Family holiday get-togethers: Yea or Nay?

[davew0071]

I know some people have prickly relationships with their families, and I hate to open any raw wounds, but I kinda dig the holidays with my family.

I live in the same town I grew up in, and my parents still live here, in the house wherein they raised their five kids. My younger brother also recently relocated from Indiana, and lives here in town, too. My oldest brother lives on Long Island, only a 90-minute drive away, and his kids and their spouses (I always thought the plural of "spouse" should be "spice") live close by, too.

My other brother is a bit further away, but could make the trip with not much problem. Our sister lives in Hawaii, so doesn't make it back East too often, but every couple of years, she comes back.

The great thing is, we all have wonderful relationships with each other. No animosity, no snarking, no jealousies or unresolved spats. Nothing. We just have fun together, and when we all start riffing, it's like a Marx Brothers movie, with jokes and puns and hilarity flying fast and furious. If you've not been exposed to the bunch of us together, you'll wish you had a Rewind button, to catch all the really funny throwaways that fill the conversation.

I'm looking forward to it.

[The Superhero]

Mostly I look forward to the rare holidays we get to spend with my brother and his wife. He's in the foreign service and thus never makes it home for Thanksgiving and only occasionally for Xmas. This year, for example, they're in Afghanistan and definitely not going to make it back for the holidays.

And this year, because we just moved and are as yet unemployed, we're going to be here in Cali for both T-Day and Xmas, which will be my first time ever spending both holidays with Mle's family. They're, um, ever-so-slightly more boisterous than my family. Should be good times. Plus my parents are thinking about coming out here for Xmas (both of my Mom's siblings live in the Bay Area), so I might get my family and hers, which would be nice.

[Jules]

I look forward to them. I only see my sister and her family about every other year. She's coming out this year, so that will be great. I'd love to see my husband's sister too, who I've only met once, but I don't think she's coming.

Thanks to some ridiculous drama behind the scenes last year, I think my crowd for the holidays this year will be reduced, and that's sad. The drama has nothing to do with me, but prevents us from seeing some people all at once.

[hajario]

I generally get together with my dad, step-mom, sister, two step-sisters and the sister's husbands and kids for Hanukkah and Passover. My dad and step-mom got together when the "kids" were preteens in the mid-70's so we've been family for a while. My blood sis and I didn't live with dad but we got together at least every Sunday and for a two week vacation each year when we were kids.

It's usually ok but this year two of the sisters are pretty upset with each other. I'm not going to go into the issue but they both have a point of view that I can understand. As a result of all of this, we are having two different Hanukkahs this year; one at the parent's and one at one of the sister's. The parents and I will be the only ones going to both.

I have had way to many phone conversations with a sister or the step-mom venting to me. I don't mind being there for them but it's really a shame that it has to be like this.

[wring]

We see my family around Christmas, and visit Snookie's on Christmas, neither on turkey day.

[Sleeps With Butterflies]

I'm lucky to have a great family and I love getting together with them whenever

[GoSmoke]

I'm very close to my family and will be spending the holidays with them in the Keys this year. My sister lives in Maryland, so I don't get to see her as often as I would like, so she is coming down with my BIL(whom I adore) and my nephew(the kid is magic...really!). I am also very close with my parents so this will be a fun Christmas for us this year.

[Colonel Plink]

I miss having all of my family around during the holidays.
Especially when we were drinking.

Mom is gone now these three years and my brothers are spread out a bit.

But the memories of those glorious, loud and emotional Yuletide gatherings are the stuff of Family Legend. Nothing celebrates the birth of Our Lord And Savior like a balls-out donnybrook on Christmsas Eve.

Mom had a wicked left hook and wore a shiner proudly to Midnight Mass.

[timbicile]

Bah. I tolerate if people come to my house for dinner and drinks. I do not travel to try to act happy. I love my dad and bros but would rather be left alone.

