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Both my husband and I welcome a quiet, no family, no drama, no mandatory gift exchange and subsequent disappointment, etc Christmas.  We live far away from our very dysfunctional birth families and have done so for the 30 years we have been married. As a result, we have had the freedom to shape our celebrations in ways that make us appreciative.  In the early years, I spent considerable energy wishing and hoping that changes would occur and we could return home and experience those wonderful "Hallmark commercial" family reunions - I finally realized that those commercials were staged and that's what we have to do.

Today and tomorrow, we will cook a holiday meal, read books, go for a walk with our joyous puppies, listen to holiday music and be thankful for having each other and embrace our long ago decision to stop the dysfunctional holiday syndrome!

posted 2 years, 5 months ago
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