He said this in response to me saying about how enjoyable it must be for him to work with young children in the months before Christmas.

He’s a newly qualified reception teacher but is completely overwhelmed with the amount expected of him, in this term in particular; “We have nativity plays to do, Christmas cards and calendars to make … not to mention the Christmas fair and staff Secret Santa. I just can’t wait until it’s over.”

The children’s joy, excitement and curiosity about the festive period have been overshadowed by the tasks he’s expected to complete. A sense of urgency has replaced the ‘celebration’ element. He’s essentially wishing the term away.

For someone who has always loved Christmas, my poor friend seems over it now.

The problem is that when we live in this state of ‘getting through it’ and wishing days away, we’re not present for any of it. And when we’re not present, we’re not really living. So what can be done? How can you enjoy the end of term without feeling overwhelmed, frustrated or burned out?

End of term self-care

When times are fraught with Christmas-related shenanigans, taking the time to notice and act on the small things can help to make the big things more manageable. So, whether it’s preparing for fairs and performances, creating Christmas cards or buying Secret Santa gifts, here are some things that will hopefully help you in this exhausting yet exciting term.

Enjoy the journey

The result is not the goal. The Christmas card the child takes home at the end of term is not the main part here; what is important is the experience of making the card. No, it’s not likely that everyone will produce something that rivals Van Gogh, but that’s the beauty of it. Parents don’t want a masterpiece lauded by art critics and collectors alike.

What they do want is something their child has made - simple as that. No, Mary didn’t have green hair, and no, the donkey didn’t have one oversized hoof, but who cares? Just having something their child made is what parents long for - and it takes pride of place on the mantelpiece.

If you smile, the children will

I’ll never forget working in a school, rehearsing Christmas songs, and having teachers shout ‘SMILE!’ at the children when we were rehearsing.

It is not helpful for adults to shout ‘smile’ at children. If you want them to smile when singing, you can sing along and smile yourself. They will see you enjoying yourself, not taking things too seriously, and probably enjoy themselves all the more. And the science shows that even if you don’t feel like smiling, faking a smile can have just as much a positive impact on your stress levels and happiness as a genuine smile.

Researcher and human and artificial cognition expert Dr Fernando Marmolejo-Ramos says,

“Our research found that when you forcefully practise smiling, it stimulates the amygdala - the emotional centre of the brain - which releases neurotransmitters to encourage an emotionally positive state. For mental health, this has interesting implications. If we can trick the brain into perceiving stimuli as 'happy', we can potentially use this mechanism to help boost mental health.”

Even our Happiness Expert, Dave Keeling, agrees - if all else fails, he says in this video, stick a pen in your mouth so you can make yourself smile in one way or another!

Secret Santa

If possible, make this gift personal. Nothing builds a sense of community and team camaraderie like feeling you are ‘seen’ and appreciated.

If you are at a loss of what to buy someone, pay attention to what things they bring for their lunch (e.g. if they always have a banana, you could buy a banana Tupperware and write ‘so your daily banana doesn’t get bruised’). If this person likes art, buy some nice pens.

Small acts of kindness can go a long way to help people feel better about themselves. But science also shows that it does wonders for our wellbeing too. Secret Santa can feel challenging, but noticing small things about people can help you with that present-buying conundrum. And it also means that if you run out of pens, you know exactly who to turn to!

Put things into perspective

Many teachers feel pressure, but remember, you are not alone. One of the best things to do is to take a few minutes to relax and put everything in perspective. We can often create the narrative that things are far bigger or more stressful than they actually are. If you’ve got cards to make, the thought of finishing thirty of them is overwhelming.

But put the task in perspective. Break down each stage and look at what needs to be done to complete that part of the process. Ask for support if needed - don’t try to do it alone. If you have a teaching assistant or year group partner, how could you look at the problem differently together? What solutions are there that you may not have considered?

Overall, if the calendars aren’t finished (May and April are missing) and the paperchains have only three loops... does it really matter? As with those pesky Christmas cards, it really is the thought that counts.

It's not a competition

Christmas is not a competition. If the classroom beside you has a sad/broken snowman, don’t shame him. If you don’t have all singing, all dancing door decorations, it doesn’t make you a bad person or teacher. Take those expectations off yourself and just do what you can. And when mistakes happen, which they inevitably will,  it’s a prime opportunity to look at how you respond to them. If you’re feeling really brave, get the children on board, dissect the mistake together and then think about what we can learn for next time.

Everything is a teachable moment, after all!

And if all else fails, there’s no denying fairy lights are warming and magical. Nothing beats those twinkling lights decorating the streets on cold, dark evenings. So why not take the scenic route home and simply enjoy the experience for what it is? Those small moments of joy often help create a broader sense of happiness for all of us.

Working as a teacher is an incredibly challenging but rewarding job. You inspire the future generation, so when it's time for the holidays, breathe, relax, grab some Quality Street and stick on a terrible Christmas movie. You’ll feel better in no time.

If you’d like more support for your school team to improve their coping skills or mental health, check out our mental health and wellbeing workshop or email our Doug to see how we can help - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Danielle Downey has a degree in animation and a passion for comedy. She enjoys performing, illustrating, writing and leading workshops. After winning a scholarship to study at Sylvia Young theatre school, Danielle appeared in many West End shows as a child/teenager. She’s too modest to mention which ones, though…