Add me to the Bah Humbug group. Just ready for Xmas to be over. In the early years of our marriage, holiday time spent with my in-laws was generally lots of fun. Now it's a chore I won't sign up for a whole week again if I can help it. For whatever reason, it seems the party can't begin until my BIL shows up - which he'll be here Christmas Day & that's about it. I'm now on my fifth straight day of boredom here in rural Norfolk, but getting lots of reading done & that's all. Anything I suggest is immediately ignored. No one wanted to see any of the Xmas movies I brought - even DH didn't want to yesterday so I packed them away. I put on Xmas music, MIL promptly went into the kitchen, shut the door & put on other music. So I have packed my Xmas music away now too. DH finally worked out that I'm upset & today said - oh well we'll do whatever you want today. I said forget about it - it's not the same if someone is just pandering. Of course, the worst is that my mom died at this time two years ago (Dec 23) but I'm the only one here who seems to remember it. I wish I were just at home alone because then I could watch my Xmas movies & listen to my Xmas music & the things that make me feel festive (and my own cooking) rather than sitting around doing nothing. No one even wanted to go rambling either. At least tomorrow I'll be able to get drunk. And hopefully, we are going home on Boxing Day.
Then I intend to eat as many chocolates & mince pies, drink as much coffee, booze, etc as my little heart desires without someone dictating what's going to take place when & how everything ought to be done & when. And I'm not planning to be here so long next year for sure - making certain to get all my festive everything in before we come down here.
My in-laws are good people - it's not that they aren't that. I think they are just getting more set in their ways with the passing years such that everything has to go by their schedule, agenda & plans with little to no variations. For a short period, that's okay but longer it begins to grate. I just need to rejig my expectations in the future & get the festive things that are important to me & my traditions all done before we come down here for their brand of Xmas.
