The holidays are both fun and stressful for most couples. They not only have to deal with all the madness of holiday shopping and decorating, but also visiting inlaws and kids that are home for the holidays.

All the added pressure can create tension in the marriage or magnify preexisting marriage problems. Here is some marriage advice to help you keep your marriage thriving this holiday season.

Budget

Holiday spending can cause tension and disagreement in a happy marriage. This is because most people use the holidays as an excuse to spend money freely without budgeting.

It’s important for spouses to agree on the amount that they’re going to spend on gifts, decorations, food and travel. This gives everyone the freedom to shop without having to check every purchase with their partner.

Boundaries

Most people would rather not spend the holidays enforcing boundaries with family members but sadly, it’s often necessary. For starters, you don’t have to accept each and every invitation that is extended to you during the holidays. It’s perfectly fine to say “yes” to some of them and gracefully say “no” to the rest.

Gifts are another area where it might be necessary to enforce boundaries. Sometimes, family members will all but demand expensive gifts without any consideration for your budget. It can be very tempting to give in to their expectations to keep the peace.

For the sake of your finances and marriage, you and your spouse should agree on a budget and stick to it. As long as you present a united front, you should be fine.

Ignore the Hype

There’s a lot of hype out there about what the holidays should be like. The media has us convinced that the entire family is supposed to come together in perfect harmony and feast on delicious, picture-perfect food. It’s why so many people feel pressured to have the perfect holidays.

If you want to enjoy the holidays, ignore the hype and focus on the things that fulfill you and give you joy. There’s no “right” way to spend the holidays.

Keeping your marriage happy and thriving is a lot easier when you follow this marriage advice. Creating a budget and sticking to it, enforcing boundaries with family members and ignoring the holiday hype can alleviate most of the stress.