WHEW!

So the Holidays are finally over.

Don't get me wrong, I like Christmas but I hate, no, I LOATHE the stress of the Christmas season. Ya know, the whole getting that one toy that your kid has been wanting all year and only one store in 7 cities is carrying it and in limited quantities and then there's the stress of money during the holidays because unfortunately we don't get a break from paying bills like the kids get a break from school which by the way should totally be a new law that passes AND let's not forget the major stress factor that is known as family get-togethers or suck fests if you have my All- American dysfunctional family. Many of my extended family belong on Jerry Springer, I'm very sad to say.

And it's these very same people that twice, sometimes 3x a year, my and mine have to get together with. I spend those 3 some-odd hrs. worrying about what they're going to say that I will later have to try to explain to my older observant kids. What word will they use this time that will make my blood boil and who will be offending who with what this year.

Thankfully, this year, there were no blow-ups, no hurt feelings, no negativity. It was actually kinda nice not having to stress about people actually having conversations. Family was actually smiling and getting along. Genuine smiles spread across faces, laughter between people that only converse at these (dare I say) forced get-togethers. It felt....strange, odd, weird...but nice all at the same time. I didn't miss the attitudes, the tension, the...the shit that usually happens on Christmas day. And I could breathe as a result......I might not be so lucky next year!!