Keeping the peace in your house during the holidays takes a lot of effort from everyone. The holidays are already stressful enough as it is, but adding the normal family chaos into the mix makes everyone even more on edge. I have always been the mediator in my family — when people argue, I'm the one to smooth things over. What about you? What do you do to keep the peace in your family?
Yves Saint Laurent
G Star
Marni
I am the family comedian, if anyone starts getting grouchy I nip it in the bud, by being funny about it. The awesome thing is that my family 99% of the time are the most laid back, wonderful, adaptive people on earth.
My husbands family? whole nother story and planet. I dont even bother to try to make that better...its hopeless.
1I'm generally quiet and try not to start any arguments in the frst place. But if I need to lighten thigns up I try and joke around about stuff, and if that doens't work I just leave them in their own grumpy hallow.
2I don't. General politeness applies to all gatherings, holidays or not. I don't take family gatherings as an opportunity to bicker.
And generally we're with my in-laws, where it's not my place to keep their peace. If they want to bicker, so be it. With my own family, there's never been fighting, just good-natured ribbing.
3there's a lil hostility toward's my sister's husband, so I don't know how it'll be this year...maybe he just wont go. We usually just ignore him, but lately he's the one ignoring us. loser.
we stay happy for all the kids (my neices and nephews)...cuz after all, that's why we're there for. keep it G.
4I talk to certain people as little as possible.
5Pour a round of drinks!
6My family gets along well. We're a small family where everybody gets along well.
My husband's family on the other hand- well they're a different story ...I guess my personal role in keeping the peace is to just send them their presents and to not talk to them.
7Usually at every family gathering there is a heated discussion about my crazy sister in laws ex husband because she can't seem to let it go and about my other SIL's girlfriend, she is a lesbian and it is totally a huge problem for some family members and it doesn't help that nobody like's the girlfriend. Oh what fun!
8My family always has some kind of craziness develop over the holidays, so if we're at a gathering and things start getting "weird", I either 1) Try to take 1/2 of the problem out of the equation by inviting them outside for a talk, drink, smoke, etc., whatever it takes to get them out of the environment and give everyone time to cool off, or 2) I just get my crap and get the heck outta there!
9Keep to myself!
10This would be why I don't go home!
11We all pretty much get along, but if there's a conflict, I'm usually involved...
Wine flows and the tequila... :drink: beer is yummy. The kids are hilarious...
12How do I keep the peace? I leave.
13My family is definitely "abnormal"...we always get along well and I never feel stressed or uneasy around any of them.
14DesignRchic - I like your solution.
We don't really fight, but it's because we just avoid confrontations. We're not really that close, but we like to pretend we are. Sometimes there's that silent discomfort, tension, but then I turn to that trusty wine. Or find the kids. They're always fun.
15I usually don't invite clashing parties to my place at the same time.
as for other ppl's house during holidays, well, if one aunt knows another aunt or niece will be at such and such's house, they won't go.
on my dad's side, he's 1 or 13. so there is a large family. we rarely are all at one person's house.
like my aunt margie always has something for Xmas, but like 70% of my dad's family doesn't go around her at all (she's nuts). so there is a low chance of there being some friction.
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