Anyone else out there with a normal family?

[Chicago526]

This time of year always brings out the "I have a crazy/rude/ungrateful family" threads due to the holidays. While I do feel bad for the posters, I begin to wonder "are all families like this?"

My family is...well...normal. We all like each other, there is never a fight over who gets to "do" the big dinner, no guilt trips over which side of the family to see, and if someone can't make it, it's no big deal! Once together, we all get along, no fights, no drunks, no awkward silences. No one gets upset if someone brings an un-requested desert or sidedish, and no one gets upset if they bring nothing at all!

I can't be the only one with a "normal" family, can I?

 

[KelNottAt]

We are happy, blessed, and "normal," too. I think that's why Christmas is my favorite time of year.

It breaks my heart when I read threads describing family breakdowns and bitterness.

 

[Rex Rules]

Will you adopt us into your family? We are normal inside our own family - DD, DH and I - however, we are related to a bunch of crazies!

 

[RF536]

My family is pretty normal, in fact there are times I think we get along too well. We just got back from an 2 week trip to Disney which included, me,DH,DS4 and DS2, my parents, my in-laws, my SIL, my sister and her husband and their 2 daughters. While we did not spend much time together as a whole group, we did spend the 1st day together, and met up for some meals. During that time everyone got along and there were no arguements.

 

[tinkerrn]

There is a famous quote from Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karnenina"~ 'Happy families are all alike: every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way'. Just made me think of that...I guess its kinda like the media....'normal and happy' are boring. That, I find is very sad.
I am happy to hear about any 'happy and normal' families. Gives the rest of us hope;-)

 

[Jen_in_NH]

Well, we're pretty normal, I guess. Basically, DH has a very small family, and most of them live locally. Same for me. And we all get along great!

Jen

 

[SDFgirl]

Our family has always gotten along really well. It's really smooth sailing whenever we get together, which is often. I love hanging out with them.

My DH's family is also really "normal." They all like each other and have been very welcoming of me into their lives.

Now my parents and my in-laws have become good friends and even get together sometimes without DH and I!!

 

[Disney Doll]

We're pretty normal, for the most part. At least the majority of us, who live in the same area, are. Two of his sisters live away...one pretty normal, one a nut, but she's away, so the nuttiness doesn't significantly impact us save for a few times per year.

All in all, it could be worse. We pretty much organize the holiday so everybody gets to see everybody without it being a rat race from morning till night on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day.

 

[Beth76]

My family is pretty normal. There aren't really any fights or anything like that. The kids tend to get rambunctious though.

 

[diznygirl]

Our family here in Florida is normal. Thank goodness we aren't near the ones that aren't! Just dealing with it over the phone - but despite the dysfunction, all their hearts are in the right place. (I'm being charitable at this time of year!)

 

[Texan Mouseketeer]

My immediate family is normal, you could say. My parents put a rule in place long ago outlawing any sort of fighting at family get togethers. We either play nice or don't come. That did wonders. We may not talk outside of holiday times, but when we're together, everything is peaceful. Of course, each sibling has their wierd quirks - myself included, but we're pretty run of the mill.

 

[lillygator]

I am guessing the side dish reference is to me!

My own little family is "normal"...it's too bad that the rest of the clan can't get along among everyone!!

 

[Christine]

Overall, we are normal. No one gets whizzed out at where anyone spends any holiday. We choose each year what we are going to do and we've never had a fight about it. All our parents are very generous and understanding when it comes to our time.

My only *issue* I suppose is with my MIL (isn't that always the way?). She is a very nice woman but she is a fanatic when it comes to cleaning, cooking, etc. I do get bothered when she comes to my house and she WILL NOT SIT DOWN. Makes me uncomfortable. I don't want her cleaning my house. But, I don't think that's too "out there" do you?

 

[lillygator]

Chrsitine - my MIL does the same thing (well did) Christmas afternoon one year when we had all just gathered she started vacuming the rug in front of everyone. I was pissed, she has been known to sweep the driveway! Finally I said something to DH's sister who must have relayed the message because she had never done it again.

When people come to our house I don't want anyone cleaning! We leave all the dishes til everyone has gone home....I don't want to clean at anyone else's house either!

 

[Sleepy]

In my family, we were raised to understand you can't always be with family for the holidays. Also, not everyone is rich, so the rule is only get for the kids and we follow the rule of price limit for the kid's gifts. Everything always works out fine. Holidays are so peaceful for us.

 

[luvwinnie]

The crazy one in our family isn't blood related...it's my SIL and we just kind of work around her and ignore the insanity. My immediate family is very close.

 

[minniecarousel]

Me and my siblings all get along. One brother had a head injury 20 years ago, so he's our "problem child" (If he's on his meds, everything is fine!) I am truly blessed to have a large, fairly non-dis-functional family (one brother says we put the "fun" in disFUNctional!) We get together a lot this time of year - with Thanksgiving, Christmas - then our Mom's birthday in January. Otherwise, as a group, we don't get together very often.

My little family (DH & DSs) all get along. One DS is engaged and we really like his fiancee. The other DS lives with his GF & we like her too - plus the sons and their GFs get along! Who could ask for more!?

 

[Chicago526]

I am guessing the side dish reference is to me!

My own little family is "normal"...it's too bad that the rest of the clan can't get along among everyone!!

Don't take it personaly! What I consider "small stuff" is enough to drive other people up wall. We all have our "I can't believe they did that" moments!

 

[jimmalru80]

We also have a "normal" family. Things happen pretty much the way they always have, disputes are few and far between and everyone gets along.