Now that your kids are grown and out of the house, here are some great tips for how to navigate the holidays in a way that keep everyone holly and jolly.

Be flexible. Get together for a meal on a different day than the traditional holiday. Instead of exchanging gifts on Christmas day, do it on Christmas Eve or wait until the following weekend for the fun. This can be a fun way to extend the anticipation of seeing everyone. Or opt to have all your holidays at once, say one day in the fall when everyone can get together.

Reimagine old traditions. Spend a day helping your adult kids decorate their homes or have them over to your home to help decorate, serving them homemade cookies and hot cocoa.

Start new traditions. Often our kids are just as overwhelmed and anxious as we are when that first holiday comes around and the normal way of doing things has changed. Gently ease their minds that it’s okay to feel that way but it’s also a great time for them to create new “normal” traditions.

Use technology to your advantage. If you know you’re not going to be able to get together for the holiday, use technology to your advantage. Skype, Zoom and other technologies are all great ways you can gather the gang together at the same time.

Respect their ideas. And ask them to respect yours as well. Talk to your kids about their plans for the holidays. If they’re married get the opinions of both spouses not just your child’s.

Celebrate with friends. If getting together during the holidays just doesn’t seem to work out, create your own celebration with friends. Want to have a formal sit-down Thanksgiving? Invite other empty nester parents to join you. Spend the Christmas season volunteering at a local children’s home or homeless shelter.

Click here for more ideas from Healthy Empty Nest.