BellaOnline Forums Family Siblings Any tips for keeping the holidays festive?

Are you ready for the holidays? Getting together with family can be great AND draining. Any tips for reducing stress, keeping organized or reducing tensions between family members?

One tip I have for reducing tensions is to keep everyone focused on "the here and now." Too many, too long or too detailed strolls down memory lane often end up at the "dead end" of unresolved issues!

focus on the children

plan a family volunteer project - like going to a soup kitchen

play family movies or a picture slide show if that won't bring up too many tensions

bake cookies

happy holidays

Memory Lane can be a dangerous road! We had our family party on Saturday. We had a gift exchange, but I think it will be phased out for next year. the day of the party 4 people called and asked me what to buy for so-and-so as they frantically searched through department stores at the last minute.

Games are a great way to keep people busy without revisiting all the pains of Christmases past.

I bought a book called Unplug The Christmas Machine. It's awesome!

Unplug the Christmas Machine I'll have to look for that for next year. Thanks!
Sundancer
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