7 Ways to Get through the Holidays without Taking Part in Family Drama ...

Practicing patience is one of the best ways to get through the holidays without taking part in family drama. Let’s just face it. We all have a relative or relatives that can seriously get on our last nerve. If you know who that person is, and we all do, then you can realize ahead of time that it is going to take some extra patience to deal with them. Look at it as a character building experience.

If the relative that gets on your nerves and makes you want to jump right in the middle of family drama cannot be handled with patience, your best choice might be to just avoid them. This includes members of your family or maybe your spouse’s family, if that is applicable. Whoever it is, if they grate your nerves like you grate cheese for a salad, avoid them like the plague. Don’t be rude. Of course, you want to speak to them and say hello but beyond that, keep your distance.

Family drama is so much easier to find yourself involved in when you are not at your best. Make sure that you are sleeping well, eating well and doing things you enjoy throughout the holiday season. Yes, it is more difficult to do those things when the holidays add so much more to your plate, but it is imperative that you do. If you are exhausted and hoping that three Christmas cookies will suffice as an adequate breakfast, don’t be surprised when you bite Aunt Suzie’s head off when she asks you when you are going to marry that nice young man you are dating. You will be much more likely to hold your tongue on a good night’s sleep and nutritious meals.

Don’t go into a family gathering without a plan if there is the potential for drama. If you know that things could get sticky, plan when you will visit and how long you will stay. You might even plan it around the difficult relative and see if you can go at a different time. Sometimes things get so difficult that you may need to visit at a different time slot. Do whatever you need to do to keep harmony in the family.

Know when you are hitting your limit and ask someone for help. If you are married, maybe your spouse can handle your interfering mother-in-law for you. Maybe your favorite cousin can take Uncle Jim in another room to give you a breather when he really gets to you. The point is, know your limit and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you hit it. You may be able to return the favor sometime.

One thing that brings on family drama is staying too long at a family gathering. Recognize that things tend to go downhill after a certain point and take your exit before that occurs. The drama may not even involve you. It may be some of your other family members that can’t get along. The fix is the same: exit before things get ugly.

I think the best advice I have to give is the hardest to take. Choose to take the high road. Don’t allow yourself to be drawn into family drama. Even if saying what you are thinking might feel good temporarily, it can lead to a lot of regrets and family drama down the road. If you choose to take the high road, you will not have to deal with the regret that accompanies the fallout of family drama.

Family drama really does impact most, if not all families. It is just part of life. What do you do to deal when family drama rears up in your family?