Oh, the holidays. Or, if like me, you’ve made it this far into the year with barely any steam left and a crumbling sense of what time and life even are: oh god???? It’s… the… holidays… (again!)
 

Let’s admit it, by the time Christmas comes around, we’re all exhausted and ready to sleep / eat / drink mulled wine and repeat. However, things don’t always go according to plan, and more often than not, it’s down to how we feel around our families. Whether we’ll end up having the most relaxing time winding down for the end of the year and come back charged and ready for 2023, or whether the eyes under our bags will just get bigger and deeper than they were on December 1st, will likely depend on how zen we can remain throughout the different family gatherings we have planned. 

Families are a tough beast, and familial relationships can be extremely triggering in nature. We’ll have a look at some therapist-approved tips and tricks for surviving the holidays without chewing your sibling’s face off, but before we do that, it’s important to stress that being around family members for Christmas is a privilege in itself and always something to cherish. 

No matter how strained the relationship or how infuriating interactions might feel, we can always take a moment to feel some gratitude and say thanks. 

On to some tried and tested ways to survive Christmas without being triggered by family members! Happy holidays, Dandy readers!