I've managed to not travel on holidays for years, and I love it that way. On the other hand, the extended inlaws (whom I, amazingly, loathe more than the nuclear inlaws) have made out the calendar for exactly which holidays we're expected to spend at which of their places for the next decade (my family? none. our own place? none. even Stephen's parents' place doesn't count, as it's not the one true family gathering). Not that we will actually go, but we will catch all kinds of shit for not doing so.
Can I say no? Sure, and have, and will again. But it's a bit of a simplistic solution to just propose not going as if that choice didn't also play into the holiday madness. So, ka-POW stands.
As a forinstance: I dislike my maternal grandmother. My maternal grandmother is a nag. My maternal grandmother nags my mother, and my mother feels guilty about it even though she knows rationally she's a good daughter. If I see my maternal grandmother with my mother as a buffer, it makes my mother feel better. I'll be seeing the maternal this Thanksgiving even though, left to myself, I'd much rather not.
Huh. I'm beginning to think I'm able to love the holidays because I haven't had a family holiday in 20 years.
I have wedding pictures! These are from my cousins, and more should be coming soon.
[link]
I'm still trying to work out how to tell my parents that while I am planning to go to Tucson in early December to help mom with the Christmas shopping, I don't want to come out for Christmas itself. It would be easier if Christmas weren't on Sunday this year.
eta:
I have wedding pictures! These are from my cousins, and more should be coming soon.
Yay!
Maria, flickr won't let me in without signing up for an account.
Dammit, it's supposed to be public.
