While I love spending time with my families (immediate, extended, and Lish's family), eating turkey with mashed potatoes, tamales with rice and homemade salsa, and the oh-so important Marie Callender's pies, it can also be quite a pain. Holidays are so stressful, and I don't know how I'm going to do it when I get married and need to juggle yet another family gathering.
First, there's the argument with my mother about going to Lish's house on Christmas Eve. Happens every year. Like clockwork. This year she quipped, "Fine. We're going to open presents here on Christmas Eve and you can just open yours when you're done with Alisha and her family."
I refused to dignify it with an answer. Reality is, I reminded my mom of my Christmas schedule more than a month ago... And she said nothing. Yet, on the day before Christmas Eve, she wanted to change the schedule. Just like last year and the year before.
Again... Clockwork.
Then, there's my dad who gets upset when my mom buys him too many presents. Or the camera doesn't work. Or my brother chews too loudly. Or we leave the house 15 minutes too late so we can get to our cousin's house. Or when people drive too fast/slow/close on the freeway. Or the GPS contraption changes routes on us and we start going in circles...
Clockwork.
I love my family. Really, I do.
But it's really hard to stay in the Christmas spirit when there are so many temper tantrums. I lose that joyful feeling of being together. It inevitably makes me want to leave - as soon as I can get out of there.
Luckily, we went to my cousin's house today and I spent the entire time with the kids (ages 5 and 7). Ahh, sweet freedom! Such a reminder that it's the simple things in life that are important - laughing, hugging, sharing and cuddling up close. THAT was the best gift I could have asked for. :)
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