[Carolia]

One of the main things I miss liking here is the big Christmas get-together with my mom's side of the family. They have it early December, though, and I can't afford to fly out twice. Mom is the middle child of nine, and all of her siblings had two kids each (I'm the strange only child exception), plus one stepchild. I loved it when we had them at our house because our den is pretty honkin' big, and there would be relatives in every nook and cranny of the house. While they had their differences over the years, by the time I came everyone got along well. The best was when my two out-of-state uncles made it, too. I pretty mich adore my family, and the few parts of it that I don't generally don't show up!

Dad was an only child with only one cousin, so once his parents died, he and I showing up meant his side of the family was there.

I've also had some pretty great Christmases when hubby's family and my family all got together. The girl got to be the center of attention, and we got to enjoy everyone. It would be hard for that to happen again, what with everyone's health issues. This Christmas we'll go visit Mom for the day, and celebrate later with hubby's parents unless they come to Jackson for the day (Mom can't make the trip to Nashville). I'll still see most of Mom's family, just not all at once. Thanskgiving will be here with a good friend and her family.

[Amythyst]

I love spending time at my parents' house during the holidays. The days leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas are always fun, even if Mom gets a little carried away with the decorating (we got her to cut back to three Christmas trees last year). It's great spending some down time with my parents and my sister. I'm actually heading up there next week for a 10-day visit.

As for the holidays themselves, I could do without certain relatives. The best Thanksgiving we ever had was the year it was just the four of us. I wish we could do that every year.

[Jeff]

Aside from family vacations when we were kids, we've never been a do-things-together family. Frankly I think I'd be bored going on vacation with them these days; we're just an exceedingly dull bunch when we're all in a pack.

Everyone lives fairly close, except for my dad's side of the family who are way across the pond. And while they are perfectly nice people, they're not really capital-F family.

None have ever come out this far except for one uncle. And by the way holy crap was it ever a shock to meet a close blood relative of my dad. I had never before in all my 34 years perceived him as someone's brother, let alone an older brother. It also proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that my sense of humor is bred in the bone. Nothing I say is truly my fault, it's just my crazy Scottish genes.

[Panacea]

Originally Posted by davew0071

The great thing is, we all have wonderful relationships with each other. No animosity, no snarking, no jealousies or unresolved spats. Nothing. We just have fun together, and when we all start riffing, it's like a Marx Brothers movie, with jokes and puns and hilarity flying fast and furious. If you've not been exposed to the bunch of us together, you'll wish you had a Rewind button, to catch all the really funny throwaways that fill the conversation.

This is the way my family is. There are five of us siblings and we all have at least two kids, so these days there is a LOT of fun stuff going on. We like to rent cabins at a state park and all stay for two or three days. We always have a blast.

My hubby's family isn't nearly as much fun. There are actually only two or three individuals whom I'd say I enjoy spending time with. The others are ... well, I think everyone should have opinions about religion, politics, how to raise kids, etc. but I don't think those opinions should be crammed down other people's throats during a nice holiday dinner.

[Steerpike]

I'd rather drink paint.

[Dragonlady]

Originally Posted by Scissorjack

I'd rather drink paint.

So, that's a "nay" then?

[Euryphaessa]

Originally Posted by Scissorjack

I'd rather drink paint.

Might I suggest this thread?

[Harry]

I liked the family get togethers, but there haven't been any since '96. Apparently, no one else liked them, or each other, and when my mother passed away they gave up pretending it wasn't so.

[Solfy]

On Thanksgiving we alternate - dinner with one side, dessert with the spouse's, then next year switch. That's not too bad.

Every Christmas we do what has become the "holiday gauntlet."
Christmas eve is church (total mayhem), followed by dinner with my mom's family at either her house or her sister's. Either we stay late at Mom's or go back to Mom's (depending on location of dinner) to open presents. Don't get home until 1:00 a.m. Christmas morning - open presents, pack up the kids, spend the afternoon at MIL's and have dinner there with SIL and her family as well. Just as a whole bunch of husband's family starts arriving around 7:00 it's time for us to leave to party with my dad's side of the family for the evening. This part sucks. We hate to leave while people are arriving, but it's the only time of the year we see some of my dad's family anymore and husband's family has an annual reunion in August so that's my justification for taking off. Don't get home until at least 11:00. Spend boxing day in pajamas sucking down coffee, refuse to leave the house except to get the newspaper and take the dog out.

