Winter holidays are a stressful time for everyone, from families to single people, but they can put extra pressure on your relationship. With a little planning and compromise, you can make sure that the holiday stress won’t have you screaming at each other for no good reason.
Learn how to avoid holiday fights by giving each other enough space and making sure that you focus on communication so things don’t get out of control.
Compromise for the Perfect Holiday Plan
Some of the worst fights can actually start before the holidays, when you’re struggling to figure out who’s family you’ll spend the special days with. If your important holiday destinations are very far apart, you’ll have to rotate every year, but when you can attend more than one party or see more family in shorter visits, that’s the right way to go.
Discuss the Budget and Stick to It
If your finances are tied together, one of the easiest ways to avoid holiday fights is to plan your budget in advance and stick to it. Avoiding impulse purchases or big unplanned expenses if you’re throwing a holiday party. It might also be wise to stick to a budget when it comes to buying presents for each other, so neither of you overspends.
Avoid Stress with a Joint Calendar
Once your big plans are in order, there are still things that can come up, and you’re better off is you make a joint calendar. Make sure you each separate events where you’re going on your own from those where you want the other to come along as well. That way, you’ll know in advance when two overlap and you might be able to adjust your schedules to fit both.
Spend Non-Holiday Quality Time Together
You can’t celebrate for the entire month of December, and if you try, you probably won’t manage to avoid holiday fights. It’s important to schedule a date night from time to time, and especially in a busy period like the holidays. Even if it’s just watching a movie together, it will help you reconnect and take a break from all the stress.
See also: How to Spend More Quality Time with Your Boyfriend
Set Reasonable Expectations
When your sole focus in December is to have the “perfect” holidays, you’ll get very stressed out and also experience tension with most people who seem to get in your way. Manage your expectations and cherish the positive parts of the experience. Even if things don’t turn out perfectly, you have each other and that’s the really important thing about the holidays.
Keep Your Sugar and Alcohol Intake Under Control
Drinking a little too much eggnog or having big fluctuations in your blood sugar levels because of delicious holiday treats can also less to stress, followed by tension and conflict. In order to avoid holiday fights, make sure that you’re not getting too much alcohol, sugar or even caffeine in your system.
Don’t be Afraid to Decline Invitations
You can’t attend every holiday party, so you have to prioritize. Instead of making commitments that will stress you out, stick to a schedule of the most important things, like work holiday parties and events hosted by really close friends. Without the pressure of eating sweets and drinking alcohol for many night in a row, you won’t be as stressed out and ready to fight with your guy.
Spend Some Time on You
You should also make a little time for yourself. If you’re stressed out because of constant commitments, from shopping to baking, you’re less likely to avoid holiday fights with your partner. Take a few hours off and pamper yourself, while letting him do something that he enjoys.
More: The Secrets All Happy Couples Have in Common
Skip the Presents
If your shopping list is very long and your man also has to get a lot of gifts, you could take some pressure off by not getting presents for each other. That doesn’t mean that you can’t offer each other an experience, from a massage to a romantic evening, but not having to worry about getting him the “perfect” present can make you less stressed out.
Focus on the Moment
Feeling stressed out about tomorrow or the day after is not the way to avoid holiday fights. If you’re enjoying the moment or focusing on what needs to be done right now, you’ll be a lot less likely to end up screaming when your guy doesn’t get it.
