let their comments pass you by. Be thankful you don't have to be with them 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

Use holiday gatherings to figure out how you don't want to live your life because your family can be a perfect example of mistakes you may avoid doing in the future. These get-togethers can help you identify the faulty ideas you've learned about relationships while growing up - for example, that it's OK to yell or argue endlessly rather than solve problems with calm discussion.

Try to gain as much as possible from these family gatherings - you have a vivid example of lives and you have a perfect chance to train in your ability to speak with people.