To dread next Christmas already?

[Flamingoblue1]

Hello all. Happy New Year! Had a fab Christmas this year but it has dawned on me that next year we will have to have my cousin. This fills me with dread. Of course she is coming to ours but I need help already on how to deal with her behaviour with is bizarre and I do wonder if it's indicative of something ? Examples are

She has a very limited and narrow field of conversation and,it appears, thought. She is obsessed with mine and DH careers, what qualifications we have and will ask constantly why we aren't doing masters or going up pay bands. This occurs to the stage were you just feel like it's a criticism or attack almost

She stares at people and when you catch her gaze she does a very odd smile and it just makes me feel uncomfortable

She will go on and on about things that happened 20 years ago and will never let anything go.

She criticises all her friends partners and feels it's appropriate to tell me all their private business.

I could go on but I can't believe that I'm dreading this already! Please give me some positive thoughts.

[Grilledaubergines]

4 or 5 hours? Just tolerate her, and know you did the right thing. So many people spend Christmas alone, not through choice. If you find it a bit uncomfortable, give her something to do. "Would you mind topping up glasses?" "Could you give me a hand putting the food on the table" etc just to make her feel involved a bit.

[xmasseason]

Would it help to go out of the house, e.g. have Christmas dinner at a nice pub?