Some year something's gonna give, and it will be sad and relieving. My grandfather is too far gone with Alzheimer's to join the family on Christmas eve and Mom's youngest sister and her family are . . . estranged. I can see that party breaking up eventually. Christmas evening with Dad's side rotates houses and it was his brother's turn. I was going to use the distance to his house as an excuse to beg out this year, but he lost the house and now Dad's taking a 2nd turn. My parents' house is on the way home from my in-laws, so there goes that excuse.

The whole mess is exhausting, trying to be two places at once and see everyone. Trying to make sure no one gets shorted means everyone gets shorted a little. I try to remember that we have lots of people we love and who love us and that's a good problem to have. Still, Christmas makes me wince a little.

[Anacanapuna]

Maybe this thread will answer the question for you. If it works out, we're thinking of making it a ... um ... "tradition."

Anybody know where Aruba is?

[Solfy]

Originally Posted by Anacanapuna

Maybe this thread will answer the question for you. If it works out, we're thinking of making it a ... um ... "tradition."

Anybody know where Aruba is?

Not far from Venezuela. We honeymooned there. Lovely.

[Khampelf]

Family get togethers are a little like dentist appointments. I kinda dread them, but they are never as bad as I fear. It's just me. I was a black sheep for a long long time, and I always feel like I'm getting a bit of disapproval from everyone. It's mostly in my mind. I have a great family, really. I never got along really really well with my step-mom, but even that is largely in the past, now.

I think everyone is on their own for Thanksgiving this year, and there are no Xmas plans yet. They have the house for it, but my folks don't like to host events anymore, it usually falls to one of the brothers.

So, Yea.

[iampunha]

When I was single, I didn't do any holidays. Liberating, that.

But the wife wants to see her family and mine, so we do that.

[Caprese]

Originally Posted by NinetyWt

This is the way my family is. There are five of us siblings and we all have at least two kids, so these days there is a LOT of fun stuff going on. We like to rent cabins at a state park and all stay for two or three days. We always have a blast.

My hubby's family isn't nearly as much fun. There are actually only two or three individuals whom I'd say I enjoy spending time with. The others are ... well, I think everyone should have opinions about religion, politics, how to raise kids, etc. but I don't think those opinions should be crammed down other people's throats during a nice holiday dinner.

With small differences, I am pretty much in the same position as you. I do not hate my husband's familiy's guts or anything like that, but they strain my patience.
When we lived in Colorado, we'd hang out with my family. I loved the holidays.
Now we are in north Florida and get my husband's family for the holidays, plus I have one son in Paris, who in recent years has only been able to come home once for Christmas.
Not quite as much fun.
Next year I'd really like to spend Christmas in Europe. I have already begun saving money.

[Wolf Larsen]

Holiday gettogethers are like being in a key club in an old folks home. The reality is not nearly as good as you hoped for.

[jayjay]

My mother's family is large, Italian and pretty local (to each other). We used to all gather at my grandparents' house on Christmas Eve every year, 20 or 30 people, and have a dinner and spend the evening talking, watching Christmas specials on TV, eating goodies (cookies, Italian nougat candies, chocolate) and then all go to Midnight Mass at our parish church down the street.

About 10 years ago, the city eminent domained my grandparents' house (which was my aunt's house by then, my grandparents having died a long time ago) and tore it down to build a new middle school. Now nobody has enough room to have those huge gatherings anymore. I do miss it...I could probably use that kind of thing this year. It'll be the first Christmas without Mom.

[THespos]

My wife's mom and dad live within five minutes. Sis and her husband live in mom and dad's basement. Other sis lives down the block. Lots of relatives from her side live within 10 minutes. Family gatherings are great.

