Holidays are always a stressful and joyful time of the year for everyone, and when you are coming home to many relatives, you can get caught up in the negativity that comes along with it. However, there are many blessings that can come from spending the holiday season with a big family. Here are some solutions to your big family holiday negativities.

It seems like every time your family gets together there is another new face that pops up, meaning another new name to remember. This can be a huge struggle. How are you supposed to remember who your grandma’s sister’s daughter was engaged to this summer? But having a huge family just means more little baby cousins to play with and twice the stories to hear at the dinner table! This definitely means more laughs and more smiles. So, this year, make it a game between you and your siblings to see who can remember the names of the most relatives. 

It can be overwhelming when family members constantly ask about your life. To wit:

• “Who was that boy in your picture?” 
• “What are you majoring in?" 
• “What do you plan to do with your life?” 

This can get to be too much when you don’t even know the answers yourself. But your family cares about you. They ask because they are interested in what you have been doing and how you are doing. They want to be proud of you for all your ups and downs, accomplishments and failures. So when you feel bombarded this holiday, don’t forget that sometimes a Facebook or Instagram update every once in a while isn’t enough for your family.  

Generally, if a big family gets together during the holidays, they tend to all stay in one or two houses. What does this mean? Sickness -- lots of it. When one person gets the flu, everyone gets the flu; no one is safe. Of course, no one likes to get sick, but staying in a full house can also bring a family together. There is always someone there to play cards with, or to talk to, and it is guaranteed that at least one person in the house will want to start up a game of basketball or whiffle ball.  

A big family also means more presents to buy. No one wants to feel left out, so when you want to get one sibling something special, you must get everyone a gift. A bigger family definitely means more presents from more people, but it also means there is an opportunity to make present giving fun! Instead of giving generic items, agree to give each other inexpensive ones that are useful or funny. My family always stocks the tree with crazy items like luffas and bars of soap because they are inexpensive, but we also know the receiver will use it.

It always feels chaotic and busy in the house with everyone doing something different and everyone planning activities to keep the little ones entertained. Look at this as an opportunity to be active throughout the holiday, a chance to burn off those extra calories from the apple pie the night before, or the scrumptious cinnamon roll you indulged in that morning. Just because your family is go-go-go throughout the break, doesn’t mean you have to be, too. Your family will understand that you need a break and want to stay home to relax during some of the scheduled plans. 

Big family holidays can be chaotic, busy, and overwhelming, but you will never be bored, and something memorable always happens. We all know college can be extremely stressful, so don’t let your break turn out that way. The holidays are all about making memories and cherishing the time you spend with loved ones. Don’t let the chaos in the house intimidate you and hold you back from having a wonderful holiday season!