Have a sit down talk with family members in order to clarify holiday expectations.
Make a list of Favorite "One Things"-- A favorite "one thing" is something that makes the holiday special for you.
Examples include:
- Favorite holiday food- main dish item: turkey
- Favorite holiday food- home baked item: roll out, decorated sugar cookies
- Favorite Home Activity: playing games after holiday dinners
- Favorite Community Activity: a Christmas Eve Service
- Favorite Family Gathering: Christmas Eve
- Favorite gift: Fiesta ware or something homemade
Choosing your favorite "one things" helps guarantee that you will spend your energy on things you and your family care about, rather than in conforming to media expectations of the season.
Remember to prepare yourself emotionally for this unique holiday. Some chairs may be empty due to a move, a death, or other family commitments.
Relax and enjoy the season. It comes once a year and should reflect your values. It should not come with a high price tag that will rob the new year of its joy.
