Greetings,

My sister and BIL live across the street from my parents on a cul de sac.

My father told me on the phone that he wants to spend Christmas alone with my mother and would like my sister and BIL to find something else to do.

Sis called me from the road tonight. They are visiting BIL's relatives in two different cities and will be fine.
She also told me that she and BIL have not spent Christmas with my parents since she moved there. Thanksgiving yes, but Christmas, no.

Sis goes out of town with BIL or hangs out at her own house.

My parents are jerks. And they prob always were.

But at least I don't have any fond childhood memories of Christmas to be sad about this time of year. For that I can be thankful.

M.

But my parents do fully participate in their church's posadas -- 9 nights of re-enacting Mary and Joseph's looking for an inn, saying the prayers. . . .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posadas
They invest lots of time in other people -- people they are not related to.
I promise to get over it. Really. But right now I want to vent, thank you very much.