My mom, sis and her husband live 20 minutes away. We're having Thanksgiving again this year with both families and it's going to be a lot of fun. Everybody gets along.

My only issue with this is that the whole family really likes to get together for every occasion. Sometimes, this doesn't leave a lot of room for celebrating things with friends and acquaintances. You can entertain only so often, and the family tends to fill up just about every social occasion like birthdays and such. It's awesome to have a family that's so close, but I wish I had more time to entertain friends or maybe do a Thanksgiving or Fourth of July with friends instead of family from time to time. Still, I think I should count my blessings that there aren't any major family issues that would keep us from getting together. It's kind of nice to have...

[Doyle]

I just have one sister, so she just comes everything at my in-laws.

[Taur]

When my parents were alive (dad went in '89; mom in '98) we'd all gather at their place in Calgary--"we" being my husband and me; my brother, his wife and 2 kids; and my favorite aunt and uncle. All of my dad's relatives are in Saskatchewan and I can recall one Christmas when his favorite brother and SIL came out.

We've never had a family estrangement or any other drama to upset the gathering. The booze flowed, laughs were had, and small fortunes changed hands playing poker and gambling over other cards games.

Now? Christmas has become just another day for me and my husband because he's worked the Christmas shift the last 2 years and will again this year. We're completely alone at the resort; there is but one measly string of lights in his chalet--no tree, nothing festive hung here or there to remind us of the holiday.

And le sigh. Husband has just told me that the Really Big Kahunas will be flying for a quick visit during that week, probably to check up on the latest pathway construction.

[Patience Worth]

When my divorced parents were alive it was a blinken nightmare to do holidays at three houses (remember the in-laws). Well, things sure have changed. My only sister, you remember Veb, lives over 400 miles away and can't get away around holidays. Our parents are gone, neither of us have children, my husband is gone so there IS NO FAMILY. I usually get together with a couple of cousins and their kids a few times a year, including around turkey-day and Christmas. These are always on alternate days because they have their family stuff on the actual holidays. It gives me something to look forward to and the actual holiday becomes just another day. I bake some and contribute to these family dinners. The house decorating for Christmas consists of a wooden deer head that gets hung on a picture hook. Hey, the house is decorated and I'm ready for, uh, ........nothing is going to happen, no one will be over, so give me a good book and I'll see ya next year.
Bye, Merry Christmas, etc.

[AuntiePam]

I liked them when I was little, with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Thanksgiving at an aunt's with Aunt Beulah's black walnut cake and Aunt Lola's orange dessert -- Christmas at grandma's when all the grandkids got their own box of chocolate covered cherries, grandpa would play poker with all the husbands and win all their money.

I liked them when we lived in Seattle and it was just my husband and kids, my parents, and my brother, and whatever woman he was married to at the time.

I liked them when we first moved back to Iowa, with my husband's large family.

Now, not so much. We'll probably have two of Ron's sons over, and the two granddaughters, but it's more chore than fun. They'll eat, watch a little football, and leave. It's different when you don't know people until they're grown and when you only see them once or twice a year.

[Carolia]

Mom told me yesterday that if she had the money, she'd fly us home for Thanksgiving. I know she won't be alone--she's got lots of family there around her--but it's not the same as your daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter, especially now that Dad is gone. I wish I were closer to her.

[MissJeanLouise]

Originally Posted by Scissorjack

I'd rather drink paint.

Can I split it with you? I friggin' hate the holiday pressure.

My parents are divorced so, as Patience points out, there are 3 sets of family to manage. Add to that a passive-agressive mother who practically tallies up the minutes we spend with the other sets of family to make sure that they are not getting more time than she does (despite the fact that she is local and some of my husband's family members are here exactly twice per year and perhaps we would like to make the most of their time here...) and who also thinks that it only counts if your time with her is on the holiday itself and none of this Eve or Day After bullshit...plus a sister who can just barely hide her sneering disdain for said mother (OK, sometimes she doesn't even try to hide it) and...

Maybe I'd rather have some single malt than paint. That might make it bearable.

