Products for a Christmas with less stress
8-12-2025
Translation: machine translated
Christmas is just around the corner and you don't have a plan yet? Don't worry, you're not alone. With these products, your festive celebrations will be relaxed and cosy, with time for the most important thing: your loved ones.
I'm no longer one of those people who dig their Christmas jumpers out of the moth box shortly after the summer holidays and buy gingerbread in September.
In the past, when the children were still living at home, I was of course fully involved. Well, at least a little. Filling advent calendars? Check. Filling boots for St Nicholas? Check. But the annual biscuit baking chaos that kindergarten and school forced on us parents? What is supposed to be contemplative about a kitchen floor full of flour and sticky children's hands «» still remains a mystery to me.
At Christmas, I like the days off and sitting together with family and friends. Just no stress and too much effort, please. And these products help me with that.
A tree that doesn't needle - and doesn't cause any discussions
If you prick up your ears when getting the Christmas tree, you won't be surprised that the «festival of love» is often the overture to extended divorce proceedings.
It's not just a matter of taste that's worth arguing about: Is the tree straight enough? Not too bushy? Is it even? With an artificial Christmas tree, such discussions are a thing of the past.
Yes, I know the prejudices. But these things are now so good that you can't tell the difference even up close. To be honest, we have a similar tree in our office. A colleague and I spent five minutes wondering whether the fir tree was real.
Apart from the fact that you are not responsible for the death of a tree every year, the artificial trees don't needle either.
We have this one in two sizes. After the party, you can disassemble it into three parts to save space. The tree is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. You'll quickly recoup the purchase costs after giving up a few natural trees.
You can find many other variants in different sizes here, so there is bound to be something suitable for your home, balcony or patio.
Logical: artificial trees don't smell like a forest. If you miss that, you can try this:
It has to be atmospheric light
Whether you have lots or few decorations, you can't have a Christmas tree without candles. I use a string of LED lights like this one:
The length is long enough to go round even larger trees several times. Even if a bulb doesn't work over time, it's hardly noticeable.
To create small islands of light, I use a set of candles with LEDs. You can place them on a plate or tray, for example, to drape them around the room.
These here even have a remote control and an integrated timer function.
Now in stock, you can find a huge selection of fairy lights, decorative objects with lights or even lights for the Christmas tree from the manufacturer Star Trading.
Easier to cook, longer to entertain
As in every family, we have our traditions and rituals. If I'm hosting, I can't cook anything other than roast turkey with juniper sauce. Easy! The marinade is made with honey, all kinds of spices and juniper. Brush the meat with it and put it in the oven. The meat is then cooked for three hours at a low temperature.
The roasting thermometer helps me to avoid constantly having to run to the kitchen to check the core temperature. Just before it's reached, I can start preparing the side dish.
A real game changer in the kitchen for me is the (re)discovery of the pressure cooker. The «Instant Pot» is the modern version, so to speak. The rice served as a side dish almost cooks itself in it.
The compact appliance can do much more than just cook rice. I regularly use the pressure and steam cooking functions. And most of the parts can also go in the dishwasher.
And tidied up in no time
When having family meals with small children, something inevitably goes wrong and ends up on the floor. When my guests go home (hopefully) full, satisfied, richly presented and tired, I quickly take care of cleaning up the mess.
Since I was able to try out this vacuum cleaner at a press event, I have retired my beloved «Crosswave» from Bissel. The mop makes my laminate floor presentable again in no time at all. What's more, it works so quietly that I don't get into trouble with the neighbours below me when I'm tidying up late at night.
When the dishwasher is quietly whirring away, it's finally time to hit the sofa. Watching the Grinch. Another tradition. But not without this on colder winter days:
What are your tips for a stress-free Christmas? Let me know in the comments.
Header image: Julia Zavalishina / Shutterstock
Hamburg local, bookworm, and ice hockey fan. Dad and granddad. Constantly tinkering around with my smart home setup. I love DIY, the outdoors, fashion, and cosmetics.
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