There’s no place like home for the holidays, or so the adage goes. If you live far from your family, you might be planning to travel to your hometown in the coming weeks in order to celebrate the holidays with your loved ones. While it’s usually wonderful to see faraway family members after not seeing them for a year, it can also be a stressful endeavor. Here are some ways to survive going home for the holidays this winter:
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Decide ahead of time to leave controversial topics alone. Do your dad’s political views make you want to scream? Or maybe your otherwise sweet aunt Mary asks you every year when you are going to get married already, since you’re not getting any younger. Practice and perfect the “please pass the bean dip” approach. Instead of getting involved in a conversation that will make your blood pressure rise, simply smile and change the subject. An interested look, coupled with a noncommittal response such as, “Oh, really?” or “That’s an interesting way to look at it,” then immediately followed by a request to pass you a dish or a question about the asker’s last vacation, can settle down your nerves.
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Don’t go back in time. For many adults, spending a few nights in mom and dad’s guest room (which might be your old bedroom) has a way of changing us back into teenagers. This is even more apparent when our siblings, who know how to press our buttons, show up and bring up past squabbles. It helps to be aware of this tendency, and to take some deep breaths if you feel yourself regressing.
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Keep to your exercise routine as well as you can. Being surrounded by extended family members, as much as you love them, can make even the most calm people crazy. If you have an exercise routine, stick to it. If you have a gym membership, you might be able to use a local gym in your destination with a reciprocal agreement. You can sometimes also get a visitor’s pass to the YMCA or other workout center that is good for a week or two. If nothing else, taking a jog or just going for a walk can clear your head and lower your blood pressure.
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Make plans to get out of the house. Too much togetherness isn’t good for any relationship, so make plans to go for a drive by yourself to look at Christmas lights, to visit an old friend in your hometown, or even to volunteer at a nursing home or soup kitchen for an afternoon. The break will do you good and you’ll be able to return home with a renewed spirit.
Going home for the holidays should be a time filled with love and joy. Take some of the stress out of the experience by following the above tips.
Do you have additional tips to share on surviving a visit home? Tell us about them in the comments section below!
