Taking part in festive celebrations with your family can sometimes lead to tensions. From battles over the remote control to rows about who does what chore, it is easy for the mood to go downhill. Try these pointers for ensuring a calm and pleasant family Christmas this year.
Ensure everyone has their own space
A lot of the problems that occur during family Christmases are down to people being confined together for long periods. A key step to ensuring everyone stays happy is recognising the need for people to have time and space to themselves.
Organise and split the chores
Another common cause of rows is when some are doing more of the festive work than others. Figure out a system to divide chores equally. From the task of hanging outdoor Christmas lights from the guttering, to cooking the dinner, everyone should play their part.
Call a festive truce
If soldiers during World War One could do it, so can you. Get every family member to agree what topics will be avoided during the holiday. This could be sensitive personal issues, or it might be politics, but the trick is to identify potential flashpoints and defuse them.
Plan activities
Rows during the festive period can often be down to simple boredom. Try to come up with a few activities that everyone can get involved in as a way to prevent that. Music is great for uniting people, so Christmas karaoke is one idea.
These tips should help you to avoid any festive family headaches this year!
