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Happy Blended Holidays
12 Ways "Non-Traditional" Families Can Make the Most of the End-of-Year Festivities
5. Don't over-schedule.
If your child is spending every other day on a plane or in a car being shuttled from Mom's to Dad's to Grandma's to the other Grandma's, she will not enjoy the holidays. Neither will you. Avoid the temptation to try to squeeze everyone in. If possible, work out an agreement with your spouse to minimize the amount of running around you and your child have to do. Also remember that it's OK to say no. You don't have to attend every party or family gathering or religious service that presents itself. Some quiet, restful time at home is good for everyone. 6. Don't be a slave to the calendar.
It's not carved in stone that you have to serve the turkey on November 25. If your ex has the kids on Thanksgiving Day, why not hold your own Thanksgiving dinner, complete with grandparents, on Sunday, the 28th? (If you're worried that everyone will be tired of turkey, consider breaking with tradition and serve, say, fondue instead.) This will give everyone an event to look forward to during the often dreary, post-holiday lull. 7. In gift giving, think quality and equality.
Try not to duplicate. If you have, say, a biological child and a stepchild, make sure they get the same quality of gifts. That doesn't mean the gifts should be identical. (The "duplicate" approach fails to take individual tastes and personalities into account and should be avoided.) Children, especially those who have been through a divorce, are sensitive to discrepancies. Communicate closely with your current spouse – and possibly your ex as well – to prevent them from occurring. Want to see more?
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