Christmas is supposed to be a wonderful time of the year when everybody is in holiday spirits and spending time with family and just enjoying life in general. Okay, so maybe it's only sunshine and rainbows in the movies, but in actuality, it's not supposed to be terrible either. Watching Christmas movies, baking cookies, decorating the tree together...there's so many things families do together during the holidays.

However, if your family is anything like mine, seeing all your friends' families doing these things gets old really quick. Whether your family is just not close, or are just dysfunctional, here are a few tidbits of advice to get you through the holiday and then the rest of break.

1. Don't keep it to yourself.

What I've learned over the first week of my break is that friends will be there for you. So most of my friends assume that everyone has a good time over winter break, and I'm okay with that. I mean, I have a terrible time every time I come home for break, but I still assume that the rest of my friends enjoy it. So when life at home is really shitty, nobody will know unless you tell them. Believe me, I hate complaining about things but I don't regret it when I have somebody to call when shit hits the fan. Even if it's a friend from college and therefore they can't physically provide you with a getaway from life, they can still be there for you and are still just one call away. Let your friends help you.

2. Don't let it stop you from being in the holiday spirit.

So your parents are fighting nonstop or nagging at you constantly. Don't let that bring you down. I know that's hard to do because I personally cry every time my parents fight or every time I get yelled at, but I've learned over the years that nothing will change, except me. While I still get upset, I know there isn't anything I can do to make my family love each other and spend time each other. So, I bake cookies by myself while singing along to Christmas carols. If there's a Christmas movie that you love, then microwave some popcorn for yourself and watch it. Don't ever let someone take away your holiday spirit just because they're too bitter to have any themselves.

3. Remember that this is only temporary.

You're going back to school soon! It may feel like forever, but it'll be over soon. Believe me, I'm literally counting down the days until I can move back into my dorm (when I say literally, I mean I have a countdown on my phone). For someone with a terrible home life, college is a blessing. You can actually get some sleep and not hear yelling and fighting all the time. For some reason, that makes being at home harder than ever before, but don't get discouraged. If you can, try to stay with relatives or friends whenever you can. Just remember, you have somewhere to go soon and once you graduate and get your own apartment, you don't have to go back at all.

And remember,