It’s party season!

Since it’s that time of year—the time to get together with new and old friends to celebrate a well-lived year, Auntie thought she would share some of her favorite Holiday Helpful Hints with you. Not only will these Helpful Hints help you make it through the holiday season with a bit of extra joy  in your heart, you’ll also be able to make it through the most deadly dull “must attend” soiree without feeling the need to run for the exit as soon as possible.

Here’s a Helpful Hint to combat shyness:

Tell the small-talk challenged guests you're psychic, and watch what happens! Give free holiday readings to all party-goers. No, you don't have to really be psychic. You can usually say something like, “You've been somewhat frustrated by your work and feel that if given the chance, you could bring quite a bit more creativity into the mix.” Or you could knowingly nod and say, “People don't always know how thoughtful you really are, do they?”

Perhaps you want to “mix it up a bit”—or course Auntie has a hint for that:

Hate small talk? Bring up politics, and as soon as you find two people with differing opinions, bring them together. If they refuse to hold hands while singing “We Are the World,” offer to moderate a debate between them. This works really well if relatives are involved.

Or what if someone is trying to stop the discussion altogether:

Surrounded by the PC police? Want to have a private giggle? Ask the PC officer why he or she has those beliefs. Scratch your head, wrinkle up your nose or just act confused. Remember to always be polite when posing your query. Give them 30 seconds to explain.

And always remember to show everyone how a good guest behaves:

If you should find yourself waking up on your hosts' settee after celebrating with them, always remember to leave a small gratuity tucked under a nearby knickknack. Depending on the accommodations, it is customary to leave between $2 and $7 per night.  If you only have large bills, do not ask for change.

And from Auntie, to you, my dear readers—Here’s to a year filled with good health, and loads of laughter and love.

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