Politics, in-laws and annoying cousins: the psychologist's guide to getting through a family Christmas “You should always pick your battles, but even more so at Christmas,” says Dr Ellen O’Gorman, clinical psychologist at The Soke, Chelsea.
Or if your mum hates you interfering with her cooking, leave her to it and do something else useful instead.“ Prepare for what triggers you in these situations, because it is unlikely that other people’s patterns of behaviours will change over Christmas,” Dr O’Gorman adds.
And remember how rare it is to get everyone together, making the holidays a special time, even if old habits (especially the really annoying ones) die hard.
Dr O’Gorman suggests a technique called “radical acceptance”, whereby you accept the reality of the situation, understanding what you can and can’t control, to navigate family dynamics.
It’s not always easy to avoid conflict, but if you can, walk away from minor arguments, rather than leaning in.
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