After years of feeling the need to be sure my mom always had a nice holiday, I don't have to worry about it anymore. We have agreed to "just skip it"

In my younger days I could not comprehend how my mother would not celebrate the holidays. I just did not understand.

When I was living isolated and alone the holidays would push me right to the edge. I did not handle them well at all. So when I returned to my home town and could celebrate cuz I was no longer alone it was fun.

As I have aged it has gotten to the point that "NOW" understand why mom would not celebrate the holidays. Our holidays have become so commercialized that I feel like screaming. My mom and I acknowledge the religious holidays of our choice and let the rest of the junk go>

Holidays are difficult on people who are alone because we are letting others dictate to us what is right and proper. Our society has somehow gotten the idea that if you are alone for a holiday there must be something wrong with you.

Where did all of this come from? Why as a society have we created this painful and quite frankly, isolating ritual?