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"In our often chaotic, discombobulating, and frantic world, having long held holiday traditions that offer important connections to and continuity with the past and to each other is critically important," wrote Thomas G. Plante, Ph.D., in a Psychology Today article.

"Tremendous stress and family conflict can easily emerge when you mess with these traditions. For example, couples may find that their cherished and beloved holiday traditions that they hold so near and dear actually conflict with those held by their spouse or partner...

As higher education, geographic mobility, and interracial/international/interreligious families become more and more common, these challenges to long held holiday traditions become more commonplace. Living in a multicultural world means that your cherished traditions may differ a great deal from those closest to you. 

Being mindful of the importance of these traditions and how they provide organizing, centering, and consoling benefits may help us to better respect the wishes of important others and to find ways to make the holidays a wonderful rather than a highly stressful experience."

Source: "Why Holiday Traditions May Matter More than Ever," by Thomas G. Plante, Ph.D., Psychology Today, December 17, 2014

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