Having a big family can be fun, but it can also make it tough to organize your holiday calendar. Factor in your partner’s family, too, and it can become nearly impossible to see everyone on your list.

For lots of couples, this negotiation about which gatherings to attend and which you’d rather skip can quickly turn into an argument. Some even opt to avoid family altogether until the chaos has subsided.

That’s why Dr. Ami Rokach, a clinical psychologist and professor at York University, says those couples who stick around for the holidays should operate as a unit, “mostly addressing their needs and wishes rather than those of others (like family).”

Dr. Natasha Sharma, a relationship and emotional fitness expert, has similar advice.

“Think of yourselves first (this isn’t selfish!) and what will make you feel happiest,” she said. “It should never be compromising to you … Make where and with whom you choose to spend your time over the holidays natural and honest.”

Here, both experts share tips for making holiday plans that will keep everyone in your family happy.

Plan ahead

“I often suggest that people start to address that issue way before the actual date,” Rokach told Global News.

Having an agreed-upon plan will allow the two of you to head into the holiday season as a united front, and it will avoid any conflict or resentment arising.

“It is important for the couple to reiterate that their first priority is to operate as a union, taking both points of view into account, understanding that complete fulfilment of each of their wishes cannot be fulfilled,” he said.

Sharma says the wants of children, if you have them, should also be taken into consideration.

Be honest about what you want from the holiday season, and go from there.

Do what’s best for you and your partner

The key, says Rokach, is not to allow yourself to feel pressured or shamed into going somewhere you don’t want to go.

To that end, narrow down a list of places both of you actually want to visit.

“The most important point is that they do so as a couple, after negotiating between themselves where they will go,” he said.

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