How to get on with your relatives this Christmas
23rd December 2011
It is that time of year once again: a time for buying gifts, writing cards, filling your house with shiny decorations and enjoying time with friends.
It is also a time of year for families to come together. This is a different experience for everyone, and can be a testing time for many.
The immediate family is one thing, but when relatives come calling it can lead to a lot of forced smiles and awkward moments around the dining table. Or worse, an alcohol fuelled, full-blown argument that puts a bit of a dampener on the festive spirit.
So what can you do to make sure your family Christmas runs smoothly? Here are some hints and tips on how to get on with your relatives this Christmas.
Don’t drink too much
Alcohol is often used as a way of relaxing guests at a dinner party, leading to more conversation and a friendlier atmosphere. But when it comes to relatives at Christmas, less is definitely more.
While we all like a drink at Christmas, be careful not to overdo it. And don’t let your guests have too much either, or you risk a shouting match over the last glass of Sherry.
Get out the board games
In this fast-paced, technologically advanced world we live in, it can be easy to forget about good old fashioned board games.
Whether it’s Monopoly, Cluedo, or the Christmas classic Trivial Pursuit, board games are a great way to bring all members of the family together. But try not to let it get too competitive, or you could be finding Monopoly pieces behind your sofa for months.
Assign rooms for different activities
Your Aunty wants to play cards, your little cousins want to play on their new games console, and all you want to do is relax in front of the TV and let your food go down.
Squabbles over who gets to do what can make Christmas day turn sour, but all you need to do is designate a different room for different things. Who said family have to be together all day long? Make one room the TV room, have another for video games, and use the dining table as a board game arena. Perfect!
If you have just started a family of your own, or have small children in the house – consider taking out life insurance to make sure you are covered for the future.
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