How Not to Hate Your Loved Ones at the Holidays

Don't let the family drama ruin your fun (or relationships) this holiday (12 Photos)

Josey Miller on Nov 29, 2011 at 2:10PM

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The Passive-Aggressive Mother-in-Law

When it comes to dealing with a passive-aggressive relative, bring your sense of humor, says Leonard Felder, Ph.D., author of When Difficult Relatives Happen to Good People: Surviving Your Family and Keeping Your Sanity (Rodale, 2005). “See if you can predict [her] sneaky and guilt-inducing comments, then silently tell yourself, ‘Wow, I called it,” says Felder. The best approach with the passive-aggressive mother-in-law is to say yes only when you mean yes and, when you want to say no, say it gently and calmly. (Easier said than done? Nah!)

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How do you handle family gatherings at the holidays?