Don't put the ho-ho-hum in the holiday season!
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5. Decorate your home with lots of “don’t-touch” holiday objects, then get upset when your child breaks one (or worse, get scared when he ends up hurting himself).
Instead: Learn how to keep your home festive, but hazard free.
6. Drag your children to a nighttime holiday religious service, then feel embarrassed when they can’t keep it together.
Instead: Look for a “family” service, where kids are welcome and a certain amount of squirminess is permitted.
7. Pressure your kids to give hugs and kisses to family friends and relatives they barely know.
Instead: Remember that kids, like adults, have the right to decide whom they want to be cozy with. If your child doesn’t feel like it, ask him to give a simple wave or say a friendly hello. Really young kids may not even be able to manage that much, but it’s okay; the adults around them will almost certainly understand.
8. Go into debt making this “the best holiday ever.”
Instead: Create a reasonable budget and stick to it. You’ll start the new year feeling refreshed—not impoverished.
