This post is sponsored by our friends at The Op Games. We only share the things we love and use ourselves. Some links are affiliate links. And you can win games from The Op below!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

Well, except for all of the arguing and awkward tense silences that are associated with family gatherings.

In our current climate of division, generational divide and strong opinions, it’s wise to come up with some strategies to keep yourself SANE. Here are a few of our favorites:

Set Boundaries

So, I don’t care if you have to post it on a huge board in the middle of the living room or just politely mention it as guests walk in the door but LAY THE GROUD RULES people!

In our house that includes:

No talk of politics. This isn’t “Meet the Press.” No criticism of the food and drink being served. And finally, DON’T drink too much – Nothing is worse than seeing Aunt Betty passed out on the couch snoring while Chestnuts by Nat King Cole is playing.

You could also send out a formal contract for people to sign but that might just cause more harm than good.

Laugh it Off

Chances are, you’re going to get insulted by someone at some point, even with a signed contract. Your mother-in-law will have something to say about how you’ve decided to dress your kids – or how they decided to dress themselves. (Who has time to shop for special Christmas outfits that they will just ruin anyway?) You know she’s going to do it. Don’t waste your brain space trying to come up with a witty comeback about how you’ve failed in the kiddie fashion department.

Just laugh.

Laugh in her face and tell her how funny she is. Bless her heart.

Play it off like a joke. She may think you’re crazy (though doesn’t she already?) but it will save you from having to defend yourself.

Have an Escape Plan

Find some reason to have to spend time alone in another room or to leave the premises altogether. Maybe you “forgot” the butter and must run to the only open grocery store 15 miles away.

If you have to, quietly sneak away from the dinner table and hide in a closet upstairs. Closets are safe and calming and no one will bother you for a few minutes.

Keep Yourself REALLY Busy

This is another way of hiding, without actually hiding. It’s genius. Just make yourself the designated maid for the event. There are pots to scrub, food to prepare and put away, even if it’s not your event. This is a great way to avoid an awkward exchange. “Oh, excuse me, I promised Aunt Betty I would help her with the coffee.” No one else really wants to work on a holiday, so you will either come off as a hardworking hostess or a helpful guest. And you’ll be conflict-free.

Play Some Games (and win games from The Op Games!)

I’m not talking about your average game of cards or any run-of-the-mill board game. Two of our favorite interactive and fun games are from The Op Games. These games keep you and your family laughing AND getting along. And both of these games are great for adults and kids to play together.

The award-winning game Telestrations is a sketch, pass and guess game that is fun for all ages. It’s like the game of telephone with drawing, and if you’re terrible at drawing, not to worry, your stick figures and funky drawings will just make the game funnier. Once a full round of play has been completed, each player shares their sketchbook and all the crazy pictures and guesses make everyone laugh.

Blank Slate will keep all of your family members engaged and on their toes. The game includes 250 Word Cue cards with 2 cues on each card. Each player is asked to fill in a word they think best suits the blank on the card. All the players then reveal their guess – match one player you get 3 points, match more than one, you get one point. It is really interesting to see how your family member’s minds work and how much you actually do all think alike sometimes…. or not.

My family and I played both of these games this past Thanksgiving and we had so much fun! We laughed so hard and really bonded. It kept us all from arguing – at least while we were playing. I can’t really speak for the rest of the day, but while we were playing the games, there was total family harmony.

USAoploly wants you to have a ton of fun with your family this holiday, so they are giving away a Big Box of Awesome, full of their games. Enter below!

Win Games from The Op Games

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