Holiday celebrations, grumbling and flexibility
December 20th, 2009 | by Leanne
Ahhh….the holidays are here. Joy, laughter, friends, family and expectations all around. Is it possible to flex enough to make everyone/anyone happy at the holidays? I’m not sure. Clearly this year some think I am failing…
You see my family celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas. And sometimes that fact clashes in life…this is one of those years. The Hanukkah folks have planned a really fun cousins vacation the week before and of Christmas…a long one. The Christmas folk are pretty adamant about celebrating Christmas on the 25th. All would like my husband, little one and I to be theirs exclusively.
So I’m doing my best. We managed a much-needed and anticipated nuclear family vacation during the beginning of Hanukkah. We returned home for a family Christmas party which is a tradition I hold dear, we rushed off to the Hanukkah folks vacation and will be home on Christmas night. But it appears no one is happy the Hanukkah folks would like us to be on vacation with them longer, the Christmas folks are pretty upset about the fact that I’ve moved Christmas to the 26th. Oh and did I mention that during all of this I have a business to run with a new product that launched a week and half ago?
Interestingly, I am thrilled with our nuclear family’s choices this holiday season. I get to see much of my family and participate in all of what is important to us. Here’s hoping the grumbling all around doesn’t get to me 
How about you? How are you balancing your nuclear family’s needs/wants, extended family expectations and work this holiday season?
3 Comments
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I’m balancing it by choosing the option that keeps the most yelling to a minimum. Not necessarily what I want to do.
Private air charter would solve a lot of these issues. Where did I put my NetJets card?
I am having oral surgery on Christmas Eve morning and letting everyone know I’m out of commission. Not the best way to handle things, but no one has any expectations for me to do everything and be in 4 places at once this year. I will spend more time with them after all of the madness.