Jingles may wish us happy holidays, but commercials and social media, by design, influence how we bedeck our homes, spend our money, measure happiness and practice traditions around holidays.  It can be overwhelming.

If we succumb to all the pressures buzzing around us, the reality is this: the main focus of the holidays is wiped out by stress, misunderstanding and conflict.  Here are a few personal stories as well as tips from my 20+ years as a mediator on how to avoid common pitfalls.