The secular Christmas is a one-day orgy of consumerism. But if we don’t have everything ready by December 25, we have twelve more days to get it right. By spreading the holiday out until the eve of Epiphany, and reducing its intensity, you can mitigate both the pre-Christmas stress and the post-Christmas let-down.</SPAN></P> <UL> <LI><P>Put your tree up late, so that it will last the full holiday. Victorian families put theirs up on Christmas Eve after the children were in bed.> </P> <LI><P>Make a point of visiting with close friends during these twelve days especially those with whom you exchange gifts. Leave their gifts until you can open them together, and thank the giver face-to-face. On Christmas morning open only those gifts from far-away. On Twelth Night, open any remaining gifts from people you didn’t manage to visit.</P> <LI><P>At dinner throughout Christmas, use the Collect on page 104 or 107 of the Prayer Book as your grace.</P> <LI><P>On Twelth Night, ceremoniously take down the tree, and draw a clear end to the Christmas season.