Holidays With Family Without Going Insane!

You must love them or you wouldn’t keep going back, so here are some very quick tips on surviving:

Don’t expect people to change. You know what to expect, so smile and deal with it. You let them, and yourself, off the hook when you do. Your life will be the same when dinner (or the weekend) is over, so remember: “This too shall pass.”
Move on – literally. If someone is bothering you, get up and move away to another conversation. Don’t get drawn into discussions that you know in advance are not going to end well.
Don’t take it personally. In every family there is someone who holds a grudge. It may be against you. That’s their problem, not yours, and laughing when they are nasty feels so good.
Be compassionate. Instead of blaming someone, or yourself, try turning to humor. Laugh at yourself. If someone has a miserable disposition, think of it this way: he/she has to live with him/herself all year long. For you, it’s a day or two!
Kill them with kindness. It’s hard for someone to be unpleasant to you, if, no matter what they say or do, you are being super-nice to them. It’s a version of giving, rather than receiving.
Keep your perspective. It’s not interminable. The night, or day, or weekend will end…and then you can look forward to next year!