Now I remember why I hate the holidays and love Halloween. On Halloween there is no pressure to go around the tri-state area to different family dinners so you don’t piss people off and get to spend quality time with all of your loves ones. On Halloween you aren’t pressured to bring food or even see anyone unless you want too and then you are usually in an alcoholic haze and there is loud music involved at some point. There is no guilt, no whining, no pressure, no hard feelings….it’s just candy and mischief and parties. All of which I can handle, even look forward too.

I’m grateful for my family and I love them dearly. That’s why every year I bust my ass to go and spend enough time with each of them because I want too, not because I have too. Plus, I drag theMan, who loathes it.

However, some members of my family, and maybe rightfully so, want more time than I can allot them. This results in guilt trips which makes me start to feel that bile rise in my esophagus and my stomach to tie in knots with anxiety. Something in me makes me want to make people happy first so when someone is disappointed, I get all anxious. Thus, I hate the holidays.