Sometimes, at Christmas, family celebrations are not as pleasant as we might wish. Sometimes, we have to spend time with family members that bring tension and conflict to the Christmas dinner table. How do we make the best of challenging family situations during the holiday season?

One way might be to listen more and talk less. Just like it takes two to tango, it takes two to squabble. In fact, sometimes its best just to keep your mouth shut. It’s only for a day or two. When I was growing up, my mother said to me many times, “You don’t have to tell everything you know.” Proverbs 10:19 says “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” Not bad advice to help make stressful family gatherings a little better.

This year, plan to have a Merry Christmas.