How to Best Handle the Stress of Visiting Family Over the Holidays
Time spent together with family can be a struggle, with many personalities clashing. It can also be a time when past feelings of conflict are brought up again that may stem as far back as childhood. This makes it difficult to enjoy the holiday season, overlooking the arguments and tension that may go along with extended family time. Living in the present, letting go of the past, can help you to embrace the holidays and fully enjoy time with your family without arguments and drama that can so often accompany this time together.
Fill the Time Spent with Family with Good Cheer and Joy
Keeping everyone busy during the holiday season can keep any arguments and unresolved conflicts at bay. This can be as simple as having cookies to decorate, a holiday game to play, or singing holiday carols together. By keeping your family busy with holiday activities and crafts that everyone will enjoy, you can head off any arguments and conflict that may otherwise arise. This will also allow you to make new memories, enjoying time together.
Keep the Overnight Visitors to a Limit
One of the most stressful things about the holidays is family staying at your home. This can put an added burden on an already stressful time of year, from preparing their room and prepping meals to planning non-stop activities. While it may be unavoidable that family will holiday with you this season, be sure that there is a finite end to their stay. You can also ease the stress off yourself by planning easy to make meals that everyone can lend a hand with or have your meals delivered. Letting go of some of the control and enjoying your guests can help to ease some of the stress that often goes along with visiting family members.
Don’t Feel Pressure to Be the Best Host
If you are hosting the holidays, having family members come to your home to celebrate, this can feel overwhelming and quickly dampen your holiday spirits. Keep in mind that it isn’t necessary to do everything yourself for your family’s holiday celebration. Have guests bring a dish to contribute to a meal, easing some of the burden to cook. Gift giving can be made more manageable with a Secret Santa or Yankee Swap that everyone can enjoy. Modest decorations and a cursory cleaning of the home should be enough prior to the celebration. By taking some of the pressure off yourself, you will better be able to enjoy the time with your family over the holidays.
Shifting your outlook about visiting family during the holidays, putting a positive spin on this, can go a long way to reducing your stress. If conflict does arise, be sure to keep your emotions in check and handle the situation with a calm and level head. This will make sure that everyone enjoys themselves and you are able to make positive memories that your family can talk about for years to come.
