With the holidays just around the corner, family dinners are a must. They can be overwhelming and exhausting by the end of the night. Make sure you are equipped with the tools to survive your hectic, crazy, amazing family. Here are 10 ways to prepare yourself.

1. Don't wear jeans with holes in them.

We all know that one of our uncles, dads, or grandfathers will ask if we know there are holes in our jeans, and then if we bought them like that. It's really just a lot easier to avoid that whole scenario. Besides, leggings are much more comfortable and will stretch to accommodate all the food you'll be eating.

2. Don't sit between the two feuding cousins at dinner.

Pick your seat wisely. Families love each other at the heart of it all, and you love spending time with your relatives, especially during such a giving season, but there are always those two cousins that don't get along. If you want a peaceful Christmas dinner, try to avoid sitting between those two.

3. Get on Grandma's good side.

We all know that our grandma knows where the candy is, and she knows what desserts are best when it's time, so sit next to grandma for all the best food tips and fantastic old stories.

4. Sit next to the Christmas Tree.

Not only does this provide a good distraction, but it gives you valuable time to look at everyone's gifts and maybe even shake a few if you're really curious.

5. Get small portions of everything first.

The food is, of course, one of the best parts of the night. But, if you have any hope of trying everything out, you are going to need to limit your portions and make multiple trips. It's a difficult balance, especially when there is such an amazing green bean casserole sitting on the table, staring you down.

6. Bring your favorite board game.

7. Take time to eat over at the kid's table.

The best part about taking some time out of your night to sit with the kids is that you don't have to answer a bunch of really difficult questions about what you want to do after graduation, what your grades from finals were, how long you have until you get a real job, or whether or not your have a significant other.

8. Prepare some short answers for every life question.

In case the kid's table doesn't work out, be ready to answer some of the questions you didn't want to. Maybe prepare some generic answers that will satisfy your prying aunts and uncles while skillfully avoiding really and truly answering, because at this point, you may not have an answer, and that's perfectly acceptable.

9. Get one of every dessert.

Listen, at this point in the night, you've probably talked your own ear off, you're probably tired, you probably just want to go home and be with all your new presents and some sugar will most definitely do you good. Plus, we all know that pie is the real hero of Christmas dinners.

10. Take leftovers when they are offered to you.

Tomorrow, when you are digging through the fridge and don't know what will hit you, some more comfort food will be the best way to snack the day away.