[Lord Blackmore]

We have some family stuff at holidays, but only with the immediate family here in MA. That would be my son and his wife, his younger brother, the in-laws, me and my wife.

This year, for the first time, Thanksgiving will be at my son's house. In previous years, we my wife, son and I had dinner at our house and went to the in-laws for dinner. But they've since sold their house and now live in a condo. Christmas eve we have my son, his wife and some of their friends over to our place (a longstanding tradition) and Christmas day, this year, I think it will be a repeat of Thanksgiving, since my son has the only place big enough for everyone.

As far as the rest of the family, we stopped travelling to PA for holidays a long time ago. We really hated the long drive and the heavy traffic, especially at Thanksgiving. We save our family visits for summer now, though I haven't been back in several years now. My wife goes every summer.

[Patience Worth]

MissJeanLouise, I know. My first mother-in-law insisted we be at her house by 6am on Christmas morning. It was tradition. (Yawn) I'd have to be up by 4 because it was an hour drive to her house. At least she made decent cofffee. But, opening presents took for bloody EVER, then we had to have lunch. Then we could go to my Mom's house. We would get to my Dad's whenever. Just as long as we were with the in-law's by 6 in the blinken morning on Christmas. Then there was the year we were there on time, but my sister-in-law and her husband didn't arrive until after NINE and they lived 10 minutes away. I had to work from 3 to midnight. Pissed doesn't cover it. (It was a 90 minute drive home from work.)

[Veb]

Ah, yes: the holiday Death March. The really fun part was each branch of the family insisted that the real holiday dinner had to be at their place. Poor Patience got whammied with three of 'em, though I hadn't realized that the whole shebang had to start at that ungodly hour in the morning. Between the various treats sitting out ("you haven't eaten a single 7-layer cookie and made them just for you!") then a full meal ("don't you like the turkey? You hardly took any!"), to be followed by another house w/ assorted holiday treats and a full meal...

I only had to do the routine twice in a day and felt like one of those poor geese they force-feed to make their livers swell up.

Yep, any more Patience and I up there just celebrate holidays by phone. We even open our Christmas presents by phone. It's a lot of fun, actually. And neither one of us even has to go the hassle of cleaning the house if we don't feel like it.

[Nebelhund]

Yay. Both my wife and my families live in town. Two thanksgivings, two Christmases, all that fun. We get along with both sides well.

I came to appreciate my family a lot more when my brother died at 42. It made the relationship with my other two brothers a lot better.

[Steerpike]

Originally Posted by Veb

Ah, yes: the holiday Death March.

Holiday Death March.

I love this phrase and fully intend to steal it.

[iampunha]

Originally Posted by Veb

I only had to do the routine twice in a day and felt like one of those poor geese they force-feed to make their livers swell up.

Foie gras. As time-honored and unnecessary a process as the annual pilgrimage home for the holidays.

Christmas at my grandparents' (father's parents), the last full celebration of which was probably 1993 (grandfather was diagnosed with cancer in 1994, so things that year couldn't be as heavy), was like herding so many eccentric cats. It was also a pile more people in a small place than had any business being there. Small wonder nobody ever broke a nose in that House of Sharpened Elbows.

My mother's parents, OTOH, would just announce a week or so before Christmas that they'd be by on a Wednesday afternoon or whatever for gifts. She then got to scramble around to be there or be seen as insufficiently loving or whatever.

I am really quite happy that we're too far from my parents or the wife's for however many sets of Christmases to be reasonable. Last year, we stayed down here. This year, no such luck, which means little rest in my vacation (which I save up so I can take in one giant chunk).

[Radical Edward]

My attitude is generally a bah and humbug. There are a couple of branches of the family I'd love to get together with, but as a rule I don't like crowds, I don't like people, I don't like kids, and I don't like Christmas music or in fact about half of the food. I'll just sit here alone in my room and remember Christmases past.

[taters]

When my husband and I were first married every holiday had to be split equally between his parent's place and my mother's place. So we were bouncing around to two houses on T-giving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Plus, we had to spend New Years, Easter and Independence Daywith the family. It got real old, real fast.

