Ten Tips For Life
Top Ten Tips: Surviving Family Get-Togethers
Whether you're heading home for the holidays รก la Bridget Jones, leaving single life behind for a cosy Christmas with the folks, or a Desperate Housewife busy planning dinner for the masses, spending time en famille can be fraught. But Christmas Day needn't resemble an EastEnders special. With some foresight, you can banish frayed tempers and shredded nerves along with the wishbone and wrapping paper. Take our advice and you'll soon be wishing it was Christmas every day...
1. Break with tradition
Just because you've always played charades after the Queen's speech and Uncle Albert always carves the bird doesn't mean you have to keep doing it! Ring the changes - try out a different menu, open presents after dinner instead of before, pop to the pub for a pre-lunch tipple - and see everyone perk up in the time it takes to pull a cracker.
2. Take time out to yourself
In event of an impending argument, take a ten minute time-out to pull yourself together. Vital equipment for a frayed temper or shredded nerves is a mobile phone (with a good signal and charged-up battery), an iPod crammed with your favourite tunes or a page-turning book.
3. Keep it short and sweet
Christmas needn't be a long drawn-out affair. Ask guests to an evening bash instead of for the whole day and, if you're on the receiving end of an invitation, know when to hit the road - you don't want to be as unwelcome as a soap-on-a-rope on Boxing Day...
4. Invite some new faces
Injecting some new blood into a traditional family gathering will definitely give it the kiss of life. Invite some fresh faces for the novelty factor - new partners, next-door neighbours or close friends - and everyone will try that bit harder to get along and have fun.
5. Get a bit of exercise
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Make sure you keep on the move over Christmas. Tempting as it is to veg out in front of the telly, resist at all costs - it's will only make you lethargic, sleepy and eventually fed up. Wrap up warm and head out for a bracing walk, a game of Frisbee or a cycle - you'll actually deserve that turkey sandwich when you get home!
Just because you've always played charades after the Queen's speech and Uncle Albert always carves the bird doesn't mean you have to keep doing it! Ring the changes - try out a different menu, open presents after dinner instead of before, pop to the pub for a pre-lunch tipple - and see everyone perk up in the time it takes to pull a cracker.
2. Take time out to yourself
In event of an impending argument, take a ten minute time-out to pull yourself together. Vital equipment for a frayed temper or shredded nerves is a mobile phone (with a good signal and charged-up battery), an iPod crammed with your favourite tunes or a page-turning book.
3. Keep it short and sweet
Christmas needn't be a long drawn-out affair. Ask guests to an evening bash instead of for the whole day and, if you're on the receiving end of an invitation, know when to hit the road - you don't want to be as unwelcome as a soap-on-a-rope on Boxing Day...
4. Invite some new faces
Injecting some new blood into a traditional family gathering will definitely give it the kiss of life. Invite some fresh faces for the novelty factor - new partners, next-door neighbours or close friends - and everyone will try that bit harder to get along and have fun.
5. Get a bit of exercise
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Make sure you keep on the move over Christmas. Tempting as it is to veg out in front of the telly, resist at all costs - it's will only make you lethargic, sleepy and eventually fed up. Wrap up warm and head out for a bracing walk, a game of Frisbee or a cycle - you'll actually deserve that turkey sandwich when you get home!
