Do you dread family gatherings?

[WileERobby]

Thanksgiving has always, with nary an exception, been at our house over the years. Sometimes full, a few times with only ourselves, but usually about 8-people which may be the ideal gathering. I've been blessed with great immediate family and great In-laws. And, as the parents have long passed, the addition of wonderful daughter in law, son in law, and grandchildren have kept the spirit of thanksgiving continuing. Happy thanksgiving to all. There's always something to thank the Good Lord for.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Since all the elders are gone NO holidays are enjoyable anymore.I an thankfull for the wife and kids,it it weren't for them.....Rest of what's left of the fam in one the left coast.Christmas is now just a comercialized money grabbin holday.......

 

[1967coronet]

We have combined , my side and my wifes for holidays both of our moms are in their 80s both our Dads have passed. We used to rotate each year my moms , her moms.
normal crowd was around 25 and that was a lot of work for the moms at their home.
Now we rent a small community hall and everyone can come that wants to prob 40 to 50 today.
You can find relation you like to talk to and stay away from the ones you don't like.
Grandkids run wild and the beer pops out after the tables clear.
Would you like a cold one with that punkin pie ? oh hell yeh.

 

[BeeKool]

Depends on which family.
Immediate family gatherings are good.
Extended family gatherings.... Not so much.
I have douchebag cousins from Chicago that are rude as hell and hate tremendously, I've had to beat one of them up at Christmas one year for running his mouth.

On the other side my step-mom has a nephew that's a miltant gay atheist liberal (and those are the good qualities) that got booted from the air force for kiddy ****.
He's not welcome on my property.

 

[747mopar]

I'm feeling fortunate after reading some of these, I like pretty much all of my family on both sides. For me it's just the boredom of sitting around, I'm to active to enjoy sitting around. Today for the 45 minute drive I think I'll fire the Charger up and inject some excitement into the occasion.

 

[PRND21]

Holidays don’t have the same feeling after mom and dad passed. I have a couple of older brothers, really don’t have anything in common, rarely see them. My wife’s mom and dad are gone, she has a sister that we sometimes get together with. Since my stepson got married, we get together with his in laws, not as bad as it sounds, even though they’re city people, they’re conservative dog owners, and nice people that like to entertain.

Hope anybody reading this has a great Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

 

[SteveSS]

My mom is 86 and I don't know what I'll do without her. My son lives with me. I talk to my daughter once a day. My sister and her husband are doing the dinner this year and I love them dearly. (Even though they are Democrats.)

 

[steve from staten island]

Thanksgiving is one thing but Christmas was the tough one.

Now EDtn, and SFSI have made me feel like a grinch. I am grateful to have family around and holiday experiences.
It's just after 30+ years of hosting every major family function, I'm tired.
I need to sell the 3000 sq ft house and downsize, but what to do with the garage.......Sorry. I can relate about being tired. My wife loves Christmas,when she got sick seven years ago she could not do the holidays on her own even though I helped. We had a crowd over on the eve and Christmas Day. The house is not big enough for all these people and it was a lot of work. I wound up doing all the cooking and most of the clean up on the eve,helped with cooking on C day and spent the day in the kitchen. I did it for her and after it was over I was shot to ****. I dreaded that time of year. Even though my daughter and son help out its still work. My wife sets everything up and pre prepares as many dishes as possible. The only saving grace is she is still able to enjoy these holidays and the grandchildren,that's what makes it all worthwhile. It's only once a year,thank God so try and enjoy the day. Best wishes to you and family

 

[Yatzee]

If you can't be with the one's you love, love the one's you're with. They too will be gone all too soon. You're parents set an example for you to learn by. You're selfishness prevents you from practising this and feeling like they did when they did it. May as well send a note to your relatives stating that you've disowned them instead of being insincere.

 

[Rick62]

My wife's family makes the Beverly Hillbillys look sophisticated.

 

[Richard Cranium]

We have the outlaws over, and fortunately it's just the two of them. My wife's idiot brother and his worthless wife are 1,200 miles away. My brother and sister stay away and that's fine by me.

 

[flypaper]

peace and quiet around here after the offenders were dis invited years ago
my sisters thieving husband and a few thieving nieces
they don't even have the nads to show their faces anyway if they were invited.
which makes things so much easier..

 

[Kern Dog]

We all get along well, its just that it feels a little empty. Dad and Mom laid a foundation. The Wife and I have no kids though. Maybe if we did, it would change my outlook.
The "stepdad" guy is an okay guy as long as he doesn't talk at all and keeps his political views to himself. I am actually willing to talk politics with people of opposing views, I just despise the types that insult, berate and complain instead of fairly discussing the issues.
"Norm" only mentions the GOPs perceived faults and flaws, he never touts the good things that he thinks the DNC has done. When I mention what I see as serious issues with Liberal policies, he never responds, he only deflects to the GOP again like a defense attorney would. I would almost respect the guy for his tactics if HE led a decent and responsible life. He tries to monopolize conversations, He cheated on his previous 3 wives, name drops all the "famous" people that he knew, committed hit and run 3 times, had been fired twice for sexual harassment (Think creepy Joe Biden type fondling of customers and employees) .....AND watches shows like Ellen, The View, Dancing with the Stars, GLEE ....Not a very manly guy.