Eventually, my in-laws just started inviting my mother to their place when they hosted. So, T-giving was at in-laws, but occassionally, I'd host T-giving. Guests included the in-laws, my mother, and my sister.

When the kids came along, it got more hectic. My mother in law insists on hosting Christmas Eve and always has a houseful. It was total craziness. So, we'd have to rush around Christmas Eve, get home late, then I'd stuff the kids stockings, clean my house, prep for Christmas day, and get to bed about three, only to awaken at the crack of dawn wit the kids so they could unwrap their presents from us. Then, we'd have to rush to my mother's, on a few occasions would want to host Christmas Day, but that meant I went to her house and cooked and cleaned up. I put a stop to that shit, and now I host Christmas Day. Her excuse was she had to work and it was too tiring for her. Well shit, I worked too. I'd rather cook in my kitchen with my dishes.
Since my mom doesn't want to open presents with everyone on Christmas Eve, she insists on coming to my place early, so she can give us our presents and we can give her ours. So, that's three times presents are unwrapped in the space of 48 hours.

Since my my middle sister has gotten married, she wants to host T-giving. Most years we go out there, but last year we didn't because my daughter had to work. We had our own T-giving for the first time ever and to hear my mother howl, you would have thought it was Armegeddon.

Now, throw my Dad and step-mom into the mix. They moved up here about seven years ago. I would love to have them over, but my mother stresses everyone out, including me. So, most years they decline my invitation, which sucks, because I really enjoy spending time with them.

My sister's T-giving includes all of her in-laws and her son and husband, and sometimes the stepkids. For the most part, they're all nice enough people, but I have to tell them every year I'm not discussing politics with them. They are very, very, very right wing.

This year, Christmas Day will be interesting. We'll have two new additions at the table; my daughter's boyfriend's mother, and a friend of ours. I don't know yet if my Dad and stepmom are coming, but my MiL and mother will be there. This year, my sister, her husband and son will be there too. There's a possibility of more.

In the end, I get along with all of my family and in-laws, but my mother drives me insane, my middle sister just will not shut the hell up, and my mother in law, God love her, has hit the time in her life where she repeats herself over and over. I love her, she's awesome, but she's getting a bit crotchety too.

I've never, ever had a Christmas with just the kids and my husband. Now, my kids are grown and that chance has slipped away.

But, since my mother is alone, and now MiL too, we can't leave them alone on the holidays. If it was me, I'd be thrilled, but they don't feel that way.

[Jules]

All of these juggling celebrations stories make me appreciate what I've got. I used to do that in my first marriage, and it sucked.

But now my parents couldn't care less if they even go to a Thanksgiving, and our tradition of having the Christmas celebration on some totally non-Christmas day is really paying off. I'm doing it on the 18th this year, because that's when we have the kids.

And when my in-laws discovered that I like to cook and was good at it, and we bought a house big enough to hold them all, my husband's grandma cheerfully handed over hosting duties to us. Nobody in the generation below her is a very good cook, although my mother-in-law isn't too bad. So we moved everyone to our house and I don't have to go anywhere. Although our kids all have to be juggled among their respective other families, but my ex and I are pretty flexible about that too. And if we don't get all of the kids together on the same day, so what?

It's glorious. Oh, and we play poker for hours after we eat. We really have a lot of fun.

[Patience Worth]

[B]VEB[B] failed to mention our New Years Day ritual of sharing the Rose Parade by phone. We both turn to HGTV and watch the parade while chatting on the phone. It isn't like being there, which we did several years ago, but almost. Sure beats hell out of watching it alone. And we don't have to clean the house - not that either of us would anyway.

[maplekiwi]

I've worked in a supermarket in a holiday supply town for nearly 5 and a half years & I did lose a lot of my Christmas spirit then. Its just madness & the same Christmas tracks over the intercom drive me fucking insane. But for whatever reason I'm looking forward to it this year.

