The holidays bring family together — but they can also bring tension, unmet expectations, and pressure from in-laws that quietly strain a marriage. In this episode of Imperfectly Married, Michael and Heather talk through how to handle in-laws during the holidays with clarity, unity, and healthy boundaries that protect your relationship instead of dividing it.

They unpack why family dynamics feel more intense this time of year, how differences in traditions, communication styles, and expectations create conflict, and what happens when couples don’t talk through these issues ahead of time. You’ll learn how to have proactive conversations before gatherings, set boundaries that are loving but firm, support your spouse when family dynamics are difficult, and avoid the resentment that builds when one partner feels caught in the middle.

Rooted in faith and practical wisdom, this conversation reminds couples that boundaries aren’t about control or distance — they’re about protection. When spouses choose each other first and approach family situations as a team, the holidays can become a season of peace instead of pressure. If you want to enjoy time with extended family without sacrificing the health of your marriage, this episode will give you a clear, realistic framework to do just that.

Find us online:Website: https://imperfectlymarriedpodcast.com/Merch: https://imperfectlymarriedpodcast.com/storeInstagram: imperfectlymarried_thepodcast Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576918626044TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@imperfectly_married

The holidays bring beauty, but they also bring stress — expectations, family dynamics, travel, finances, grief, and totally disrupted routines. In this Enneagram Edition of Imperfectly Married, Michael and Heather walk through how each of the nine Enneagram types uniquely experiences the holiday season and how understanding your wiring (and your spouse’s) can actually protect your marriage when things get busy and tense. Instead of assuming your spouse “should just handle it,” you’ll learn how core motivations, fears, and longings get amplified under holiday pressure and how that shows up in the way each type hosts, plans, spends, avoids, or over-functions.

You’ll also hear big-picture tools you can use no matter what your number is: pre-holiday “huddles” to talk through budget, expectations, travel, and traditions; mini check-ins before and during events so neither of you feels alone or blindsided; and rhythms of rest, intimacy, and faith that help you return to what the season is truly about. Rooted in their relationship with Jesus, Michael and Heather remind us that peace is a Person, not a perfect plan, and that grace is the greatest gift you can give each other this year. If you want this holiday season to draw you closer instead of tearing you apart, this episode will help you honor each other’s wiring, lower the stress, and protect what matters most: your marriage.

Website: https://imperfectlymarriedpodcast.com/Merch: https://imperfectlymarriedpodcast.com/storeInstagram: imperfectlymarried_thepodcast Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576918626044TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@imperfectly_married#Enneagram #MarriageAdvice #HolidayStress #ChristianMarriage #RelationshipTools #ImperfectlyMarried #ImperfectlyMarriedThePodcast #ProtectYourMarriage

The holidays are supposed to be magical… but for a lot of couples, they feel more like a minefield of expectations, family pressure, tight finances, and old wounds that get stirred up every December. In this episode of Imperfectly Married, Michael and Heather get real about how the holiday season can quietly strain even healthy marriages — and how to protect your relationship before the stress hits full force.They share personal stories from their own journey: growing up in divorced homes, feeling pulled between multiple families, juggling four Thanksgivings in one year, trying to keep Christmas on a $500 budget for everyone, and carrying the unseen mental load of planning, shopping, wrapping, and managing all the details. They talk about the resentment that can build when one spouse does 99 percent of the emotional and logistical work, the pressure of “fairness” between families, and the guilt and shame that often come with money stress around gifts and traditions.Find us online:Website: https://imperfectlymarriedpodcast.com/Merch: https://imperfectlymarriedpodcast.com/storeInstagram: imperfectlymarried_thepodcast Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576918626044TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@imperfectly_married