Napper

You are under a blanket with a film. The fire is on, the lights are low and there is a tin of chocolates within reach. You have bought your presents and they are wrapped, in a way.

You might go to a carol service, or you might not. You might pop to the pub, but you will be home by nine and on the sofa by ten. You know what matters on Christmas Eve: a warm drink, a good film and the feeling that tomorrow is a day off from everything. You go to bed early, happy, and you sleep like a log. You are already winning Christmas.

Still asleep. You get up when the smell of coffee drifts up the stairs, and you come down in pyjamas and the softest jumper you own. You open presents slowly, enjoying every one.

Lunch is a delight, and you eat well. You love the crackers, the food and the warm feeling of a full table. Then comes your favourite bit: the nap afterwards. You find the best spot on the sofa, pull up a blanket and drift off while the telly plays whatever is on. You wake up for cheese, a little chocolate and an evening film. You go to bed relaxed, rested and full, and you wonder why everyone else looks so tired.

You are the calm one. When the kitchen is chaos and the kids are overexcited, you are on the sofa with a cup of tea, and somehow your stillness makes everything feel a bit more peaceful.

People rely on you to not add stress. You are easy to please, happy with whatever the plan is and rarely in a bad mood. You are the one the dog curls up with and the one the children snuggle next to for a film. You might not be the busiest, but you are good company, and you remind everyone that Christmas is meant to be enjoyed, not endured. The family would be more frantic without you.

Something cosy. A pair of slippers, a soft throw, a bath set, a good book, a box of chocolates. Your presents are an invitation to slow down.

You might have bought them in one trip, or online in an afternoon, but they are always lovely. You know what people need to rest, and you give it to them. Your wrapping is relaxed, maybe a gift bag, maybe a bit of sellotape doing heavy lifting. But people love what is inside. Your gifts say take a break, you deserve it, and coming from you, that is the most sincere message of all.

Keep the nap. It is sacred. But add one thing before it: a walk, a round of a board game or a job in the kitchen. It makes the nap feel earned, and you get a memory as well as a rest.

Offer to do one bit of washing up or lay the table before anyone asks. It goes a long way. Plan your presents a little earlier so you are not doing it on the twenty-third. Then protect your rest on purpose: a lie-in on Boxing Day, an evening with no plans, a long bath. You already know how to have a good Christmas. Just share a little of the effort, and everyone will want to be on the sofa with you.