Nov. 19, 2021
HOLIDAYS: Surviving holiday gatherings through a pandemic and political disagreements
By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast facts:
- Manage your own expectations
- Be patient with yourself, others
(443 words)
LITTLE ROCK — Find yourself approaching this year’s holidays with a bit of trepidation
following a year of COVID-induced separation and an atmosphere of anxiety and unrest?
Brittney Schrick, assistant professor and extension family life specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, has a few survival tips.
“Realistic expectations are key for most things in life, and holiday interactions and plans are no exception,” she said.
Emotional land mines
The holidays are laden with potential emotional land mines. There’s tension over travel.
Whether on the road or in the air, many are traveling for the first time in more than
a year. Will the flight be on time? Will traffic be a bear? Did airport security routines
change? COVID changed a few things about how we interact too. Will everyone at the
gathering be wearing a mask? And there are the things we worried about before the
pandemic: Who was bringing what for the big meal? Did I get the right gift?
“It never hurts to hope for the best, but plan for the worst. Especially if flying, prepare for delays and potentially for cancellations,” she said. “If you’re traveling anywhere with kids, make sure you have realistic expectations of how it will go and prepare with activities, snacks, and plenty of stops.”
What about that relative who only wants to talk politics or otherwise stir the pot during gatherings?
“If you know you have a relative with strong political or other views that run counter to yours, don’t talk about politics and expect them to suddenly come to your point of view,” Schrick said. “Know going in that just because you may not have seen each other in a while doesn’t mean the interactions will be any different than they have been in the past.”
Dealing with anxiety
Schrick said patience should take high priority at times like these.
“Be patient with yourself and with those around you,” she said. “High anxiety spreads quickly, especially from parents to children.”
Schrick suggests taking a deep breath or 10 and try to bring down your anxiety or stress level.
“If you need to, take a break,” she said. “Take a walk, go to the grocery store, take a nap, whatever you need to do to recharge.”
Use the escape hatch
Sometimes togetherness isn’t the answer, Schrick said.
“If you are dealing with toxic or damaging relationships that are more stressful than nourishing, consider skipping out altogether,” she said. “That may be difficult, and you may have to field questions, but your mental health and that of your family is important.”
For more of Schrick’s advice on families, visit her Family Life Fridays Blog.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch.
To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
# # #
Media contact: Mary Hightower
mhightower@uada.edu