That'll do it. - Eric @ CS Techcast

^^^ - AHnix (Anna Haro)

Every year there is this huge drama about where we go for Christmas. It's so hard as it is for me to get time off, and then I go spend unbearable time with my family, or his, and it's instantly forgotten and the whining commences anew. My husband asked his mom if he could fly on Christmas day, so he could save about $300 and spend some time with me... she literally started howling like a dog. How is he supposed to respond to that? So we're blowing like $700 and I get to spend my 2 days off for Christmas Eve & Day sitting alone in my empty house. After last year I SWORE I wouldn't spend another Christmas apart from my husband because it was so depressing. AAAAAAAAAARGH! - Lo

The thing about Christmas is, I don't even really care that much. But it doesn't matter, it is virtually impossible to avoid. Everyone goes on and on and ON about how much they love their families and their lives are SOOO wonderful and magical. I'm happy for you if you love being with your family, why don't you enjoy it instead of running to Facebook? The holidays are universally a shitty time for most people with crappy family backgrounds, and I wish people would freaking recognize this. I knew a woman once who, for Christmas every year, her parents would line up her and all the other kids, and one by one tell them how they were horrible, awful children, then beat them. I watched her get bitched out by Christmas-loving everyone-will-join-my-fun warrior AT LENGTH for being a fun-spoiling Scrooge, and it was pretty much one of the most infuriating things I've ever seen. Sorry, I just figured as long as I was venting, I might as well let it all out. Thanks for letting me share! - Lo

Let it out, Lo. And, I totally agree. I don't understand "forced family fun" Stop it everybody. At some point, us grown kids need to speak up for ourselves and our own families, and just give a NOPE. Don't need to hurt anyone's feelings, but just say, 'Yeah, that's not gonna happen this year. Sorry.' I did it with my own family a long time ago. But, I recently did it with the MIL at Thanksgiving. We arrived last Tuesday, and within 20 minutes, she was on us about Christmas. I was like o_O You need to pump your breaks. I just told her it wasn't happening this Christmas, and we'd see them in a few months for a family member's wedding. Of course, she tried about three more times before we left, but I politely shut it down. I really wish folks took into consideration the expense and exhaust of travel during the holidays. Oh yeah, also consider how other people WANT to spend THEIR holidays. - AHnix (Anna Haro)

Janet knows. - AHnix (Anna Haro)

Ah, yes, that's the heart of it for me. I'm pretty confident that his mother has not stopped to consider AT ALL that this might impact me. That maybe I love her son, too. I guarantee she hasn't done the math that I will be alone. I am happy for him being with his family... it just gets me that she's that freaking inconsiderate, emotionally manipulating him like a child while I'm sitting RIGHT THERE. Ugh. I take the hard-line "there will be consequences" approach with my family, wonderful. Thanks guys! - Lo