Top tips to ensure your relationship survives during the Christmas period
More relationships get into trouble over the Christmas period than any other time of the year, with divorce at its peak in January. Now a Sydney relationships expert has offered his top tips to avoid arguments or a break-up with your loved one during the festive season.
Manly
Don't miss out on the headlines from Manly. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A relationship mentor is offering a free webinar on surviving Christmas.
Statistics show the number of couples seeking a divorce peaks in January following the festive period.
Jurgen Schmechel, 59, of North Manly, will be offering couples strategies to help them get through Christmas.
“More relationships get into trouble over the Christmas period than any other time of the year,” he said.
His webinar where people can sign up and ask questions anonymously will tackle issues around dealing with pressures from the extended family, how to spend quality time with your partner and children, and how to spend within your means.
“People have such high expectations around Christmas,” he said
“They think everything has to perfect from the food to the table decorations to the presents.
“Couples think this is the time they’re going to spend quality time with each and their children, and when that doesn’t work out because they’re too tired or the children are glued to their screens it can feel like a failure.”
Mr Schmechel said a good way to avoid a lot of stress is for couples to plan ahead – and that means the male being involved too.
“Men need to face up to their responsibilities,” he said.
“Most of the work still tends to be done by women.”
He said it was perfectly acceptable to skip making a big deal about making a meal with all the trimmings and go for something easy, like a simple barbecue instead.
Another suggestion would be for couples to agree not to buy presents for each other, but to share an experience together, especially if money is an issue.
Top tips from Mr Schmechel include:
Be selfish and tell friends and family you want a ‘stress-free Christmas’ this year
If everything is not perfect, then so be it.
You don’t need to see everyone on Christmas Day, the world doesn’t end on Boxing Day
Mr Schmechel, who has been happily married to his wife Ingrid Messner, for 25 years said, is a business analyst who decided to start offering relationship advice when his friends kept asking him for help with their marriages.
To take part in the webinar contact Mr Schmechel via his website inspiring-relationships.com.au .