We do the alternate families thing each year & the other side of the family usually has a "do" on Boxing Day. Nothing has been mentioned about Boxing Day this year. Some of my bil & sils are now grandparents so they may have other plans.

Before the supermarket job we used to go up Christmas Eve, but as my kids got older they wanted to be under their own tree opening presents. & that was easier than keeping track of the 3 million tiny things they got. I'm not sure about this year as my daughter is in full time employment (yay!)if she will want to come down for that.

I love being with my family Xmas day. It will be sadder this year as my dad died in May but we will have each other's support. & its at my niece's new house in Titiraingi. Should be cool.

The other family thing we go to is 21sts. In NZ turning 21 is A Big Deal. Love them.

[Lungfish]

I haven't spoken to or met any of my mothers family since the mid '80s. The only time I have met my fathers sister family were at my paternal grandparents funerals. While I know my Aunts name I don't remember her husbands name or my cousins. Both of my parents families live in different towns.

The only time I will met any of them again will be at my parents own funerals.

[Anacanapuna]

Originally Posted by iampunha

When I was single, I didn't do any holidays. Liberating, that.

But the wife wants to see her family and mine, so we do that.

Bless your wonderful, sweet wife! If you are married to a woman who values your family as much as her own, you are a very lucky man! Unfortunately, in my experience:

A daughter is a daughter all of her life,
But a son is a son until he takes a wife.

There is no greater love for any man than that between his mother and his wife.

[Solfy]

Originally Posted by Anacanapuna

Bless your wonderful, sweet wife! If you are married to a woman who values your family as much as her own, you are a very lucky man! Unfortunately, in my experience:

A daughter is a daughter all of her life,
But a son is a son until he takes a wife.

There is no greater love for any man than that between his mother and his wife.

Reminds me of my in-laws. Despite the fact that my mother-in-law divorced my father-in-law some time around 1972, she still hosts her ex-mother-in-law, her ex-brother-in-law and his girlfriend, his ex-wife (also long since divorced) and their son and grandson for every holiday. The whole family could be a poster for "I divorced the man/woman but not the family." They're lovely people.

[Lo-Slung Denim]

I like family holiday get-togethers. I didn't go home for Christmas last year, and it wasn't the same. I am 28 now, and one Christmas in 28 years not with my family is enough until I pop out some babbies of my own. Even then, I intend to herd them up to my folks' house at Crimbo - "You nagged me to have kids, here they are! Buy them stuff!"

These events tend to be riotously good fun rather than an absolute test, although nowadays I find them easier because I have built my assertiveness and am able to deal with people joking at my expense, and I don't take teasing personally anymore.

We recently had a big party for my mother's 60th; the entire family went and everyone met my boyfriend for the first time. It was great. As far as I can remember...I was pissed as an arsehole. I think the next stressful event will be my brother's wedding next year, in which I am a bridesmaid and will look like a dick, my mother will be annoyed that she isn't getting as much attention as the bride's mother and my father will fall asleep by 9pm. Still looking forward to it though

[Knee]

Depends which family I'm with. My legal father and his family drive me nuts. My mother and her family are great company. My ex stepdad's family just doesn't get me at all. I don't know my stepdad's family so I'm uncomfortable with them. I've never even met my biological father or his family so I can only imagine that would be hell.

Yeah, my family story does read like a soap opera, in case you were wondering.

[davew0071]

Originally Posted by Anacanapuna

A daughter is a daughter all of her life,
But a son is a son until he takes a wife.

There is no greater love for any man than that between his mother and his wife.

This is true. My wife and my mom (well, all of my family, truthfully) get along great. In fact, I get along great with my wife's family, too.

Sorry not to be more dysfunctional, but what can I do?

[Dragonlady]

Originally Posted by davew0071

This is true. My wife and my mom (well, all of my family, truthfully) get along great. In fact, I get along great with my wife's family, too.

Sorry not to be more dysfunctional, but what can I do?

So true. I LOVE my DIL, and my SIL for that matter. I couldn't have chosen better partners for them. Bless us, every one.