How To Cope With Your Family During The Holidays - Tips

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Like Santa's reindeer, your relatives have their own special nicknames. On Bitter and Spitter, Vicious and Vixen, Vomit, Stupid, Yawner, and Victim. You'd hate to call them dysfunctional, but between Uncle Al's offensive jokes, Cousin Hannah's incessant whining, and your mother-in-law's pointed remarks about your Tesco-bought mince pies, it's all you can do to politely sip your mulled wine and not contemplate death by flaming Christmas pudding.

We feel your pain. Sometimes even our favourite people have a way of pushing our buttons and it usually happens around the holidays. Cabin fever, overcrowding, bad gifts, burned dinner — it can make anyone go a bit mad.

But, before you start giving your sister's drunk husband the side-eye during a caroling session, take a moment to read our expert tips for getting through the holidays in one piece. This advice is crucial to surviving Christmas without a big family blow-up — from defusing in-law drama to avoiding deep-seated tension between relatives. You can save the meltdowns for Granny June's 100th birthday party next year.

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