Handling Awkward Christmas Encounters

How To Get Through Awkward Moments 

Every year we enter the holidays probably dreading meeting members of the family we haven’t seen for the past twelve months. That’s quite routine, I’m sure we’re all grown up and used to handling all the questions and smiles now.

While I was student you needed to have your set answers ready to go: ‘Yeah, it’s going well. Yep, I’m studying writing. No, I don’t know what job that will get me. Yes, I’m still seeing someone.’

You just had to say that about four times a day and then just drown yourself in cheese and turkey.

That sounds a bit negative, but I don’t mean it to. Christmas is great and I love my family, even if they’re unbearable sods sometimes. But we’ve had years of experience in handling all these family events.

It’s not just with your family though, you’ll often be lumbered with some awkward moments during your work Christmas parties too.

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With social media in full swing in our lives and lord, even in our grandparents’ lives you’re bound to come across a few awkward moments which social media is to blame for.

Let’s take a look at some classics you’ll probably deal with.

‘Why did you unfriend me on your social media accounts?’

Keep this one nice and simple, just tell whoever asks you a nice tailored response. If someone from the office is upset about this, say you’re having a social media reform and only keeping your family and friends on there. If someone from your family asks, just say you’re making the account a bit more professional so only friending work colleagues.

Most importantly, you can just own up to the situation and say that you get up to all sorts of naughty things and that you don’t want your great aunt watching you getting slathered in butter in Spain. Ah, that was a great night. A weird night, but a great one. I’m surprised that people aren’t queueing up to delete me at this point.

Did you forget someone from an important guest list or are you trying to actively avoid them? I’ve been there. I threw plenty of house parties in my time and trying to fine tune your guest list was such a pain, in the end I just gave up and welcomed all comers. My destroyed house stands as a beacon against this philosophy.

Once again, just be honest and tell people exactly how it is. Say you have to trim your numbers and keep events small and organise a meet up with the left-out people sometime else. Somewhere else, too.

If someone from work tries to friends you on a personal account following on from festive fun and you’re not sure what to do – Don’t fret. This one is the easiest to handle, just tell your colleague or boss that you keep your social media completely personal and like to keep work and play separate. Just about everyone will understand this one.

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Most importantly, during your office do’s just remember that while you’re unwinding, you’re still among a work environment. So always be a bit wary of your surroundings and your sobriety. Don’t throw up on your boss. Please.

More than anything, when you come across these awkward Christmas moments just act as human as possible.

Social media isn’t a strange surreal thing; more often than not it’s just your own social life so treat it as such.

Hope this helps you prepare for your awkward festive encounters.

Either that or just hit the drink early. It’s Christmas. I won’t judge. I’ll join you. 

Tom Welby

Tom has just graduated from University of East London in Creative and Professional Writing. He loves writing and is currently interning as a content writer hoping to go further. His other loves include Arnold Schwarzenegger films and his dog. Follow him @TomAtSMF

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