Of course, I love seeing my family, but it’s exhausting and stressful whether you’re the holiday host or the guest. “I wish the holidays could be more of a vacation than an obligation,” sighed one young married woman flying across the country to visit her husband’s family. Your Mantra: it won’t be perfect. Not the food. Not the kids’ behavior. Not the adults’ behavior. We’re talking about family, after all.
There will be squabbling cousins, know-it-all brothers-in-law, aunts who can’t resist criticizing your cooking and bored teens who make it clear they would rather be anywhere else. Let’s not forget the vegetarians, vegans and picky eaters who make every meal a challenge. Never mind what we think gatherings should be like. The reality is young kids are discombobulated by travel, unfamiliar surroundings and too much sugar; grown-ups are discombobulated by travel, overeating and over-drinking.