5 Simple Ways to Face the Holidays United in Your Marriage

November 18, 2025

00:00 24:46

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In this conversation, we talk about how to face the holidays as a united team rather than letting stress, schedules, or family expectations pull you apart. From setting shared expectations to finding ways to serve and dream together, these five simple principles can help you approach the season hand-in-hand, not back-to-back.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

How to set holiday expectations as a couple so you stay on the same page
Ways to make time for each other amid the busyness of family gatherings and events
How serving together can deepen your bond and create meaningful shared memories
The value of dreaming together before the new year begins
How to handle conflict with a "we vs. the problem" attitude

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Set expectations together. Talk about what kind of holiday season you both want — simple or busy, quiet or full of tradition — before the stress hits.
Spend dedicated time together. Guard your connection by scheduling couple time in advance, even if it means celebrating a little differently.
Serve others together. Volunteering or giving as a team strengthens your unity and creates shared purpose.
Dream together. Use the season to look ahead, set goals, and imagine what’s next for your marriage and family.
Face conflict together. When disagreements arise, remember you’re on the same team and approach conflict as us against the problem, not me vs. you.

US TIME CHALLENGE

Sit down together and set your holiday expectations as a couple. Talk about what you both want this season to look like — from traditions and travel to budgets and downtime — and then make a plan to help make that vision happen.

STAY CONNECTED BEYOND THE PODCAST

Stay connected with us beyond the show! Visit AshleighSlater.com for free marriage tools, updates on new podcast episodes, and to sign up for my weekly email newsletter.

TEAM US RESOURCES

Team Us: The Unifying Power of Grace, Commitment, and Cooperation in Marriage (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/)
FREE Team Us Study Guide (https://ashleighslater.com/team-us/free-team-us-study-guide/)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

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Meet Your Host

Ted and Ashleigh first met in Chesapeake, Virginia in 2001. In December 2002, they said, “I do, of course!” Since then, they’ve lived in five more states and celebrated the births of four daughters. Both have master’s degrees in Communication from Regent University, and over the years they’ve served as premarital mentors for engaged couples.

Ted’s a website developer, and Ashleigh is the author of the books Team Us: The Unifying Power of Grace, Commitment and Cooperation in Marriageand Braving Sorrow Together: The Transformative Power of Faith and Community When Life Is Hard.

Ashleigh has also written for publications including iBelieve.com, Focus on the Family Magazine, Boundless.org, and HuffPost.

Learn more at AshleighSlater.com.