If 2025 has felt like a long year of “waiting for the bounce,” you’re not alone. Between navigating tepid growth, managing high costs, and hearing promises of a “soft landing” that feels frustratingly slow to arrive, many family business leaders are crawling to the finish line.

We are all exhausted. And when we’re exhausted, our filters weaken.

That’s why this year, the Christmas Dinner Rule is more critical than ever.

For those new to Family Business Central, this is our annual non-negotiable rule for the holiday season. It’s simple: Do not let conflicts or disagreements get in the way of the family dinner.

But this year, we’re thinking about it differently. In my new book, Risking It All, I explore a fundamental truth that often gets overlooked until it’s too late: family business owners face a risk no other CEO does. You are risking your two most precious assets — your livelihood and your relationships — simultaneously.

Usually, we talk about this risk in the boardroom. But it applies just as much to the dining room.

When you’re tempted to make a snide comment about the marketing budget over the turkey, or when a sibling wants to “just quickly” discuss the new AI strategy while pouring the gravy, you are engaging in a high-stakes gamble — especially if its a ‘hot’ topic. You are risking a long-term relationship for a short-term venting session.

The return on investment for that argument is zero.

How to “De-Risk” Your Christmas Dinner

To ensure you survive the holidays with your relationships intact, here are the updated rules for 2025:

1. The “No Shop Talk” boundary is absolute

This isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a governance structure for your holiday. Agree explicitly beforehand: “From December 24th to December 27th, the business does not exist.” If you can navigate complex tax structures, you can navigate a two-day ban on business talk.

2. Apply the Soft Landing Strategy

Economists have been talking about a “soft landing” all year. Apply this to your family interactions. If a conversation starts veering towards conflict (e.g., “Why did we hire that consultant?”), gently pilot it back to safe ground (e.g., “How is the new puppy/boat/toy/car?”).

3. Check your hats at the door

One of the key concepts we often discuss is the confusion of roles. Are you speaking as the CEO or the Mother? As the Shareholder or the Sister? At Christmas, you only have one hat: Family Member. The CEO has no authority at the Christmas table—unless they are carving the ham, and even then, it’s debatable.

4. Practice Kinkeeping

We’ve written about *kinkeeping* (link to the blog post) this year—the emotional labor required to keep a family connected. This is the perfect time to invest in that “emotional equity.” A heartfelt compliment or a shared laugh builds the resilience your family needs to tackle the hard business challenges in January.

The Final Word

You spend 11 months of the year working to build a business that supports your family. Don’t spend the 12th month tearing that family apart.

As I say, “Most family businesses don’t fail because of the market. They fail because of the family.”

Protect the asset that matters most. Enjoy the food, hug the people you love (even the ones who annoy you), and leave the business for the New Year.

From all of us at Family Business Central, we wish you a safe, happy, and conflict-free Christmas.

Regards,
Philip, Kat, Bob and Audrey