Trying to hold it all together over the holidays? You’re not alone. It’s supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year,” but for the newly divorced or couples desperately trying to hold their marriage together, the season may be anything but wonderful.
Whether your family celebrates Hanukkah or Yule, Kwanzaa or Christmas, marital challenges do not discriminate. Conflict can present itself in the form of passive-aggressive in-laws, vindictive exes, and combative co-parents — turning holiday miracles into holiday nightmares.
This month, we will be sharing practical ways you and your loved ones can get through the holidays with minimal conflict and strife. We believe this blessing is a good place to start:
However, even when you’ve done the inner work necessary, external factors — specifically, relationships — can test us at a time when holiday-related stress is at an all-time high.
If tension threatens to diminish the intended joy, peace, and giving of the season, it may be worth creating a game-plan so you can prepare for difficult situations.
For instance, if you’re a co-parent and trying to juggle schedules and transfer kids between separate households, read our guide for developing a holiday co-parenting plan that works.
Or, if you and your spouse know divorce is the only option but you are still living in the same house and struggling to keep the peace, you may find the suggestions here to be helpful. It may even make sense for you to visit the weCommunity forum to connect with others who may be experiencing something similar.
While the reality of the holidays may not be all glitter and glamour, it can certainly be a time of clarity, self-discovery, and quite possibly, joy. We wish you all the best things while you go through this transition. As always, we are here to answer your questions along the way.
