Do you Dread Spending Christmas with Relatives?

[126coupe]

I dread it so much that this year I plan on spending Christmas with my Wife and daughter, thats it!
It seems whenever the whole family gets together, including blended familys, the crap always hits the fan. A war starts, nobody likes each other and it always turns ugly and yes alcohol exasperates the problem.

You can pick your friends, but not your relatives.

[livi]

Gave that up years ago. Too much commotion. Christmas to me is quite and peaceful days with the immediate family.

[TerryH]

I always dread Christmas day. Usually have 10-20 inlaws for the entire day plus dinner. Been this way every year for 25 years. Occasionally, my family visits, but they're 2,000 miles away, so it's never often enough. My inlaws aren't bad, but they don't know when to leave no matter how many times I yawn.

[Zeke]

One thing I hate is exasperated problems.

[Moses]

My wife's family Christmas tradition is a big Christmas Eve dinner followed by opening presents. My family opens presents Christmas morning. So... we do both. I find the Christmas Eve get together excruciating. It's dull and tedious and my mother-in-law is center stage. Awful.

Christmas morning is always at home. Just my wife and kids. Nat King Cole is playing, the fire is crackling and the kids stay in their pajamas till noon. I LOVE Christmas morning.

[126coupe]

Originally Posted by milt

One thing I hate is exasperated problems.

Last year my 21 year old nephew stole some vicodin from my daughter who was recovering from some surgery, he mixed the vicodin w some alcohol and turned into a mad-man. Never Again!!!

[TheMentat]

I'm fairly lucky in the sense that the whole family generally enjoys getting together (maybe one or two in-laws aren't as enthusiastic). Fortunately in our case (I think), alcohol seems to be the glue that binds us.

[azasadny]

I look forward to spending time with loved ones (and even ones I don't love too much). I miss my grandfather, especially this time of year!

[nostatic]

I don't. Problem solved.

[Oh Haha]

I bi$%^ about it but I generally have a good time. My wife's parent's divorced when she was young and since have remarried. We have to split our time between 3 sets of parents. This is the last year we are going to travel on Christmas Day. We want to be home with our kids on Christmas morning.

Ours are the youngest of the Grandkids so we kinda get to make the rules.

[strupgolf]

If I could spend Christmas with my family again, it would be wonderful. I know some of you have big extended families, but if you dont, you should cherish every one of them because before long, you wont have any. I love getting together with the ones I have left.

[the]

I love it! Lucky to have a pretty functional family of nice people. The biggest thing, I think, is no one in our family is very self-centered. Our family culture has always been focused on the youngest generation. When we were kids it was on us, now that "us kids" have our own kids it's on them. So none of the adults focus much on themselves. Probably also helps that money isn't an issue with anyone.

[126coupe]

Originally Posted by the

I love it! Lucky to have a pretty functional family of nice people. The biggest thing, I think, is no one in our family is very self-centered. Our family culture has always been focused on the youngest generation. When we were kids it was on us, now that "us kids" have our own kids it's on them. So none of the adults focus much on themselves. Probably also helps that money isn't an issue with anyone.

When we get together w my wifes family we always have a good time, its my side of the family thats completely whacked

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by the

I love it! Lucky to have a pretty functional family of nice people. The biggest thing, I think, is no one in our family is very self-centered. Our family culture has always been focused on the youngest generation. When we were kids it was on us, now that "us kids" have our own kids it's on them. So none of the adults focus much on themselves. Probably also helps that money isn't an issue with anyone.

Well, if you say all that and finish up with money not being a problem for anyone, you have my respect.

[BeerBurner]

I look forward to spending time with both my family and my wife's. The only thing I don't like is the travelling time to get there.

BB.

[peppy]

I enjoy my wife's family, mine can get on my nerves.

This year I wish I could just spend the day with my wife and son sitting around in my pjs all day.

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by 126coupe

I dread it so much that this year I plan on spending Christmas with my Wife and daughter, thats it!
It seems whenever the whole family gets together, including blended familys, the crap always hits the fan. A war starts, nobody likes each other and it always turns ugly and yes alcohol exasperates the problem.

that happens to me every year.
I have decided to go to the movies instead of deal with the drama.

[MRM]

I used to. My father was one of eight children, so his side of the family is pretty big and diverse. Almost all of whom are not socially acceptable. I have an uncle who is a facist and an aunt who is a socialist. About half of the rest of the family follows the socialist in varying degrees of worship of Der Komisar, and the other half follow the facist with varying degrees of xeonophobia and racism. Both factions are very aggresive in pushing their views. My dad was the middle child, and my grandmother always used to say he was the peacemaker of the family, even as a kid. He was about the only sane one of the bunch. Family gatherings generally lasted until one faction got mad enough at the other faction to order them out of the house. For reasons that still escape me the whole crazy crew would meet for the next holiday to start all over again. Did you know the Federal Reserve was controled by seven Jewish bankers? I guess there are seven members of the board of governors, but I don't think that's what they meant. Then there's my mother, who's harmless but insane.

After my father died a few years ago I broke off contact with that branch of the family and I have never been happier. Then it struck me. If it is unpleasant to go to family holliday gatherings, why go? Why should we feel compelled to do something unpleasant that will cause hard feelings. My father was a magnificent human being to whom I will never be able to repay my debt. I mourn his loss daily. The rest of them are too scarred to engage on a personal level. You just can't engage people who are like that. The best you can do is leave them alone and ask that they don't bother you. If you don't enjoy spending time with your extended family, just don't go. You'll all be happier.

[Hebrewhomeboy]

My family is very small, just my parents and older brother, and I love spending the end of the year with them. However, duty calls, and I can't get off work this year, so I'll just have to wait until February or so to go see them. That's fine with me though, plane tickets should be cheaper.

[Hebrewhomeboy]

Originally Posted by MRM

I used to. My father was one of eight children, so his side of the family is pretty big and diverse. Almost all of whom are not socially acceptable. I have an uncle who is a facist and an aunt who is a socialist. About half of the rest of the family follows the socialist in varying degrees of worship of Der Komisar, and the other half follow the facist with varying degrees of xeonophobia and racism. Both factions are very aggresive in pushing their views. My dad was the middle child, and my grandmother always used to say he was the peacemaker of the family, even as a kid. He was about the only sane one of the bunch. Family gatherings generally lasted until one faction got mad enough at the other faction to order them out of the house. For reasons that still escape me the whole crazy crew would meet for the next holiday to start all over again. Did you know the Federal Reserve was controled by seven Jewish bankers? I guess there are seven members of the board of governors, but I don't think that's what they meant. Then there's my mother, who's harmless but insane.

After my father died a few years ago I broke off contact with that branch of the family and I have never been happier. Then it struck me. If it is unpleasant to go to family holliday gatherings, why go? Why should we feel compelled to do something unpleasant that will cause hard feelings. My father was a magnificent human being to whom I will never be able to repay my debt. I mourn his loss daily. The rest of them are too scarred to engage on a personal level. You just can't engage people who are like that. The best you can do is leave them alone and ask that they don't bother you. If you don't enjoy spending time with your extended family, just don't go. You'll all be happier.

Reminds me of my grandparents, on both sides. On my mom's side they're horribly abusive and just plain mean, and on my dad's side they're alcoholics and controlling. We've been out of contact with them for the past 14 years or so, and things immediately improved once we got them out of our lives. You're 100% correct in your last few sentences there.