Holidays

In general, I like holidays. My mom always celebrated every holiday and I do mean every holiday. Easter, Valentine's Day, St. Patty's Day, Arbor Day, President's Day - you name it and there were themed decorations associated with each holiday. Growing up, I thought it was kind of cheesy, then after my mom died, I missed it so much. My now grown-up conclusion is that in defiance of bad times, she liked to celebrate life and make good times with her friends and family so pick a day, any day, and she could make it a holiday. Pretty cool to have someone care that much.

But I digress. The reason for tonight's blog is that I'm feeling a little selfish tonight and know what I want to do and what I'm probably going to do. Let's face it, I'm having a pity party - table for 1 please.

Thanksgiving. My mom's family does not speak to my dad and and right back at them so I try to split the day evenly among my aunts and uncles and my dad. (Funny I'm doing this at 30 - how many other people go through this crap?) So this year I was planning to cook dinner for my dad, step mom and her family (which is pretty much my family too - after 14 years I think it's ok to make that statement) then my uncle on moms side called and said he wanted to have dinner at his place with the family around 1:00 - what did I think. I call step mom and see if maybe we can consider doing it on Friday or they would just have to deal with the fact that I would be gone for a few hours but come back as it's about 30 minutes or so between the two houses. I can tell right away she is so not receptive to the idea. We argue back and forth as I explain that I do this every year and last year I spent Christmas with mom's side so I could have the entire day of Christmas with them this year....anyway, it ended with me saying I would email mom's side and see if they would entertain the idea of a Friday dinner. The next night, step mom calls me and said "Well, I got everything fixed since you decided not to spend the holiday with us. We are just going to my mom's house so you guys are welcome to come with us or meet us up there if you want. Her mom's house is 2 1/2 hours away from us normally. From my Uncle's house, make it 3 1/2, perhaps 4. I explained to her that I already asked my mom's side to change it and she goes "That's not what you said. You said you were going to spend it with them and then maybe come back by. Why should you cook just to drop off food and leave? I thought I was doing you a favor this way you could see everybody.

Yes, awesome of you to put me four hours away from both sides instead of 30 minutes. You know this pisser is the only person there I would be related to is my dad? And that is why for as much as I want to tell step mom to fuck off and would like to tell mom's side that I might be busy this year and just spend a nice, low key, low drama day with Nick, his daughter and the dogs - I will not because I want to see my dad. We are the rocks that keep each other sane at events like these and man this pisses me off to know I have to go and I don't want to, but that's a lot of what life is about.

Plus, I know how much holidays mean to him because the same woman who taught me to love them taught him to love them too.