Christmas- ’tis the season to be jolly, right? Sure, jolly as you can be when the whole three generations of your family congregates in your house; raiding the fridge, upsetting the neighbours with their boozy antics and making you certain that another 365 days without seeing them would be almost too soon..
For although Christmas is supposed to be a time spent with your loved ones you’ve so dearly missed during the year, in reality it can be the time you realise that absence really does make the heart grow fonder, as Uncle Pat passes out at 4 in the afternoon(an improvement on last year) and that one cousin whose guts you hate finishes off the pigs in blankets.
However, they are your family, and you love them. Even if only as much as your pet hamster. So here’s a few tips to keep the good ol’ festive spirit up and family
nerves at bay:
1. Smile at every present you get. Yes, Nan has probably been buying you the same Take That CD for the past 5 years, but look on the bright side. It could be Jedward instead.
2. Laugh at your relative’s jokes. (You know, the kind of ones that make them laugh their guts out until they starts choking on their food and banging their hands on the table.) Remember, this is only for Christmas day, by Boxing day you are free to ignore their jokes at your will.
3. Help out with the Christmas dinner. Look at it this way; you can secretly bin the brussels, snag a couple of extra yorkshires and stop everyone stressing out at the same time.
4. Agree to watch Christmas TV with your younger relatives. (Remember how many times you’d make your folks watch The Grinch on the lead up to Christmas when you were 8?)
5. Indulge in the mince pies – If your good deeds still fail to bring the ‘festive cheer’, grab the pies and comfort yourself with the fact that New Year is just around the corner.
6. Stay calm. Yes, we know. Difficult. And as much as you may want to start screaming at your mum/dad/sibling/entire family, don’t, it’ll ruin Christmas. Take a deep breath, count to ten and smile. And maybe start a countdown for your return to uni.
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