Tips for Creating Drama-Free Holidays
As much as people love the holidays, they don’t always love getting together with their extended family. There’s something about the holidays that brings families together whether or not it’s a good idea. Sadly, some people cause drama that can disrupt the holiday spirit. Strong personalities, addictions, and other issues can affect the harmony of a gathering and make it harder than it should be to have a good time.
Creating a drama-free holiday is important for the people who truly want to be together and enjoy quality family time. It might feel tough to confront difficult issues, but it can make a big difference in the quality of your holiday time. Consider these tips for creating drama-free holidays everyone can enjoy.
Tip- Create a drama-free experience- If addiction issues have the potential for ruin your holiday gathering, simply create a drug and alcohol-free event. Removing the temptations and making modifications to your gathering that support sobriety helps everyone. If someone you love struggles with making good choices, help make the choice easier by hosting a clean and sober event.
Tip- Consider your guests- Trying to fit square pegs into round holes never works. Sometimes you’ve got to be honest about the family members and friends in your life. Some simply can’t play well with others. It may be in everyone’s best interest to keep certain people away from each other. It may also be important to consider what sort of function you’re having and whether or not it’s the best for your guest list. Depending on who is coming to your holiday gathering you may want to consider what activities you have, when you have it, and who is invited.
Tip- Be willing to be honest- One of the biggest reasons families experience drama is the unwillingness to address the situation. People want to avoid conflict or hope people figure out the impact they make on other people. This generally doesn’t work. Being up front and being honest with people about how their behavior affects others can help them modify it or excuse themselves from the situation if they must. It can be really hard to confront negative behavior, but it can make the holiday better for the majority of the people.
Everyone wants a happy holiday season filled with friends and family but sometimes people make it difficult. Instead of ignoring their behavior, try one of these tips to create a drama free holiday that benefits everyone…even the ones with the problems.
Could your Family Benefit from Breaking Some Traditions?
Traditions are part of what makes the holidays memorable. Thinking back on your childhood, you might have some amazing memories of holiday’s past that are steeped in tradition. You may have even brought some of them into adulthood and your own family. There’s no doubt that traditions help families stay connected and remind them of their roots but there may come a time when it helps to break traditions and build new ones.
Should traditions always be kept?
Traditions can bring comfort and a sense of familiarity and belonging, but they can also be stifling and keep you from growing and expanding. Holding onto traditions can exclude other possibilities that might be a better fit for you and your family. While traditions can be a wonderful way to hold onto the past, there may be room for change in your future.
Here are some indicators you might be ready to break some traditions-
Your family dynamics change- It might have been fun to participate in a tradition for a season, but a change could be in order. If your family dynamics change and it doesn’t make sense to hold onto a tradition, be open to letting it go, creating a new one or making a modification. Some typical reasons family dynamics change:
Marriage, divorce, blending families
Children mature or grow up
Time constraints or changes in schedules
When the dynamics in the family change, it may be time to break a tradition and begin something new.
You’re bored or change interests- Some traditions felt great for a time, but everyone is always changing and growing. Adapting and expanding your interests can affect your traditions. What once felt comforting begins to feel controlling. Don’t let familiarity cause you to hold onto traditions that you’ve outgrown.
Creating new traditions can create joy
Finding new ways to create traditions during the holidays can reduce stress and create joy. Growing and expanding with your family as it changes can help you hold onto traditions you love while finding new ones that have meaning for where you are in life at the moment. Ask yourself these questions to help you create new traditions.
What makes sense for your stage of life? If your children are small, there may be a host of activities that you engage in as part of your tradition. As they age, it makes sense to stop some activities and find new age-appropriate activities. Asking what makes sense for your current stage of life will help you break traditions you don’t need and create ones that everyone will enjoy.
What do you love most this time of year? Asking yourself…and your family, what they love most and want to do each year will help you engage in the activities that matter. You never know, that one time you had pizza for Thanksgiving dinner could be a tradition they want to experience each and every year. You never know if you don’t ask!
Sometimes traditions can actually weigh families down and cause stress. It’s important to take time and review your beloved traditions and see if there isn’t room for improvement, retirement or creating new traditions altogether.
3 Alternatives to Traditional Holiday Celebrations
Depending on where you live, there are typical ways to celebrate the holidays. Friends, family, and culture all influence how special days unfold and what foods and activities usually accompany them. Getting into the habit of celebrating the holidays a specific way can make it hard to break from tradition- though breaking free can actually be a valuable change.
You may be used to celebrating the holidays a very specific way and have never given any thought to trying something new. There are unlimited ways to experience the holidays that don’t include turkey dinners, presents under a tree, or winter wonderlands. As a matter of fact, it can be a ton of fun to try something entirely different for your holiday season. Here are three alternatives to traditional holiday celebrations that might be of interest to you and your family.
Alternative #1. Travel- Most people stay close to home during the holidays. They love the traditions of decorating, enjoying specific foods, and spending quality time with family. Though these are fun traditions, travel can be an amazing alternative.
Try traveling to a location that experiences the holidays in magical ways you can’t get where you live. If you live in a warm climate, head to the snow. If you live in the snow, head for the beach. If you live in America, try a European holiday.
Alternative #2. Friends over family- Some people spend their holidays with family and limit their activities with friends. Family is great, but there’s something wonderful about friendships. That’s why Friendsgiving has become so popular. Try spending a holiday with your friends doing a fun activity that you wouldn’t normally experience on a holiday.
Consider going skiing on Christmas and forgo presents for a VRBO and a lift ticket. Make memories with friends by having a potluck and heading to the movies for a blockbuster instead of cooking a traditional meal.
Alternative #3. Giving back to your community- There are plenty of people experiencing the holidays in hospitals, shelters, and other unexpected places. Consider spending the day in your community serving others who rarely get noticed.
Try volunteering at an animal shelter to walk animals or clean. Serve at a homeless shelter and support your community by donating your time and energy to help those less fortunate. You can get your whole family involved and make an impact on those you’re serving and yourselves.
f you’re looking to shake things up, why not try an alternative holiday celebration this year? Breaking away from the norm helps create memories and can leave a lasting impression for you and your whole family.
