Christmas is hard for my family also. My hubs. father left him and his mom for another woman at the age of 10. To say that he hates x-mas is not an understatement. Because money is tight for everyone we have decided that we are buying or giving gifts only to the kids this year. Luckily everyone understands. Besides its not about the gifts it's about spending time with the ones we love.

I know that my son is disappointed this year because we have no snow. Usually by now we have enough for the kids to at least go sliding. Right now we seem as if spring is here instead of winter. Here in Vermont we have 5 seasons spring, summer, fall, winter, and mud. Mud season hits between winter and spring due to the frost coming out of the ground. We are in a mud season now. Hopefully for Ethans sake we have some snoe by the time winter break is over. He is taking skiing through the school and it is supposed to start after winter break. I'll keep my fingers crossed for him.

Ever since I was seventeen, I've moved so much that my father and brother got used, I think, to me not being around, especially for holidays. Last year, for the first time in maybe ten years, I actually spent Christmas with my father and my brother's family. I have been asked if I am going to do it again this year, since I so shockingly broke tradition by actually showing up once. Honestly, I'll probably give it another ten - already told them I won't be there.

I can honestly say I don't even want to be around friends during the holidays (which they don't understand - so I wind up coming off rude, to someone, every year). So, I don't do presents or any of the rest of it. As long as people leave me alone, that's exactly what I want for Christmas.

I had a co-worker friend, years ago, who asked me to work one night around the holidays. I paused and said, "I don't know... my family was planning on doing Christmas stuff that night." She smiled and asked, "Is that a yes?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Christmas for my immediate family is simple, low-key, and religious in nature. my family back home is another matter. we conveneintly live 400miles apart. for some reason none of us kknew, my daddy became downright hostile during christmas. he would never open presents you bought, sulk for days, throw temper/tantrums, cussing like a sailor. time to live on pins and needles, not a happy time.