Holidays = no friend time = chore

I'm pretty excited about the holidays coming up. Usually I am not. I don't know why because family gatherings are always pretty excrutiating for me. My immediate family is the best. I love seeing them, of course. But when we include grandparents that I barely know and the in-laws things start to feel more like a chore than a holiday. Why can't it be acceptable to spend the holidays with your friends too? It would be a lot better to go to my friends' homes for Thanksgiving and actually feel thankful and gracious as opposed to going to my grandparent's home and sit awkwardly with a pounding headache caused by all the fake smiling. I love my friends and I am grateful for them. I love being with them. Why do they get the shaft at Thankgiving and Christmas? I know my friends better than I know ALL of my extended relatives. Yet I don't buy them Christmas presents. Instead, I have to ponder what Uncle Vernon who lives 200 miles away might be able to use? Socks? A tie? And this just makes me angry. Why do I have to buy somebody I do not know a gift when my best friend and I don't even exchange gifts. I would actually get some pleasure out of sending her a gift. But I can't because I have to spend my limited money on a relative who is going to hate what I buy them anyway.

So, this year I want all my friends to know that although I won't be seeing you for the holidays, my heart is with you and I wish that I could ditch some of my family obligations instead.

Cheers!