{{{Laura}}} I'd be in meltdown mode too.

ND and everyone else suffering from family hell as well.

I've had a lovely, albeit very quiet and low-key, Christmas. Today I brunched with a friend and her family, and tonight I will make myself a Cornish Hen just for me. I have the house to myself with plenty to eat and drink. I'm enjoying the alone time.

Merry to all!

ND, do I get a vote? I vote you don't go spend the holidays with your family next year.

You spend it with Kristin and make yourself happy. You can fly your nieces (and nephews?) out to see you in LA and take them to Disney Land. Everybody's happy!

If I had a vote, that is. Which I recognize that I do not.

I like the way you think. I don't think it will happen, though. ND just has the one niece, and she is graduting high school this year. He worries about upsetting his mom, who is not in good health, and not being home for Christmas would definitely upset her.

Personally I'm willing to bite the bullet and spend Christmas day with them if I can then kidnap ND away elsewhere.

{{{Laura}}} I'd be in meltdown mode too.

Me too. Sweetie, have you expressed this to them as a group? Because you really, REALLY deserve better than this.

Then this morning, shock and so not surprise, not even a single present for mom. Nope, not one, only the stuff I got for myself, and even some of that gone.

This is just wrong, wrong, wrong. Can we have the Buffistas tropical retreat ready by next Christmas?

This is just wrong, wrong, wrong. Can we have the Buffistas tropical retreat ready by next Christmas?

t votes Ginger for High Ruler of Everything

Can we have the Buffistas tropical retreat ready by next Christmas?

Well, one can wipe the formerly inhabited island of LohaChara off the list.

Thanks you guys for making me happy to be at work. Time and a half! Yay!

I'm sorry - but don't do it next year Laura. Christmas shouldn't make you cry. Your boys - all of them- are old enough to make some compromises to their own comfort to help with something important to you.

Sorry, though I feel very badly for ND, I truely understand why he goes home every christmas. ( though next year bring Kristin - then you'd have a great excuse for a hotel room ) ( and you could text back and forth while sitiing n the same room as your family)

and ION, that is much less tragic the direction on my filet mingon roast from TJ's were written by the crack monster. 160 is NOT medium. and 375? That is an odd temp . but maybe becasue we are talking a 1.25 lb roast.... what to do what to do.....

And if I didn't have to work today I wouldn't have gotten yet another great demonstration of how cool my family is. Mom & Meg brought me a lox & bagel sammich & OJ. Yum!

ETA: with onions which should help with the irritating guests... Hhhhello. Hhhhow may I hhhhelp you?.. only two more hours to go!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, all that jazz!

ND, sorry for the family suckage.

Laura, don't get your kids any birthday presents this coming year, and then explain to them why.

I was up at 6 am to answer the phone as a friend who had to work today had her car break down en route to work. My mission; go around to her house and find out why her husband wasn't answering his phone (it was off, I believe).

Present unwrapping is done. Now to flee to a party.

Yeah skipping Christmas is not really an option. Mom is not in stable health and I simply couldn't live with myself if the Christmas I skipped ended up being her last. I've already spent one Christmas with her in the hospital for open heart surgery.

So here I am year after year.