Tis' the Season to Truly Try and Get Along This Christmas

With Christmas only being 18 days away, many people are already playing scenarios in their head, or having dreams that seem too surreal of how the holidays will turn out. Most of the scenarios could most certainly be compared to the loveable character Clark Griswold in National Lampoon’s Christmas vacation. This movie is a must see if you are look for a great laugh with the family…but now back to the typical expectations of this holiday season.

Uncle John will have just a bit too much to drink and will insist on debating politics with Cousin Larry, which will cause for a very hostile environment. Perhaps you do not exactly get along with your in-laws and you are dreading spending time with them altogether. Or perhaps it is the fact that your sister’s child is totally out of control and your sister thinks it is cute! Then all of the sudden Aunt Mary and Uncle Bob use the cliché line, “The kids are getting tired, we should probably start heading out.” It’s funny how parents always use this line when in fact it is usually the parents falling asleep on the couch, while the kids are running around the house with their cousins.

There is no getting around the fact that something will probably go wrong this Christmas holiday, however will you let the challenges take away the joy of celebrating with most (keyword most) of the people you love in your family?

Specifically it is definitely the mothers that like to play these awful scenarios in their heads, they need to understand that the more this happens the more stressed out they will be. The day of the actual event, the littlest things will set off these overly cautious mothers. To all of the dads out there, be a hero and make sure that the moms aren’t driving to the family gatherings this holiday evening, she will most likely need a nap or breather before stepping into the Aunt Sally’s door of complete controversy.

If experiences in the past have you anticipating less than enjoyable holidays...stop it! However, it is not a guarantee that Aunt Sally will forget that you said a snobby comment about your new house last Christmas, but start fresh and walk in the house with enthusiasm.
It is definitely okay to play scenarios of what could be said at the Christmas party, but if you are going to torture yourself with these dreaded scenarios, create a plan of action! Know what you are going to say if you think a relative will bring up religion or politics. It is not rude to simply say, “Not tonight Uncle John, it’s Christmas!” Uncle John will most likely think you’re right, or he will stumble off since he most likely has only brought up these controversial topics due to his whiskey.

What do you do if you just want to stay home for the holidays with your family? Yes, it can be assumed that you will be talked about at the party for not showing up, but do you really care? It is not rude to simply say that you want to stay in this year, and it is not nice to throw the spouse or kids under the bus, be brave and tell them how it is. Perhaps you could offer to hold a small family gathering in January when the holidays are over and everyone is less stressed out. The bottom line is that there is no reason to feel obligated to go to your Aunt and Uncle’s Christmas party every single year.

This holiday try to focus on choosing your battles and simply having a sense of humor. If you’re cooking apple pie for the party and your son accidently drops it on the floor after you slaved away for hours, laugh it off and start over. As frustrated as you are, it truly is not a big deal in the long run, is it? Although you do not have to get along with Uncle John, realize he will never change and there is nothing you can do to change him. Choose your battles when he tries to bring up strange topics and laugh it off.

Another idea to make this year different than all of the past Christmas parties is to start a new tradition. Perhaps every family member goes around and states who in their life they are thankful for and why. Maybe you could have every relative bring an ornament to the party and then play a game of an ornament exchange.

The bottom line is to enjoy the people around you, get lots of sleep the night before and be sure to exercise to alleviate stress. By doing these simple acts, you just might be able to say that you had a fun time at your family Christmas party, imagine that!