Your family is coming for Christmas, and you’re worried about your holiday turning into a scene from Christmas Vacation.  Don’t worry!  Just because your relatives are coming for an extended stay doesn’t mean your headed for disaster…at least not necessarily.

The key to keeping things running smoothly is your perspective.  When you tell everyone to make themselves at home, and you really should, you need to mean it.  Here are a few ways to keep things merry and painless (and a few of my favorite quotes from this classic holiday blockbuster):

“Welcome to our home.  What’s left of it.”  It is your responsibility, your family’s responsibility, to be good hosts.  To make your family feel welcome, you don’t have to pull out all the stops, but put some consideration into their needs before the big arrival.  Some things you should think about are: sleeping arrangements, extra food, a clean bathroom, fresh bath towels and extra toiletries.

“Would it be indecent to ask the grandparents to stay at a hotel?”  Make sure your kids understand the temporary changes that will be taking place while your family is in town, and what you expect of them.  Being polite, sharing the bathroom, sacrificing TV time, are all things you should discuss before it’s too late.