How Was Your Christmas?

So, DL denizens, how was your Christmas?

Mine wasn't too hot -- I was invited to a neighbor's and I went. The food was good, but her family of deplorables left me with a bad taste in my mouth (no, not literally). I ate and ran, so to speak. Hopefully next year will be better.

We always get together on Christmas Eve and it went well. But today we found out my nieces stepfather (super nice guy we all liked) died of covid. So it cast quite the pall .

Better after I got over that nasty booster shot.

We drove 3 hours to visit family, but planned on staying at a hotel. The minute I stepped into the hotel, one relative called up to say that they were sick. They ended up testing positive the next morning, so I never saw them. We were going to spend Christmas eve with another family member, but I woke up Christmas eve morning super sick, so we just cancelled the whole thing and drove back home.

I have a covid test scheduled for tomorrow morning, wish me luck.

I'm Jewish. Fine thanks. In fact, I usually get the feeling my Christmases are more enjoyable than are those of most Christians and X-tian-adjacents.

We turned down Christmas invitations due to covid so it was just the two of us. We didn't exchange gifts with each other, we have everything we need. We bought gifts for about 70 kids and adopted five families. We spent today on the phone with family and friends and had a two hour zoom call with friends on the other coast.

That sounds like a really lovely day R6.

I spent it alone. Watched TV, did laundry, spoke to my mom, checked DL and texted with friends. Went for a walk in the afternoon, then came home, ordered some shitty Thai food and watched more tv. My brother texted some obnoxious photos of his big Christmas gathering with his in laws - which made me feel more alone and a bit pathetic for being alone yet again on Christmas, but then I remembered I can’t stand his in-laws or his wife.

I felt pretty down but kept reminding myself to be grateful for my health and the roof over my head and the ability to order shitty Thai food and for my mom. I don’t take that stuff for granted even when I’m feeling pathetic.

Anyway. Sending you love DLers. Even though we bitch at each other like a bunch of rabid animals sometimes, you always make me feel less alone. I’m grateful for you.

By myself. I deliberately made too much food so after I ate my first dinner I had seconds. Half a bottle of proseco, coffee and cherry pie, watched Christmas in Connecticut, followed by Lady on a Train. Dan Duryea, having a drink afer his uncle's death "I'll have a martini. Put a black olive in it."

If I had prosecco and coffee I'd have heartburn for days. Somebody's living right....

Lousy. My fucking oven broke this morning, so I couldn't make the spiral sliced ham I've been thawing for days now and paid a pretty penny for.

"My brother texted some obnoxious photos of his big Christmas gathering with his in laws - which made me feel more alone and a bit pathetic for being alone yet again on Christmas, but then I remembered I can’t stand his in-laws or his wife."

So what is this really saying about you...??? You'd rather stay away and play the martyr.

How Norma Desmond...

I’ve learned to make Christmas my own day to enjoy my favorite things . I watched the tv shows I wanted and ordered pizza . My sister was supposed to call but she never got around to it . I am not a priority for her , just an option for when she needs something so for me it was a blessing not to hear from her .

My mother isn’t speaking to me because I suggested we can’t bring our wheelchair bound relatives over to the house anymore as it’s not handicapped accessible and they almost fell. In fact, one fell 3 days ago.

They probably won’t make it until next Christmas anyway.

It was only the second Christmas I've ever spent alone, and I loved it. I had a small tree and listened to some Christmas music. Cooked and baked a lot, which was all delicious, with plenty of leftovers. I enjoy dressing well for special occasions, but it's nice to be able to schlepp around in sweatpants all day. On the 24th and 25th I had gin and tonics at cocktail hour, put on some DJ sets of parties I went to back in the day, and danced liked it was 1995. Ended both evenings on the couch watching Absolutely Fabulous, which really doesn't hold up well (at least the early episodes), but was still fun.

I think my family and some friends might pity me, but they have no idea.

I was diagnosed with Covid last week, so I spent Christmas quarantining alone in my apartment. Best fucking Christmas I ever had.

Very bad. My mother was pissed that I hadn't offered to do something with her, although she didn't really want to do anything. She told me about the money she was sending to my sister (not to me). My husband's mentally and physically handicapped sister's birthday is Christmas Eve, so we always go see her. My mom bitched that "it's alway's her birthday!" and I said yes, every Christmas Eve is her birthday. This woman (husband's sister) has the intellect of a small child. Her birthday is a big deal to her. I can't wrap my brain around how my mom even has the nerve to say what she said out loud.

This evening after my sister texted Merry Christmas I went nuts and texted her that I was sick of my mom treating me badly and telling me about the money she's sending her (sister), and that my sister could stand up for me FOR ONCE. Yes, this is my sister who said the reason she stayed home all the time when I had to go to the dialysis unit in Philadelphia when I was NINE and TEN years old was because there was a creepy guy in the waiting room, who sat too close to her and maybe tried to touch her. Hey, guess what Barbara? I don't give a flying fuck if you were home in Princeton, or in the dialysis waiting room, or where the fuck you were! You are a shitty sister! You've met my thirteen year old daughter once or twice in her life! I think you've met my son four times! Do you think I ever worried about you in the waiting room? You could have come sit with me in the dialysis unit, but that would have been a big bummer for you. Do you think I could get up when a creepy doctor rubbed my hip? Nope, BECAUSE I WAS HOOKED UP TO A DIALYSIS MACHINE THAT WAS PUMPING MY OWN BLOOD IN AND OUT OF MY BODY. Fuck you, family! Fuck you! Fuck you mom for telling me not to feel too sorry for myself when I had to have both my hips replaced a few years ago. So then I broke up with my mom via email just now. No, not a good Christmas.

