If the words "holidays," "Christmas," and/or "family time" in combination with one another have you seeing red, you should know that you not alone. A lot of people just don't like their families that much and putting all those related kooks in proximity to one another for hours during the holidays can feel like slow torture. It happens. If you find yourself dreading family get togethers this holiday season, I am here to help. Because I want you to feel as jolly as an elf on Christmas.
Here's my Bossy Italian Guide to holiday survival!!!
Don't hit the nog too hard
Holidays seem to imply it's a time to drink...and some of us have a tendency to get carried away with it. Hey, I am no exception. We all have our moments. But if your family is a powder keg, don't add fuel to the fire by saucing yourself. It won't end well. Keeping your head about you is always a winning combination.
Let the award for best train wreck at the holidays go to your drunk Uncle Ted.
Find your "crazy buddy"
Unless you are the complete outlier in your family, generally you can find a "crazy buddy." You know, the person with whom you talk about things like, "Geez, Uncle Ted was soooo wasted and did you see him getting inappropriate with the Christmas tree??" THAT is a crazy buddy. And we love those, don't we?
You should seek your out and plant yourself next to them. It could be your spouse, your cousin Martha, or even the family dog. Either way, having a little company that understands what in the heck is going on is nutty is a great way to take the pressure off!
Bring a book, crossword, or just some headphones!
When all else fails, READ. Sometimes a little time out makes things better. You don't even have to leave the room to read. You can be the port in the storm by taking a few moments to read a book, throw in your headphones and listen to your favorite playlist. When we were kids we would do that kind of stuff all the time....why did we ever stop??? You don't have to!
Have an exit plan
This is a good one because it doesn't matter if you are staying overnight or just visiting for dinner and gifts. If you need an exit, have it prepared ahead of time. For instance, if you want to limit your stay to just a couple of hours, ask a good friend of yours to call you at a certain time. Once you've gotten off the phone, you can say something like, "Oh my friend Marcy is having a holiday meltdown, and I have got to run!" Then out the door you go!
Don't have a phone a friend on speed dial? That's okay--you can have another plan in place. So you look at your watch and say, "Oh no! Look at the time! Fred is having a Christmas party and promised to stop over." Exit solved. You can head to the bar for a break, or just drive around in circles. But if you need an exit plan, you've got one.
Here's my Bossy Italian Guide to holiday survival!!!
Don't hit the nog too hard
Holidays seem to imply it's a time to drink...and some of us have a tendency to get carried away with it. Hey, I am no exception. We all have our moments. But if your family is a powder keg, don't add fuel to the fire by saucing yourself. It won't end well. Keeping your head about you is always a winning combination.
Let the award for best train wreck at the holidays go to your drunk Uncle Ted.
Find your "crazy buddy"
Unless you are the complete outlier in your family, generally you can find a "crazy buddy." You know, the person with whom you talk about things like, "Geez, Uncle Ted was soooo wasted and did you see him getting inappropriate with the Christmas tree??" THAT is a crazy buddy. And we love those, don't we?
You should seek your out and plant yourself next to them. It could be your spouse, your cousin Martha, or even the family dog. Either way, having a little company that understands what in the heck is going on is nutty is a great way to take the pressure off!
Bring a book, crossword, or just some headphones!
When all else fails, READ. Sometimes a little time out makes things better. You don't even have to leave the room to read. You can be the port in the storm by taking a few moments to read a book, throw in your headphones and listen to your favorite playlist. When we were kids we would do that kind of stuff all the time....why did we ever stop??? You don't have to!
Have an exit plan
This is a good one because it doesn't matter if you are staying overnight or just visiting for dinner and gifts. If you need an exit, have it prepared ahead of time. For instance, if you want to limit your stay to just a couple of hours, ask a good friend of yours to call you at a certain time. Once you've gotten off the phone, you can say something like, "Oh my friend Marcy is having a holiday meltdown, and I have got to run!" Then out the door you go!
Don't have a phone a friend on speed dial? That's okay--you can have another plan in place. So you look at your watch and say, "Oh no! Look at the time! Fred is having a Christmas party and promised to stop over." Exit solved. You can head to the bar for a break, or just drive around in circles. But if you need an exit plan, you've got one.
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