Are you dreading the idea of going home and facing your blood relatives during the holidays, or are you normal? In the ever continuous generation gap war between the millennials and everyone else, spending the holidays with your family must be such a feat. Don’t worry. We got your back. In this article, we will discuss some of the most helpful reminds that will get you by the whole holiday season.

There are so many things that could happen when two or more different generations meet. It would be almost like a clash of different beliefs and values in life when your elders ask you personal questions (although they mean well). After all, holiday reunions are all about catching up and updating your family about what you have been up to. So, how do you strike the perfect balance between respecting your relatives, and at the same time, being genuine about the things that happened in your life?

Try Not to Throw the First Fist

No matter how conservative your family relatives are, you should not take the first jab regarding an issue over the table. It can be about politics or other social issues, but you have to remember that people have certain biases about everything. They would only listen to things that they want to hear and understand those that they have certain experiences about.

Just as the saying “You cannot fill a cup that is already full.” If you are aware that your family relatives are against certain things that you are advocating, it is wise to leave the subject untouched. Do not provoke them and then blame them for reacting in a way that does not favor you or anyone at the table. It is important to be the bigger person in these scenarios.

Keep Your Cool

There are certainly moments when older people, even your parents, can easily push your buttons. In some ways, family relatives pick the holiday season as the perfect time to be insensitive about your character, beliefs, and even struggles.

Let us take mental health as an example. Older people have a history of invalidating mental health choices, and when their kids choose a field of work to take care of their peace, they scoff at it for being underpaying. If you are aware of this scene, it is easy to snap when reasoning out, and so we advise you to keep your cool. Remember that you do not have to snap in order to send your point across.

If your family relatives have been pressing for you to settle down and start a family, you do not have to go on defensive mode about normalizing your choices. You can simply say that you have still got things in your mind to achieve. Perhaps, you still have a long way to go at work. You can even tell them that you haven’t met the right person yet, and other reasons that are personally true for you as well.

Refrain From Being Sarcastic

Have you ever heard about positive framing? It is where you try to say something not entirely pleasant in a nice manner. While being sarcastic is often the go-to choice of the younger generation, as the older ones do not typically get it. You should refrain from using it and remember your manners. You can use your words, if there is something you ought to say to your family relatives, you do not have to keep your mouth shut the entire night.

For example, you were told that you have gained quarantine weight by your least favorite aunt. How do you deal with it without sarcasm? You can brush the comment off, or even laugh it off, but you can simply be genuine. Tell them the past couple of years weren’t exactly easy, or that you gave yourself a break from all the workouts but remained consistent with your detox juice for weight loss. Keep in mind that no matter how harsh your family relatives can come as you have to power to not let them get to you. Being snarky and sarcastic won’t help you, and it can even ruin the holidays for you.

As everyone would know, there can be overbearing family relatives during the holiday season that often like to step across their boundaries. If this happens to you, and you get attacked for your personal life choices, do not let anyone trample on you. Count three strikes, and if they’re still at it, you can hold your ground and have the last word. Just remember, of course, to be calm and collected when doing so.