Monday, Sept. 11, 2006 - 2:01 p.m.

*Sigh* The Impending Christmas Nightmare

WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY can't my mother get over the fact that because I am married, that I cannot spend every Christmas at her house? That's JUST the way it is and I have no control over it.  She HAS to have a Christmas monopoly on us each and every year and becomes unpleasant when we naturally have to tell her that we have to spend Christmas with the other sides of our families every other year, and acts as if it is a personal affront to her.   She emits complete and utter falsifications from her lips when she says that I do not spend Christmas with them and have not been with them on Christmas day in years.  HELLO!!!!!  Earth to mother!  I am becoming increasingly concerned about her memory.  I spent Christmas Day 2003 with HER and the rest of the family in Vermont.  I spent Christmas Day 2004 in Dallas with HER and the rest of the family.  Christmas 2005 was here in Houston with my husband as he was ABLE to be home for the first time in two years and we spent Christmas day with HIS family.  BUT, made my way to Dallas less than 48 hours later.  So I am a bit confused as to where in the last three years I have not spent Christmas with her.  And again today, as I had been told that my aunt from Vermont would be making her way down for Thanksgiving, made the rational assumption that my husband and I would be spending Thanksgiving in Dallas, as it had already been declared by my mother in law that Tarik and I would be here for Christmas as there was a big to do in the making. No one ever asked us.  We were only asked if we could sleep people in our house if needed.  In any event, Mom got all offended when I told her we would be here for Christmas and spouted off with the out and out fallacies about my not spending Christmas with her and Dad.  THEN she had to bring up a big freaking SNAFU regarding my spending Christmas in California with Tarik and his family, and referred to it as "only a couple of years ago."  IT HAPPENED NINE YEARS AGO!  That broaches the boundaries of the definition of "a couple of years ago."  I hate to say this, but my mother has almost single handedly obliterated any enjoyment of the Yuletide Season I once held dear because of her behavior.  I am a married woman.  I have in-laws.  We alternate holidays, and with Tarik's absence from the country the last few years, that rule has been tweaked a bit.  And I am sorry if I cannot accommodate each and every person each and every year at the holidays, and frankly, I think its unfair for me to be guilted about it, and it makes me resentful.  Instead of looking forward to spending a peaceful fun time with family, I dread the approaching holiday.