This post is for all those folks who are heading home or to gather with family and friends this holiday season, but might not see eye-to-eye with their loved ones about touchy topics such as: politics, religion, child-rearing, sports, the weather, lifestyles or even who sat on the cherry pie in the back seat of Dad’s car or what we named the fluffy little white dog who slipped through the fence on to the turnpike. (Okay, maybe those are just things my family disagrees on as we stroll down memory lane, but I’m sure you get the picture.)

I’m sharing the Wishful Thinking Works version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, which I wrote in 2010 after attending a presentation earlier in the year by author and life coach Marianne Ford. Marianne reminded us that being right isn’t a right and sometimes conversations and life go better when, instead of sharing our wisdom, opinions, advice, or rebuttals – we simply listen and respond with a friendly, “I hear you.”, or a non-committal, but respectful “Ah- huh.”, “ Wow!”, “Okay.”, or “Really?”

In other words, when respect is present, agreement is not a necessity. And, we can change our experience and the conversation by using Marianne’s tips to transform potential debates into discussions and boring exchanges into interesting encounters. I can always use help in this area, so I wove Marianne’s words of wisdom and some of my tips into . . .

“Wishful Thinking Works’ Twelve Days of Christmas” or “Twelve Ways to Survive Holiday Happenings”

On the 2nd day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Two sacks of courage . . .

On the 3rd day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Three “Ah-huh’s” . . .

On the 4th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Four smiling nods . . .

On the 5th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Five “Oh, that’s great!” . . .

On the 6th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Six “Tell me more’s”’  . . .

On the 7th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Seven “That sounds fun.” . . .

On the 8th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Eight “I-can-do-this!” . . .

On the 9th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Nine “Okay.”-“Wow!”-“Really’s” . . .

On the 10th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Ten “That sounds hard.” . . .

On the 11th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Eleven “Oh my goshes.” . . .

On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Twelve “I got through it’s!” . . .

Patrice Koerper Robson, 2010

And, just in case you are wondering, the twelve days of Christmas are the evening of December 24/January 6  or December 25/January 7 – depending on the calendar, Julian/Gregorian, you are following.

Feel free to share this new helpful, holiday classic with your friends and family, not that I’m shamelessly suggesting you email it to everyone you know, or share this post on Facebook or anything, but if you want to . . .

And, for those of you, who are now trying to remember the original lyrics to the “The Twelve Days of Christmas”,  they are:

Twelve drummers, drumming,

Eleven pipers piping,

Ten lords a-leaping,

Nine ladies dancing,

Eight maids a-milking,

Seven swans a-swimming,

Six geese a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three French hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Happy Holidays!