"Ugh! My family is so...

OK. we're just going to say it: It's valid to sometimes get furiously frustrated and downright disappointed with your nearest and dearest. (Take that as permission to feel *all* your feels rn.) Our gift to you? Breaking down these daunting holiday dynamics so you can get back to being a fa-la-la family again.

- AUTUMN SAHAR

...Strict!" SITCH: Your dad swore you could get TikTok on your 13th birthday...then raised it to 15. Grams won't let you show up to dinner without a turtleneck and tights (and not the cute kind). The worst? Your gifts under the tree amount to test prep workbooks and freshly sharpened pencils.

SOLVED:

Use holiday break as a rules refresh. Schedule a meeting to ask for the reasoning behind all the regulationsthen really listen to the answers before launching your rebuttal. Compromise means winning some (30 minutes of TikTok time as a brain break) and losing others (yeah, you're still rocking that fit to Christmas dinner). Standing your ground without being overly stubborn is the goal.

...Selfish!"

SITCH: You and your big brother used to be inseparable...until he went off to college in August. Now he's home for break, and instead of jumping back into your treasured traditions (Caroling! Cookie baking!), he only wants to hang out with his shiny new GF from the University of Annoying.

SOLVED:

It's tough when traditionally tight bonds become, well, anything but. Kaela B., 15, has some advice: "Write a short text or note to express your frustration, but avoid accusations." So instead of saying how inconsiderate your brother has become, let him know you feel disappointed and left out.