Have a Complicated Christmas

(sing the blog post title to the tune of “holly jolly Christmas” for the full experience)

I am not telling you to take a hammer to your holiday to intentionally make it more difficult than it needs to be. If you are having a bog standard, by the numbers Yuletide, then by all means, enjoy it!

But for the rest of you who are watching with building dread as you approach the emotional event horizon, Christmas is a whole other ballgame.

Maybe you are haunted by the ghosts of dysfunctional family Christmas’s past. The fear that your barely cohesive family unit will encounter the crisis that is perpetually stalking you. The stress of trying to handle the erratic behaviours, dependencies and mental health issues of the people surrounding you.

Maybe you’re trying to stay dry in a booze-soaked season. Maybe all the religious talk makes you nervous and uncomfortable. Maybe you’re broke and alone.

Whatever the reason, it’s okay. It is okay to have a complicated Christmas. You choose how you want to interact with all the ho ho ho and fa la la. Do nothing. Do everything. Go wild. Go grinch. Take the parts you like and embrace them with furious intensity. And ignore each and every part that brings you sadness. I give you that permission.

I hope you find a little bit of happiness in every corner of the room.