I feel very bad for those of you who have or might have Covid. That must be scary as hell. I wish you a very fast recovery. Also, for those of you who are alone and don't want to be, I wish I could hang out with you. I'd be shy and boring but the people on DL are so freaking funny and smart--I'd just be laughing and drinking and staring at you with admiration. And for the person who bought all the gifts for others, that is truly heartwarming. I vow to become a better person like you. I don't why why I cracked so badly today, but I did.

R11 you hissing cat in heat - I live across the country and I wasn’t invited to their big gathering. But I guess you would have just flown out there in the midst of Omicron and crashed it?

NORMA DESMOND? Bitch please.

Long evening with several major, dramatic family scenes. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf stuff. Worst ever. I’m still stunned and sad.

Christmas morning was great. Opened presents with Mom, Dad, and brother, at Mom's retirement home apartment. Watched some of the Beatles doc on Disney. Took my mom's adorable yorkie on a loooong walk.

Then a series of unpleasant but not entirely unexpected events, including Christmas dinner falling thru, sent my mother into her yearly obligatory meltdown. I essentially told my mother to straighten up or I was going back to my hotel.

She rallied, and I went to Walgreens and bought a frozen pizza and a side, and that was Christmas dinner. We watched Seinfeld. Not my favorite, but the episode where Kramer accompanies George to his work party (sorry, a "ball"), and George rips the back of his tuxedo off had us laughing so hard, I, at least, almost pissed myself.

So, not a bad day overall, just emotionally exhausting. My mother is a toddler in an adult body and is best handled in small doses and with a firm hand. I think having parents who are essentially overgrown children is part of the reason I never wanted any of my own.

R 16: hugs to you. I have the same shitty sister. I must kill my hope that she will ever change. Sends me a text message how are you feeling from her big phony Christmas fete with friends. Complete with pictures of the food.

I work on accepting she is a POS . My heart goes out to you.

We stayed home, I stayed in my pajamas all day, we opened presents then ate chicken tamales and rested. It was 83 degrees and sunny so the kids and I did some yard work and planted about 30 ranunculus and 30 tulip bulbs. Got really nice text messages from friends and Facetimed with family. Great day.

Don't we have Facebook for this?

r25, did you do yardwork in your PJs? Pics please.

Hosted 6 and made sure the food was good. But had the windows cracked open so I probably gave my elderly guests pneumonia instead of Covid.

Christmas this year was relatively pleasant and enjoyable. I savored the day with certain siblings, nieces, nephews, and in-laws. However, it was the first Christmas in almost 30 years that most of our numerous family entities celebrated the holiday separately from each other.

Some of it has been due to the pandemic, but also due to younger family now being married with extended families of their own. But, the primary reason is the massive chasm that's evolved out of a series of long-term petty family feuds. We've all picked sides and it appears that the animosity has morphed into open hostilities and is now beyond the point of no return.

So be it. I'm facing the reality of my impermanence these days and can no longer be bothered with self-absorbed and sanctimonious family.

I'm 60, single, and with no close family. Sounds like the lead-up to a depressing holiday? Not at all. I'm finally to the point I no longer have to spend holidays doing what I don't want to be doing. For 20+ years I had to drive 5 hours to spend 4 or 5 days with my now ex's family in Trump-land. (After spending weeks buying and wrapping presents for the whole clan.) I dreaded those trips. Now, I get to sleep in my own bed on Christmas Eve, then spend Christmas day with my dearest friends, cooking, eating, drinking, playing board games, and having a great time. It's absolutely the best way to spend the holidays. I feel very fortunate.

Christmas Eve spend at friends, a LONG dinner of 6 hours.. lots of talking in-between courses. Very pleasant.

But...

Also very relieved to have both Christmas days just to myself. Time for my hobbies, watching a bit of tv, reading a book, baking and eating my weed cookies.. Got my booster shot today.

A peaceful Christmas.

I went to church at four on Christmas eve. Adorable kids, the usual bad singing. I went for a couple of walks and made some decent chicken. A friend called me late on Christmas day to say he'd just returned from his trip. It was kind of him to check in.

It is just my partner and I for Christmas and I decided to make and do all of his favorite things. We watched the movies he likes, I prepared the foods he likes and gave him presents he really likes. I even did the dishes which he usually does. All the while, he never caught on to what I was doing, much less why.

He said it was the best Christmas ever, which made it my best Christmas ever.

Fairly solitary, which is fine by me. Most plans were cancelled due to Covid. I dropped some food (steaks, pasta, freshly baked bread) off for my drunken father, and put up with about 5 minutes of ranting before leaving. That doesn't bother me much anymore - I've learned enough to leave before I get upset, not after. Plus it alleviates all guilt about not being a more dutiful son!

[quote] I dropped some food (steaks, pasta, freshly baked bread) off for my drunken father

R35 That seems to be the perfect son giving his dad exactly what he wants. You done good.

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