When I was growing up, I celebrated the Holidays with family of Thanksgiving and Christmas. When I was in college for my undergraduate degree, I came home for the Holidays sometimes bringing home a friend or a roommate who couldn’t get to her parents house.
As time went on, I was married and then divorced, I was not up to visiting my family during the Holiday season. My relationship with them was deteriorating while the weather wasn’t always cooperating. For peaceful reasons, I wanted to be alone which I did one year that was great with my cats.
After my move to Texas, I celebrate the Holidays with my cats. My desire to be around people who aren’t close that time of year has grown slim. I would rather have peace on my own than deal with conflict with others over Thanksgiving and Christmas.
On a side note, my Dad went into emergency medicine late in his career. Due to family conflicts, the emergency room was and is much busier during the Holidays. My family wasn’t immune to the situation of my Dad’s patients.
Honestly, being born near Christmas doesn’t help either because I was expected to give up celebrating for one reason or another that always happened. My birthday was shoved on the back burner then got the same excuse every year.
Grateful to be celebrating the Holidays on my terms that gives me rest and peace. On my next move, I’ll be within a few hours of my sister. Not sure if I will spend the Holidays with her and her family. Time will tell.
Holidays are complicated due to relationships. In the end, do what gives you peace and happiness.
The Magnificent Modern Mature Woman 