When Christmas is Awkward

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays but let’s be honest for a moment. Christmas can be awkward as all get out sometimes. I mean it’s the holiday where you meet new relatives, come face to face with the relatives that you hate or aren’t talking to at the moment, or worse. On top of all of that you have to buy gifts, attend parties, and pretend like the Jelly of the Month Club our boss gave you doesn’t make you want to pull a Cousin Eddie on them.

There are so many things that can make the holidays awkward. Here are just a few that top that list for me.

Christmas Cards

Raise your hand if you still send these? I normally don’t but since I send thank you notes and such I feel the need to order or buy some of these and send to anyone who sends me one. There is nothing worse than getting a card after Christmas and having to be like, yours must have been lost in the mail. All I want to say is please stop sending me cards, I mean I don’t even like some of the relatives who feel the need to send me one every year.

Gifts

Have you ever received a gift but it’s too late to get whomever one in return? You just know they are now feeling bad and you feel even worse because you feel like a heel. I hate when this happens. I now get a few extra gifts that work for either a guy or gal. Wrap those babies up and then slip out like I forgot the gift in the car or something. Write their name on it quickly. One year I would love to say “No gifts at all this year.” I mean I have but someone always shows up with gifts. 

Opening Gifts in Front of People

The pressure of all of this. Having to school my features if I get a gift that I hate. My biggest awkward moment is opening the gifts from one relative who always buys me something three sizes too big. They then always make the remark “I wasn’t sure how much weight you gained this year but it should fit fine.” Yet when I pull the circus tent out they call a dress, I just want to cry. I mean really! Just don’t buy me anything if you are using it to insult me. If I did that, the relative would be making remarks about my lack of tact. 

Bring a Food

Okay, I admit I love when we all bring food. However, I hate when they just say bring whatever. Please, for the love of all that is holy tell me what you want me to bring. If not, we are going to have five bowls of mashed potatoes because they are easy and all some have time to make. When they tell me to bring whatever now, I bring ice. I mean you said whatever. When I do bring a dish, I tell them to bring something particular or  will say, “Could you bring a side? Whoever is always bringing a side if you want to touch base with them to find out what they are bringing?”

Although this will blow up in my face too sometimes. I mean I told my sister one year to bring the sodas. I’m thinking she is going to pick up an assortment of them. I mean we have a house full of people and this chick rolls up in there with four 2 liters of Dr. Pepper. 

I mean what the hey? I didn’t say bring drinks for yourself only. I could have slapped her. The good news is my brother knew she’d screw it up so he had a trunk full of drinks just in case. 

Those are just a few of the things that can make Christmas awkward. Lets not get into all of the arguments and we hate these people that happen. We don’t get togethers very much anymore because of all of this. I will say that while this year I am a little sad, I think it will be one of the better Christmases I will have had in a while.