How to Survive Being ‘Home for the Holidays’

Going home for Christmas can be the most stressful part of what should be a wonderful holiday. Most of the time I have to remind myself to leave the combat boots at home! If you are like a lot of people, the anticipation of spending an extended amount of time with family can cause a huge amount of anxiety.

Deep South Magazine has some ideas for making your holiday less 'Christmas Vacation' and more 'It’s a Wonderful Life'. Some of our favorite survival tips are below.

• Remember that your parents are just people, too - they just want you to be happy
• Don't drink too much - alcohol can escalate an already tense situation very quickly
• Lend a hand - if you don't want them to treat you like a child, then help out when you can
• Smile, laugh, and hug, a lot - laughing off criticism goes a long way towards making a holiday more pleasant
• We repeat - Don't drink too much!