How to Survive Christmas
Medically reviewed by Stefano Mirabello, B.Pharm
Written by Navin Khosla, B.Pharm
Created on 16 Jul 2024
Updated on 28 Mar 2025
The Christmas period is here, but it’s not just Christmas Day, it’s the holiday season run-up to Christmas, it’s Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and the New Year festive season. It’s a time for family Christmas parties, Christmas presents, spending time with your loved ones and work do’s. It’s the time of year when you have to see the in law’s, but let’s not let that spoil your perfect Christmas. Here’s some top tips on surviving Christmas.
- Having a bit of a binge on the big day is one thing, but drinking over the whole holiday is another. Alcohol might make you feel more relaxed, but it is also a depressant and can cause low mood, irritability or even aggressive behaviour. Drinking consistently over long periods of time can affect your body and health. Take care of yourself and give yourself some time before having another drink, so it gives your body and especially your liver time to recover
- Christmas can be a difficult time for a lot of people. A lot of people may be spending the festive period on their own. It can be a time full of anxiety, and with the winter season you may be suffering with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). So, unless you really want to spend Christmas on your own, you can still do something about it. Say yes to that invite, whether it’s from a family member, a friend or a neighbour. It’s a difficult time for a lot of people, especially those with mental health issues. Somebody you know may need you more than you think
- If you are spending Christmas on your own then it’s a perfect time to help others. Instead of scrolling through pages of social media and feeling sorry for yourself, volunteer. It’s a fantastic way to bring some joy to people who are less fortunate than yourself and you’ll feel appreciated. You could help at a soup kitchen, food bank, a children’s hospital, or visit residents at a nursing home. Your local church, community organisation or council should be able to point you in the right direction
- The festive period can be a stressful time, with work, kids, parties, presents to buy, money issues and everything else you try to cram into the week before Christmas. Start early, plan ahead and spread the cost of Christmas and presents you need to buy. Shop online, avoid those long queues, there’s an app for pretty much everything now. It will save you time, and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home
- If you’re lucky enough to be the one cooking Christmas dinner, don’t take it all on yourself. I’m pretty sure even Nigella gets the family to muck in. How else could she look so great all the time. Ask other family members to bring different parts of the meal. Maybe a dish each. Or draw straws to delegate tasks in the kitchen and get your family to set the dinner table. Buy ready made stuffing, Yorkshires or puddings. It’s only cheating if they find out
- It’s true what they say, every family always has one. Someone who is guaranteed to go and spoil it for everyone. It wouldn’t be Christmas though without everyone would it. Christmas can be a time of dread, with relatives getting argumentative. But no family is perfect and things will be said that you don’t like. Try to keep clear of certain topics of conversation, maybe have secret Santa planned or board games to keep everyone occupied, and go easy on the drink. If you do get a bit stressed, take a few long slow deep breaths, or lock yourself in the loo, it’s a great place for a time out
Check out our Health News blog where you will find a range of trending health content. One last thing to remember this Christmas, if you haven’t already. Get your jabs, and Enjoy!
Sources
Medical Disclaimer
NowPatient has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that all material is factually accurate, complete, and current. However, the knowledge and experience of a qualified healthcare professional should always be sought after instead of using the information on this page. Before taking any drug, you should always speak to your doctor or another qualified healthcare provider.
The information provided here about medications is subject to change and is not meant to include all uses, precautions, warnings, directions, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or negative effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a particular medication does not imply that the medication or medication combination is appropriate for all patients or for all possible purposes.
Related Articles
Can I Trust NowPatient
Our product and services are certified to international healthcare, medical device and data security standards
Medicines Experts
Meet our medical team
We are a broad skilled and passionate group of clinicians with experience of operating in health systems in the United Kingdom & United States. Providing excellent care and advice is at the heart of everything we do. You can read more about our medical team by visiting the medical team page or learn more about how we curate content by visiting our editorial process
WHY WE BUILT NOWPATIENT
We are committed to helping everyone, everywhere live healthier lives
The NowPatient virtual care platform provides you with access to trusted health information, affordable treatments, management of chronic health conditions and continuous monitoring for health risks. NowPatient can be accessed by downloading the App or using your web browser.
Download our app today
Your Questions Answered
For your peace of mind, we can answer your questions quickly
What does NowPatient do?
