Awkward Family Christmas: 5 tips to survive small talk with relatives

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The winter holidays are approaching and with them come copious amounts of family time... Lots of family time.

While spending time with family can reaffirm the bonds of love and togetherness, it can also be a minefield of dangerous conversation topics.

After the light "how are you's" and the "how's work" comes the real conversations that most people want to avoid:

POLITICS
DATING
FINANCES
and MORE!

I sat down with Teresa Grella-Hillebrand, the Director of the Counseling and Mental Health Professions Clinic at Hofstra University, and Teresa has seen it all!

From family clashes to that weird uncle you get stuck talking to after too much wine to sibling rivalries.

Teresa broke down the top issues for this year's holiday season and how to navigate them to have an enjoyable, memorable holiday break.