise due to fibro fog.

● He’d miss some houses because he’d fall asleep in transit due to extreme exhaustion and not sleeping the night before.

● His sinuses would be going crazy from the cleaning detergents Mrs Clause used on the slay.

● He’d hurt himself terribly going down the chimney thanks to those rotten muscle pains.

● He’d then be stuck in bed for days to come reeling in the aftermath of all his Christmas chores.

You know what I’m getting at.

Preparations

Christmas entails lots of fuss and fretting; over the presents, the trees, the Christmas lunch and dinner, the family gatherings, the kids, the cleaning…

This post is a little bit late but I hope if you’re attempting all of the above, you’ve already enlisted the help of family and friends. Christmas preparations can be overwhelming for a healthy person. When you have fibromyalgia attempting this alone is CRAZY. Please don’t be like Santa in the days after Christmas.

If you’ve kids let them put up the tree. No kids? Then tip the neighbourhood kiddies to do it for you. If that’s not an option then put it up in parts. Breaking up tasks into smaller manageable tasks is a great way of managing. Yes it takes longer but it’s better than burning yourself out.

That also means shopping for Christmas presents should not be done on Christmas Eve. Buy your pressies bit by bit and put them aside (Even better if you can buy them over the course of the year.)

Social Activities

Attending family gatherings or hosting them may be difficult as well. You may be too exhausted, in pain, sleepy or just unable to hold up for the conversation. Maybe the noise levels are a shock to your system.

Explain to your loved ones that you’re not feeling well. Hopefully they will understand and if they don’t then tell them to go dance with the turkey. I don’t know I’m not tactful…but I’m sure you’ll find way of telling them.

Put your health first however hard it is, because ultimately at the end of the festivities it will you enduring the suffering that comes with fibromyalgia.

Unfussy Christmas?

And if you can’t do it all, have it all, then so what?

I know Christmas means alot to some people, and they must have the lights and the tree and all the trimmings. And that’s fine, but if you can’t do it all, that’s ok too.

Don’t forget the reason for the season. Whether you’re religious or you’re family oriented there is a bigger meaning behind the materialism.

It’s about new beginnings, hope, family and loved ones. Celebrate what you have and remember those who don’t have.

Give, love, bless and be thankful. If you can’t have all the trimmings but you can have these, then your Christmas should be Merry anyway.

Gentle hugs 🙂