Christmas is the time of the year when families gather together to celebrate as a family. It is also a time when much debate takes place over where Christmas will be spent. When you throw in blended families and in-laws, you end up with a whole mish-mash of invitations.

So how in the world do you decide where to spend Christmas? There is more than one way to deal with this problem. Finding the way that works best for you is something that could, unfortunately, take a few years to figure out.

Visit everyone

Some families choose to pack up the family vehicle and hit the road during Christmas week. They visit one family after another, accepting all invitations they receive. Of course, by the time they return home, toys and gifts have filled every nook and cranny. Not to mention bellies are too full from an entire day of eating on the run.

Draw a straw

Other families choose the draw a straw method. In this case, one spot is chosen for the family to spend Christmas. They spend Christmas with one family and enjoy the entire day there, without all the hassles of shuffling the whole family from one place to another all day. In this case, families usually choose to pick one family this year, then alternate it with another destination the next year. This way everybody is happy.

Just stay home

There are some who despise traveling for Christmas. Many families with younger children prefer to stay at home and enjoy Christmas as a family with their children. Although not very many families do this today, it is a possibility to try if you can’t decide where to spend Christmas this year.

Christmas is always such a fun and special time for children. The world is changing so fast that children are growing up much quicker than they used to. It is important to take time to make the holidays special for your children every year. I have some quick tips on how to do that this year.

• Go caroling. Not very many people go caroling anymore. Gather a group of family and friends and walk through your neighborhood and sing Christmas carols. Your children will absolutely love it!
• Have a hay ride. Next to caroling, hay rides are becoming scarce as well. Why not hitch up the trailer, throw on some bundles of hay, and have fun riding through town caroling.
• Read a favorite Christmas story together. Children love books. Even more so, they love for their parents to read to them. Choose a favorite Christmas book, settle down by the fireplace or Christmas tree and read the book together as a family.
• Watch Christmas movies together. Not all children enjoy reading, so if yours doesn’t, then choose a nice holiday movie to watch together instead. Pop some corn, make some hot chocolate and snuggle together to watch a movie.
• Cook Christmas dinner together. All kids love hanging out and helping in the kitchen. Plan an entire dinner around the family cooking together.

Spending time with your children is important. During the holidays, these special memories you are creating will stay with them for a lifetime. Make every moment count and make treasured memories this holiday season.

As Christmas rolls around the corner, bells ring and Santas fill department stores and photo centers. But not everything is delightful and joyful for some people. Many experience anxiety and frustration at the thought of having to spend yet another holiday with family members they loathe.

Are you included in this grumpy list? If so, keep reading. I have some tips for tolerating those few miserable hours that you’ll have to spend with people you dislike.

• Set a time limit. It is difficult to spend time with people you don’t like. In fact, this is usually how many family disagreements start. Put together a few family members who don’t like each other, mix in some bad conversation, and you’ve got the makings of a full-on family feud. Rather than feeding that fire with more fuel, set a time limit on conversation. Make nice then excuse yourself if you can’t be civil.
• Put on your best actress/actor face. Imagine yourself an actor. You’re starring in the leading role of a hot new film. The setting: Family Christmas dinner. The cast: Obnoxious family members you hate. The plot: Turning things around this Christmas. Okay, so maybe that’s a stretch. Do your best to put on a poker face anyway.
• Make small talk. Differences of opinions usually lie at the heart of family bickering. Instead of falling prey to yet another family argument, make small talk. If the conversation seems to start turning towards a topic that is known to be the sore spot of a family member, steer it back towards more small talk.

Christmas is coming. For many that means family get-togethers. But not all family gatherings are fun. Many are stressful because of the holiday know-it-all. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. There aren’t many families without one.

The holiday know-it-all always has an answer for everything. She usually talks over others and interrupts others, rather than waiting her turn to speak. She has an opinion about everything and expresses it quite loudly, whether everyone wants to hear it or not.

If you have suffered through years of miserable family gatherings because of a holiday know-it-all, here are some tips to help you deal with it better this year:

• Ignore him. You’re probably thinking, ‘Easier said than done!’ You can ignore him though. Rather than meeting his statements with a rebuttal, simply smile and say nothing.
• Walk away. Some confrontations by know-it-alls are best dealt with by just walking away from them. Don’t storm off in anger, but walk away with your head held high and leave her wondering.
• Patronize him. If you want to get a really good laugh out of the situation, patronize the know-it-all. Sit beside him every chance you get and ask big questions. Hang onto every word he says. Pretend like he’s the best thing in the world. There’s usually nothing the know-it-all hates more than being patronized. Chances are you’ll run him off without too much effort.

Regardless of how you choose to handle your holiday know-it-all, just remember to never attempt to engage in an all-out war of words. Hold your ground and maintain integrity at all times.