dreading the holidays with disfunctional family? anyone?

[Grumpy's Gal]

this year we will be with DH's family........enough said.

Anyone else?

 

[Planogirl]

I get blessed with problems on both sides. I'd rather travel.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Having a root canal was easier than the holidays in my house. Nuff said.

 

[dirtysouthinit]

I've limited our visits on each side to 2 on my side and 2 on hers this year. With christmas on sunday and a sunday morning service its gonna be busy anyway. We're gonna have to decide which ones as their are a total of 9 to choose from. It was just getting out of hand and our DD actually complained that she wished Christmas was over so she could stay home.

 

[alliecats]

dreading...Dreading...DREADING


Did I mention I am dreading?

 

[hucifer]

The holidays are SOOO stressful...too many people wanting your time and not enough of just "me and hubby" time. The guilt, the stress, the work, the certain family members you don't like being around...I wish I enjoyed the holidays more!

I agree with Planogirl...if I traveled out of state with DH for the holidays I would be relaxed and happier. I know I am a terrible person for thinking this.

This is one reason Halloween is a better holiday!

 

[Honeibee]

My MIL already has Thanksgiving and Christmas all planned out. Never mind what DH, the kids, my family or I want to do.

 

[mickeyboat]

We are staying home for the holidays. We will go out to dinner for Thanksgiving and my dad and his wife are planning to visit for Christmas. I think it will be fun.

Although, when I mentioned my dad coming for Christmas, DH commented he wanted it to be just the four of us. O.k. then you tell your OWN father he can't spend Christmas with us. All righty then.

Denae

 

[belleandthebeast]

Not even married and I dread the holidays. My family is the official poster family for dysfunctional.

Let's see, a drug-addicted sister, a 28yo brother w/ a 17-yo fiance, too many of us together at one time, a sister who wants to spend the holidays at "her house", it's pure madness.

I liked it better when I lived w/ my SO. He did not get along with w/ family and refused to attend family functions. Reason #6 we are no longer together. Time spent w/ my family. Limited. Chance to miss the major family brawls. Priceless.


13 more days!

 

[CrazedDisFan]

We call my in-laws 'Dysfunction Junction'. 'nuff said.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

I get blessed with problems on both sides. I'd rather travel.

My solution: I moved far away to Florida.

 

[minkydog]

You can always be unavailable "Oh so sorry, I have to work that day." I've been using that one for 28yrs

Cathy--knows many advantages to being a nurse

 

[we3disneygo]

oh yeah...........Christmas will come and go and dh sister will say oh why didn't you go to mom and dad's? gee they didn't invite us????????? last year I sent a card with a pic of dd11, they hadn't seen her in over a year no call, or card back????? what's wrong with people? we live 30 mins. from them in a larger city and they come here shopping all the time, even to the store where dh works and never calls or stops by???? I say it every year, wish I could travel just one time and avoid all this..................... oh by the way -- happy holidaze..............

 

[Marseeya]

Family obligations drive me nuts, but I guess it's better than the alternative (not having them). Just one year I'd love to spend a meaningful holiday just the four of us.

My parents aren't too bad. We just do a few hours at their house with my sister and an uncle. Very small and informal.

The in-laws is a whole other story. The MIL and FIL are divorced and it's a big nasty tug of war and we're the ones who always end up in the mud no matter what we try to do. It's a six hour drive to get there and we end up spending more time in our hotel room and eating in restaurants than we do with the family.

 

[Jingle]

It's really kind of sad, but for the past several years I absolutely hate Thanksgiving and Christmas because of family issues. Everyone thinks that they are the #1 priority and all plans should be made around them.

My parents don't understand that I'm trying to coordinate seeing them and my brother's family, getting my children to see their father and his family, and also seeing my SO's family, whose mother is 83 and in failing health. In addition my parents also feel that we all need to get together with the extended family (aunts/uncles/cousins). In addition, I'm trying to coordinate around my kids work schedules. Of course all four places are 1-4 hrs away from each other. It seems like every year I have three sets of people, my parents & brother, my ex and his family, and my SO's family, all complaining to me because I can't do everything exactly when they want me to do it. I so much feel like I'm stuck in the middle and I just want to run away from it all.

 

[mickeyboat]

Marseeya - we had the same problem when we used to try to go to NC for the holidays every year. Mom and Dad are divorced, and we spent more time going from house to house and worrying whether each person was getting a fair and equal amount of time, we decided to eliminate the holiday trips all together. Now we make our home available if they want to travel here, but we aren't going anywhere ever again (unless it is a vacation for the four of us).

Denae

 

[Tarheel Tink]

I settled this years ago- I'm not going anywhere on Christmas Day! And I don't invite family over either! It is actually fun being a witch!

Before my mother passed away she insisted my mentally ill brother (mean mentally ill) be included so I had to tell her he was never to come to my home so unfortunately she would have to entertain herself and he at her house. We did do Christmas Eve with her, but again, she insisted he be present so it was brief. She was a wonderful angel of a mother but a major enabler to my brother who knew how to work her.

I hate that the most wonderful holiday of the year is spoiled for so many by the demands of others.

 

[WDW_DV]

this year we will be with DH's family........enough said.

Anyone else?

Oooooooh, you are a troublemaker, aren't you?

Whatsamatter? Don't like sitting around with people who don't really want anything to do with you, and mentally calculating how much $$ was spent on each gift to compare totals and figure out which kids/grandkids are loved the best? Not your idea of a good time?

 

[Sandy V.]

Thankfully, no stress here. The time around the holidays is really the best time for us to get away, so we're going to Hawaii.

 

[Mandabella]

Well after some stressful years, my mom no longer INVITES the "undesirables" to the holiday meals. So it's been bliss having dinner with the family members who can act right!

Then 2 weeks ago a dark cloud arived on the horizon. One of the said desirables asked about the upcoming holidays... Oy...