One way to make Christmas Day a great day is to avoid these seven things.

1. Get up before 6 AM, even if you are a kid. My sister used to wake up before 6 AM and start ringing some stupid bell to get everyone up. What a great way to start a day. Don't get up too early, you might interrupt Santa.

2. Travel ouir of obligation. This is especially so if you have a young family. It's time to start your own traditions. If friends and family want to see you, it's important to remember that the roads and airspace go both ways.

3. Set yourself up for disappointment. If you convince yourself that this will be or has to be the best Christmas ever, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

4. Don't push the day. Some people get so anxious that certain things MUST happen and/or people MUST feel a certain way. You can really shoot yourself in the foot by pushing so hard for a certain outcome that you essentially prevent it.

5. Take the Peggy Lee approach Peggy Lee's famous song "Is That All There Is?" captures the way some people can fall into feeling on Christmas Day. Focus on appreciation and not lack.

6. Use up everything the first day. If you use, open, play with every single thing you got that day, you are bound to experience a big let down the next day. Pace yourself.

7. Compare this day to other Christmas Days The joy is to be found in today, not several years ago.

Jeff Herring

Jeff is a marriage and family therapist, singles and relationship coach, mentor coach, speaker, syndicated relationship columnist and author.

Jeff has a full time private practice in Tallahassee in which he specializes in couples, teen and parent counseling. He also is a relationship coach specializing in working with couples and singles. Some of his professional activities include:

==> Internationally syndicated relationship columnist through Knight-Ridder/Tribune Media Services, with a weekly readership of over 10 million worldwide

==> Sought after speaker for organizations, associations, churches, and corporations

==>Twice weekly appearances on The Steve and Sara Show on Magic 107.1

==> Author of "Keep the Changes: 52 Tools for Successful Living" a collection of his best columns, as well as several e-books including "How to Create a Passionate and Loving Relationship.........Forever," "How to Beat the BOZOs: Dealing with difficult people without becoming one," and "Tame Your Teen: THE survival guide for parenting your teenager.

==> Founder and CEO of TheArticleGuy.com

==> Founder and CEO of SecretsofGreatRelationships.com

==> Founder and CEO of ParentingYourTeeanger.com

==> Founder and CEO of ToolsforSuccessfulLiving.com

==> President of BuildingYourIdealPractice.com

==> President of ConsciousDatingTallahassee.com