🙄 The holiday family drama is REAL

It's Thursday, Boston.

🤔 Maybe it’s just me, but have you ever wondered where you can actually get good Boston cream pie in the Boston area (that isn’t in Dunkin’ doughnut form)? Well, Boston.com answered my prayers and released this extensive list of the best places to get the local classics.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Who will be the next MBTA boss?

• Brace for blackouts

• The most famous reindeer of all

Up first…

MENTAL HEALTH

Navigating holiday family drama

Ever wonder why spending time with family during the holidays can often feel a little … tense? Our expectations for a Hallmark Christmas movie may be setting us up for failure, according to Dr. Frank Andrerson, a local psychiatrist and psychotherapist who specializes in trauma. 

“Media puts out this expectation that you’re supposed to have a great time, and it’s a fantasy … We’re always falling short of the expectation,” he said.

To put it bluntly: When we’re home for the holidays, we tend to regress. 

“I’m 59 years old and a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, and when I go home, I’m Frankie,” said Dr. Anderson. “We get sucked into the old family roles, and if you have any unresolved issues … you get thrown back into it.” 

So if going home for the holidays isn’t what you’d consider a pleasant experience, Dr. Anderson has some tips on navigating this season: 

Manage your expectations. There’s a lot of pressure to feel good this time of year and it’s OK if you don’t. Let go of what you think your visit should be and try to be present in the moment. Also, make sure to check in with yourself ahead of time to know what you need from others.

Do it differently. You don’t have to do the old traditions, especially if you don’t like them. So try creating new ones around who you are now, versus redoing old ones that reflect your younger self. Just give your family a heads up so they have some time to process. 

Don’t bring up family baggage. Given the emotional volatility of the holidays, this is not the time to work through old family issues. It’s better to say nothing than to join an argument.

You can always leave. Whether that means taking a walk by yourself or deciding to stay in a hotel, give yourself permission to exit if things are becoming toxic.

CITY

Quick & Dirty Headlines

🚇 The search for the next General Manager of the MBTA is on. It’s arguably the most thankless job in the state, but it’s a position that Governor-elect Healey is hoping to fill in the coming weeks. Her team announced this week that an executive search firm will be conducting an international hunt for the next GM. Healey acknowledged the MBTA’s staffing and equipment shortages and said investments in the T will definitely be reflected in her budget. 

🔌 The impending storm might leave you without power this Christmas. Eversource is warning that 70,000 Massachusetts electric customers could lose power for two days or longer due to damaging winds, heavy rain, and downed tree branches. They were so worried about not having enough staff on deck to deal with a high-impact storm that they canceled all employee vacations. So while it looks like Eversource will have the necessary staff, just to be safe, make sure to charge up your devices ahead of time. 

🏡 The Mass. housing market is … cooling off? Kind of. The sales of single-family homes and condos have dropped, and prices are still climbing — but not in the way they used to. Between a lack of inventory, higher interest rates, and general economic uncertainty, many potential buyers are simply uninterested in buying. And while home prices in the state have technically gone up from last November (3.9%), it’s the smallest year-over-year jump we’ve seen since June, a sign that home prices may be hitting a ceiling (for now).

THINGS TO DO

Last-minute plans

🍿 Put the “party” in watch party by enjoying a screening of ‘Elf’ at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, followed by an afterparty at Parlour for the Rewind! with food and drink. Movie plus afterparty tickets are $21.50. Tickets for just the film are $15.50. | Thursday, Dec. 22, 7 p.m. 

🕎 Light up the Seaport menorah and snag special Hanukkah treats. | Thursday, Dec. 22, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

🧠 Put your knowledge to the test at GrandTen Distillery’s trivia night. Thursday, Dec. 22, 7 to 9 p.m.

💃 Get into the swing of things at Boston Swing Central’s weekly swing dancing lessons. I have done this before and it has my 100% endorsement. | Friday, Dec. 23, 8 to 11:45 p.m. 

🏰 Ruin all your childhood favorites with Dirty Disney at Laugh Boston, a comedic twist on the classic songs and stories you know and love. Tickets are $29. | Friday, Dec. 23, 10 p.m.

ONE LAST THING

The most famous reindeer of all

Meet the only reindeer herd of Connecticut: Tuukka, Belle, Rudy, and Dash.

The herd lives on Dzen Tree Farm in South Windsor, Conn., as part of their “North Pole Village.” Dzen’s used to rent the deer each year from Texas, but in 2012 Dzen proposed a bill to allow the farm owner to legally own reindeer year-round. The bill passed, and now these furry friends help the Dzens in their quest to sell 4,000 Christmas trees a year.

🏀 Thanks for reading! Wanna see Maura Healey’s get sworn in as Governor? You can snag $25 tickets to her inauguration at TD Garden here.

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