The holidays are about spending time with the family, seeing those relatives that you haven't seen in a really really long time, big dinners, gained weight, and ugly socks. It's about leaving the little nest you've made for yourself in the city and making the yearly trip out to the suburbs you grew up in to see those people you moved oh so far away from. No one ever said that the holidays were about fun.

There are things you can do however. The trip doesn't have to be filled with pain. God knows, some out there actually enjoy making it as hard as possible. There are a few simple things that can be done to make the few days you're away from your adopted home just a little bit easier.

• Get a flask. You know, one of those little mini-canteens they sell on the street. A nice one can be had for ten dollars and filled for just a little more, but the comfort it brings is priceless.
• Take a connecting flight, and if possible, one through a major hub. There stands a huge change that you will be delayed through the holidays. The real bonus is the free hotel and meal tickets for whatever town you may be stuck in. Side note: make sure you're only doing carry on if you try this out. There's nothing worse than making it home, but having your luggage head off for a vacation in France.
• Book a connecting flight and hide yourself in your luggage. It's entirely possible that you might end up in France instead of a dreary week with your family.
• When home, even if you might be curious, don't call up those friends from high school. There's nothing that can send a person quicker into a fit of depression. Schadenfreude doesn't even apply here.
• Avoid the family dog. Even if it does remember you, which it probably won't so forget about it, it will most likely be in such a sad state you'd wish you were hanging out with your old high school friends.
• Avoid conversation with the family as best as possible. Remember, they're the suburban masses that you make fun of at your local bar.
• Spend some quality time with your stepfather. You may find you had more in common that you ever would have figured, after all, you smoke and spend most of your week nights at the bar, and guess what, he smokes and spends most of his week nights at the bar too!
• Book the earliest flight home. It couldn't have taken too long to figure out why you gave up the free rent and warm meals, and there's only so long any one person can take the old, "How many swigs have you taken off that flask in the last five minutes?" You're obligated to spend one or two days, max, with the family, this is not a time to go above and beyond. Leave on the 26th and get the hell back to the city.

Sure, the above sounds a tad bit fatalistic, but then spend five minutes thinking to yourself about why you don't still live at home. There are undoubtedly a few good reasons, and if you truly search yourself, you'll realize that they're the same reasons you have yet to purchase your tickets home.
MAIL this to a friend. They'll thank you for it later.