These days there are more and more inter-faith couples. Although these relationships can be fun, interesting and rewarding, there can be complications that come up when the holiday season arrives. Are you in a relationship where the two of you celebrate different holidays? For some, their faith, holidays and the traditions associated with them mean a lot to them. For others, perhaps, not so much. Some people will want to celebrate holidays based on their religion, and others can celebrate in a completely different way.
With children in the picture, working out the differences beforehand and coming up with a game-plan can make the holidays less stressful and more fun for them When children see that the grown-ups are getting along well, it is easy for them to be more focused on enjoying themselves.
No matter what holidays you choose to celebrate, it can be challenging when your partner celebrates with a completely different set of traditions. Unnecessary tension can come from these differences, but there are ways that you can overcome them.
If you are already in the relationship, you started the relationship knowing that the two of you come from different backgrounds and you should have both already considered and accepted this. So, look at it like this: The celebration of different holidays just means that you have more to celebrate! As long as you and your partner are respectful of one another’s differences, communicate with each other the main expectations you can agree to disagree and still celebrate life together.
Be sure to sit down with your partner and work it out.
To make the most of your holiday traditions together, consider the following:
The Short List:
- Agree To Disagree About Standing Traditions.
- Stay Agreeable During The Holidays And The Events Or Activities You Agreed To.
- Create New Traditions In Your Home.
Now, With More Details
1. Agree To Disagree About Standing Traditions.
It’s natural to disagree on how to celebrate holidays. Some people are very focused on their religious ideals. Others are more concerned with how their children want to celebrate or following family traditions that have been passed down. Some things you will need to allow the other to have.
2. Stay Agreeable During The Holidays And The Events Or Activities You Agreed To.
Show respect to one another. If you and your partner respect one another and the opinions and beliefs you both have, it can be easier to get through the holidays with good attitudes. You can both make new memories that you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
If you do agree to one or more of your partners traditions that you are not so crazy about, but you need to be involved with them for it, make sure that you do so without griping, bitching or otherwise complaining. If you said yes to something, you need to stand by your word and go along well with whatever it may be. No one wants to spend time with a spoiled snarky grown-up man child.
3. Create New Traditions In Your Home.
Part of the discussion that you should have with each other should answer the following questions:
What elements of your traditions can be blended?
- How can you ensure the most elements of each other’s traditions that are most important to you are preserved?
- What new family traditions can you agree upon to create lasting memories and foster closer relationships?
Work towards getting to common ground that you can both agree on for a bright holiday.
Wintertime holidays like Christmas often present special challenges because there are so many different traditions practiced by people of different faiths. If your partner does not celebrate Christmas you may need to ease them into the holiday or accept the fact that there may be somethings that they do not want to participate in. By talking openly with each other you will both know where each of you stand and what to expect from each other. Then you can have peace in your house.
Some Things That You Need To Consider:
- Sharing both traditions, if they’re in any way compatible
- Making a new tradition that you both agree on
- Spending time with your respective families and their traditions
- Agreeing to spend time alone during specific holiday times
The most important thing is that you and your partner come to an agreement about what you’re going to do. Talk to one another and seek solutions that work for you both. Of course, this is important any time of the year, but it’s even more important where the holidays are concerned.
When you decide on the new traditions you two want to bring to your home, keep in mind that there will still be opinions and creative differences. That’s fine. You can get through them the same way you made your big decision – by talking to one another about the things that really matter to you and the things that you can let go of or change to keep the peace.
Conclusion
The respect and love you and your partner have for one another is often renewed and strengthened when you celebrate holidays together. But the holidays are also a time of additional stress for most people. Adding to the usual mix, inter-faith or different tradition issues between you and your partner will only increase the stress levels for both of you. If you find that extra stress is creeping into your life because of your celebration differences, stop and take the time to banish it before it gets a foothold.
As you celebrate each holiday with your partner, you’ll continue to make new memories that you can hold onto. It’s a great way to share meaningful moments together that draw you closer as a family.
BAM! Be A Man. Do The Right Thing. Take Care Of Yourself And Your Family. Happy Holidays!
BAM! Be A Man. Do The Right Thing.
Be The DtRTy Guy!