It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  Or so they sing…

Let’s face it, not everyone has that loving and always smiling family get-together around the holidays.

We all want to. We even pray for it to be wonderful. 

But sometimes, Christmas time turns into Craziness.

If you don’t have that picture perfect family (which I personally do not believe exist) then you are in good company! Many people don’t have a perfect Christmas experience. If  you are among these I refer to, your family is not “broken” or weird. In fact, they are just as special as the Rockefellers in every way!

In a not-so-perfect family situation, stress can be big factor. There are many ways to cope and help you get through the holidays! Check out the categories below and see if any may apply to your crazy Christmas:

The Re-Arranger

The Re-Arranger is that beloved family member that wants to move your pillows on the couch or re-fluff them. Then move your ornaments on the tree to “fill a hole” or adjust the star or angel up top. They will constantly be sharing memories with you about how they did it or how they would do something (and it is something you are doing “wrong” in their mind).  They will tell you how they would have hung the lights outside the house or the best way to rearrange the living room to accommodate the tree. This sweet little hoot is just showing a personality flaw and should be over looked with a smile and a nod 😉

The Fake

This family member or friend will be sweet, loving and all hugs when they see you! They will be overboard with fake  happiness and over compliment everything. They will love the pictures on the wall, tell you how beautiful the tree is, admire the amount of presents under the tree and compliment your cooking as the best they’ve ever had. They won’t say a cross word during the visit… at least not to your face. Actually, everything will be all “Honey darling” and “sweet heart”.  After they have left, they will begin contacting everyone you jointly know and begin the negativity. They will talk in length about how your children behaved and how you’ve put on weight or who shame the one that is beginning to bald.  This list goes on and on.

The Gossip

Everyone has a gossip in the family. Seriously, no one is immune to this one! The gossip will tell you about all the other family members business and add their own opinion the mix. They will usually end the conversation with “you didn’t hear it from me” or “remember, I didn’t tell you that” or my all time favorite… “that’s just what I heard”. Whether you enjoyed hearing about everyone’s secrets or not, your responses are now on their lips and are being spread!

 

The Jolly Positive Soul

This family member is my all time favorite to see!!  I love the jolly & positive person.  This person is someone you know you could vent to if you needed. They would listen and never repeat what you say. In the end, they will hug you lovingly and tell you that everything is going to be okay. This person will attempt to make a positive out of a negative every time. They also tend to be the peace-maker and smooth over little arguments that may arise.

 

The Hugger

We all have that family member that is full of love and the best way they know how to express it is through hugging. This is not a bad thing at all either. They will hug you when they arrive, several times during the time they are there and hug you before they leave. This Hugger could also be labeled the Lover.  With the more crazy family members in attendance, the Hugger or Lover will often times defuse a situation without even knowing it.  Don’t get frustrated with the Hugger because they just may save the day!

 

The Selfie Queen

At holiday gatherings in the 2000’s we have seen a rise in the popularity of the Selfie Queen. You might as well get dressed nicely and do your make-up and hair because this family member will share your photo with the world. He or She will attempt to take a good-hearted selfie with each person there and will promptly share them all on their social media channels. Gone are the days when we could rush around preparing everything in our sweats while wildly spilling coffee on our shirts while running around like a chicken with its head cut off!!  Oh yes, now we must prepare our homes to be gorgeous as photo back drops and rush to keep the kitchen cleaned as dishes pile up after a meal. Because you never know when the selfie queen may show up and snap away!

 

The Borrower

He or she is always broke. You almost hate to see them coming, but you love them. After all, they are family, right?  Everyone has a borrower in the family.  You feel bad for them, you know they’ve had it rough. What do you do?  Do you avoid them as much as you can so they don’t have a chance to ask you for money?  Do you offer them financial advice? Do you tell them “not now” or “this is a bad time”? However you choose to deal with that family member, just know… Every family has one of these in it!

 

The Photo Bomber

The photo bomber shows up at every gathering and secretly wants to be included in every photo. When not invited for a quick snap, they will somehow make their way into every shot. This person is often the comedian of the family too.

The Comedian

Everyone loves when the Comedian shows up! They are the light-hearted soul that keeps the atmosphere full of laughter.  Usually most people look forward to this quick whit’s appearance. They are readily liked and much-loved. But, often changing their comedic focus from person to person.  Be careful not to upset the comedian at a family gathering because they will certainly use you as the material of their next joke or laugh!

 

The Pooper

No one likes to admit it, but we all have a pooper in our families! You know the one.  He or she will make a b-line for the restroom immediately after eating. This could also be the person that will use the restroom for an extended amount of time leaving everyone with crossed legs that needs to empty their bladder! Oh yes, every family has The pooper. This is why stocking up on toilet paper is super important around the holidays!

 

The Perfect One

This family member is not so bad. The answer they give to everything is “We are good”, “It’s good”, “It’s Fine”, and “we are great”.  The whole world could be crashing down around them and they will tell you they are fine.  This person could be crumbling on the inside and you’d never know.  Because this person keeps their woes to themselves, I recommend paying special attention to them. They may be attempting to be the inspiration for others that they wish they had for themselves.

There are many other family member types that I haven’t included here.  Feeling sorry for me yet? Well, don’t. Not all these are still in my family.  Time  changes people and things, but…  If you want to help me feel better, buy me a cup of coffee!

Share with me in the comments who I left out of your family!

Here’s a pinnable pic 😉