Holiday Survival Guide: 5 Ways to Make it Through the Holidays and Keep Your Sanity

1. Keep the traditions you like, ditch the ones you don’t Traditions are part of what makes holidays special. And whether you’re celebrating with family, virtually, or alone, practicing holiday traditions that are meaningful to you will help bring some normalcy and comfort to an otherwise trainwreck of a year. So if your tradition is blasting Mariah Carey for the hundredth time, drowning cookies in frosting, or making your grandmother’s old tried-and-true latke recipe, lean into those traditions this year for an extra dose of solace and well-being.  At the same time, if your family partakes in a tradition you’ve absolutely loathed since childhood, it’s time to ditch it. Even if an activity or food is considered “tradition” when that tradition is causing you stress, unhappiness, or hurting your physical or mental health, it’s not worth it. This year, start a tradition of your own that you know you’ll love. Maybe it’s a pre-holiday nap or locking yourself in the bathroom for an hour-long relaxing bath.   Photo by Max Titov on Unsplash 2. It’s the perfect year to say “no.”  Your go-to line this holiday season will be, “In a pandemic?!” Family dynamics can be challenging on a good day, but for whatever reason, the holidays always seem to bring out the family drama. Saying “no” to family get-togethers or distressing conversation topics is no small feat. But this year, if you’re having a hard time saying “no” to holiday festivities because you don’t think your family will understand you’re sitting this year out for your mental health and sanity, simply say, “I can’t come. There’s a pandemic!” Not only is it true, but it takes the pressure off of you coming up with additional reasons and explanations