 

[BeeKool]

It is never the same when the patriarchs/matriarch pass on.
They are the glue that holds families together no matter how dysfunctional.

 

[Bladecutter]

We all get along well, its just that it feels a little empty. Dad and Mom laid a foundation. The Wife and I have no kids though. Maybe if we did, it would change my outlook.
The "stepdad" guy is an okay guy as long as he doesn't talk at all and keeps his political views to himself. I am actually willing to talk politics with people of opposing views, I just despise the types that insult, berate and complain instead of fairly discussing the issues.
"Norm" only mentions the GOPs perceived faults and flaws, he never touts the good things that he thinks the DNC has done. When I mention what I see as serious issues with Liberal policies, he never responds, he only deflects to the GOP again like a defense attorney would. I would almost respect the guy for his tactics if HE led a decent and responsible life. He tries to monopolize conversations, He cheated on his previous 3 wives, name drops all the "famous" people that he knew, committed hit and run 3 times, had been fired twice for sexual harassment (Think creepy Joe Biden type fondling of customers and employees) .....AND watches shows like Ellen, The View, Dancing with the Stars, GLEE ....Not a very manly guy.

Went to a chinese buffet a couple days ago, quite good, big place, got a table in rear dining room that was empty, but the flat screen on wall was on unfortunately(I don't watch TV since 2004) the ellen degenerate show came on. Oy Vey, absolutely hideous mindless drivel.

 

[BeeKool]

We have a really good Chinese Restaurant in town.
Good family owned place, daughters very hot! Give a guy Asian fever

 

[fwi]

Like many other posts above, the only relative I have left is a nephew who lives in Hawaii, so now it's just my wife and I. We do miss the big family gatherings, the great food my mother used to prepare, the shouting and the arguing (all friendly of course as we were all conservatives). Life is short, enjoy your family and have a happy thanksgiving.

 

[coronet68mx]

Thanksgiving. We are supposed to gather to celebrate the holiday, right?
Lucky for me, I don't have an annoying family. My parents are gone, my brothers are gone, it is just my sister and me, plus our spouses.
We do get together with extended family but as time wears on, it feels sort of hollow, as if we are just going through the motions.
Christmas used to be great when Mom and Dad were around. The loss of parents felt like the "glue" that held the family together had gone away.
There is no drama or hatred in our family but there is also not much excitement. I get along great with them but aside from 2 or 3 of them, I am bored soft at these gatherings. It is like listening to an insurance seminar.
Dad passed in 1994. Mom got remarried to a guy that was nice at first but later became increasingly annoying....A French, Jewish Liberal pacifist....Imagine spending holidays with a guy that jumped into insults against anything GOP related at any given time. Now that Mom has passed, he still attends the gatherings but at least now I am not obligated to be nice to that idiot.

 

[coronet68mx]

Here in Mexico we do not celebrate thanks giving but I also don't like family meetings, on my wife's side my father in law is an asshole sob who never want me to married his daughter ,the day of my wedding he call me a thief **** him, my sister in law is a lesbian not there's anything wrong with that but make everybody's uncomfortable by bringing her girlfriend, on my side my sister recently declared lesbian so my mom seem weird and she doesn't know how to act around her.

 

[coronet68mx]

We all get along well, its just that it feels a little empty. Dad and Mom laid a foundation. The Wife and I have no kids though. Maybe if we did, it would change my outlook.
The "stepdad" guy is an okay guy as long as he doesn't talk at all and keeps his political views to himself. I am actually willing to talk politics with people of opposing views, I just despise the types that insult, berate and complain instead of fairly discussing the issues.
"Norm" only mentions the GOPs perceived faults and flaws, he never touts the good things that he thinks the DNC has done. When I mention what I see as serious issues with Liberal policies, he never responds, he only deflects to the GOP again like a defense attorney would. I would almost respect the guy for his tactics if HE led a decent and responsible life. He tries to monopolize conversations, He cheated on his previous 3 wives, name drops all the "famous" people that he knew, committed hit and run 3 times, had been fired twice for sexual harassment (Think creepy Joe Biden type fondling of customers and employees) .....AND watches shows like Ellen, The View, Dancing with the Stars, GLEE ....Not a very manly guy.

My wife's and I don't have kids either but we get along real nice and I deeply love her and she love me ( at least that's what I think )