NowPatient is an online pharmacy & telehealth service that is available in the US and UK. Our service is FREE and packed with useful features that can help you save money on the cost of your medications, access virtual treatments, and provide tools that can help improve your overall health.
Get started today and benefit from medication reminders, Get Treated Privately, NHS online pharmacy, GP appointment booking, Rx savings card, Drug Coupons, US drug savings programs, health conditions information, genetic testing, home test kits, BMI Risks, Type 2 Diabetes Risks, pollen meter, air quality monitor, and lots more!
Our service is operated by experienced medical professionals in the United States and the United Kingdom. You can view the online services that we provide by clicking Features.
UK users can safely and securely buy medicines online that treat a wide range of medical conditions. UK customers can also order NHS prescriptions online with the benefit of free tracked delivery.
US customers, regardless of insurance coverage, can enjoy huge savings on prescription medications using our various drug savings programs including drug coupons, savings card and manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs.
Where is NowPatient located?
NowPatient has offices in the United Kingdom and United States.
In the UK, we are located at:
NowPatient
28 Chipstead Valley Road
Coulsdon
Surrey
CR52RA
In the US, we are located at:
NowPatient
8911 North Capital of Texas Highway
Suite 4200 #1263
78759
Austin, TX
How can I contact NowPatient?
To contact NowPatient, please use the contact form available on the Contact Us page.
Alternatively, if you need to speak to us, you can reach us on the following numbers:
UK telephone number – 020 388 51 500
US telephone number – 1-866-967-1977
Who owns NowPatient?
NowPatient is owned and operated by Infohealth Ltd, a licensed online pharmacy with services spanning the UK, US and Rest of the World. Infohealth Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 04004930 and our registered office is at Lynwood House, 373 – 375 Station Road, Harrow, England, HA1 2AW.
Our website is www.nowpatient.com. Our App is called “NowPatient” and can be downloaded from the App Store (for Apple devices) or Google Play (for Android devices).
Can you tell me more about your NHS online pharmacy?
NowPatient’s Pharmaceutical services in the UK are provided by Infohealth Limited trading as ‘Infohealth Pharmacy’.
Our dispensing pharmacy is regulated and authorized for internet sales by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), registration number 1036487. You can view our license credentials on the General Pharmaceutical Council website. Our superintendent pharmacist who is responsible for the safe and effective oversight of medicines supplies is Mr Amish Patel (Registration Number 2042705).
Medicines are not ordinary items of commerce. All medicines or healthcare product sales are made under the supervision of a registered pharmacist who is licensed by the GPhC. At all times, we endeavour to provide a professional and transparent service whose primary goal is to ensure that the best interests of the patient are served.
How do I make a complaint?
From time to time, we accept that our service levels may not be up to your expectations. NowPatient welcomes concerns, compliments and complaints as valuable feedback that will help us learn from your experiences and make improvements. Feedback can be provided via our clear and transparent Complaints Procedures.
Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s prescribing services for treatments offered?
Our prescribing services are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). We provide the following regulated activity:
• treatment of disease, disorder, or injury
• transport services, triage, and medical advice are provided remotely
• caring for adults over 65 years old
• caring for adults under 65 years old
NowPatient prescribing services are run by Infohealth Limited. The Clinical Safety Officer and nominated individual is Mr Navin Khosla.
Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s US services?
Our head of US services is Dr. Jamie Winn.
You can lower the cost of your prescription medications using our various savings programs which include drug coupons, savings card and manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs.
We do not provide any prescribing services or dispensing services in the United States.
Is NowPatient legit and can I trust information from NowPatient?
Yes. NowPatient provides trustworthy and accessible clinical, health education and prescription services. We are also trusted by the NHS to deliver clinical and NHS repeat prescription dispensing across the whole of England. In the United States, we work with over 65,000 pharmacies to deliver considerable costs savings for our users.
NowPatient is operated by experienced licensed medical professionals in the United Kingdom and United States. Our Medical Team can be found here.
Our service is trusted by thousands of patients worldwide. You can read their reviews on our Trustpilot:
What are NowPatient’s opening hours?
Our office hours are:
UK – Monday-Friday 9am-6pm GMT
US – Monday-Friday 8am-5pm EST
Please note that we are closed at weekends.
In the event of a medical life-threatening emergency please call:
UK – 999
US – 911
In the event of a medical emergency which is not life-threatening please call:
UK – 111