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Whether you are married or just dating the Holiday schedules with each family can be very stressful.
Facebook reports seeing an excessive amount of relationship status changes around the holidays and according to Match.com, 76% of their singles say their relationship dissolved before, during, or after the holiday season.
These are the top tips from Mind, Body, Green to deal with the seasonal stress as a couple so you’ll still be going strong in 2019.
- Anticipate stress, specifically the stress you’ll both probably face -Think about which parts of the holidays will be the most challenging for you and the family relationships that are most difficult. Talk to your partner about what makes this time of year difficult for them.
- Plan your "cope-aheads" - Once you figure out the pitfalls you can expect, figure out how to navigate them with your S.O. Make a plan to cope with the financial challenges, relatives, and travel arrangements so you can manage the stress.
- Commit to spending time as just a couple - Use that down time together to reconnect and recharge from the stresses.
- Create and maintain a holiday tradition for the two of you - Come up with your very own tradition so you have something special for your family, separate from the ones you were raised in. It can include the kids or not, it’s up to you.
- Be forgiving and flexible - Remember that you’re on the same team so you should give each other the benefit of the doubt. Holidays are stressful and being more forgiving with your partner can help keep things from escalating.
- Don't neglect your intimate relationship - Everyone’s busy, but you can’t let that bring your sex life to a stop. Being intimate helps you feel connected, relieves stress, and makes you feel good, so get busy.
- Keep your sense of humor - Laughter is one of the best tools for dealing with stress, so try to see the humor where you can. Taking each other less seriously can help you handle the holidays as a couple.