A Challenging Family Christmas? Make yourself at home here

[Hissy]

While some have the christmas experiences shown in the adverts, others are starting to feel the impending doom of family festivities.

For some the pressure may have already started to build and this is a thread to support anyone who identifies with this sentiment.

This is a thread for you to come and just be, come and talk to us about it, we'll hear you and listen and understand.

Ongoing support for those of us with Problem Families, or family dynamics that make us feel sad/bad/mad is available as ever on the Stately Homes Thread

I couldn't find any snowflake glasses but I'll lift a glass to us all tomorrow

xxx

a huge christmas hug to everyone, wherever they are, and what ever the reason they're struggling.

you aren't alone.

Merry Christmas everyone!

On Saturday we're going to my toxic PILs. They beat my lovely DH as a child until he started to fight back aged 19. Because of this, he had a breakdown a year ago and needed counselling and anti depressants.

DH can see how toxic they are but is not willing to cut contact. We're on low contact, maybe 4 times a year. I struggle so much not to confront them for what they've done, but have to hold my tongue for my DH.

DH did confront them over the phone when his counselling had given him the strength. Their response was that it's in the past! Not for DH it's not.

I'm not well at the moment & I'm in a lot of pain (ongoing health problem that's flared up) and am scared that I'll end up confronting them and upsetting DH.

The first time I met them FIL raised his hand to slap me when I challenged him about something. Would love for him to actually hit me so I can prosecute him! DH has told me that if FIL does hit me he'll support me not FIL. I just don't want to make it worse for DH.

hope you survive the day, crazycat

I wish everyone on this thread the best day possible - you are all,lovely, and deserve nothing but the best.

no snowflake glasses here, but we do have cherry coke in wine glasses - which is utterly divine with the christmas lunch!

I raise a glass to you ALL!!

thanks for being here to support one another etc, it's so important to so many.

I shall make sure there's a thread every year!

Had a large glass of red in my snowflake glass, raised to all the people on here dealing with shit people and shit situations. Love and strength to us all.

How is everyone doing?

I've got through most of the day now, hasn't been as bad as I thought.

I've had a good day, actually. Last night was the big thing here (traditional to have abig meal on xmas Eve, late). Went OK, PILs came and kids were OK. Then it was just us (me, DH and DCs) today, went for a long walk and then ate leftovers from yday and went for coffee with MIL this afternoon.

Best Xmas in a while thanks to NC whatsoever with evil DM.

Argh posted too soon. Hope everyone else is managing OK.

xx

Waves to everyone.

We didn't bother with Xmas lunch, we're all ill and nobody fancied it. We ate sandwiches and did what the hell we felt like, it was a bit fab. I toasted you all with amaretto as we couldn't be bothered with fizz.

Last night it appears MiL had a mini stroke, she's going to be ok. The current Mr Tigga is taking grandma (MiL's mother) back to Stoke today. He's taken The Cub with him - grandma has dementia and behaves much better when there are small people around. I have the feeling this is going to be a fun filled few weeks. SiL is less than useless and apparently has 'vertigo'. IME this means the focus has been shifted off her.

I managed to survive Boxing Day with the partner of MiL and managed not to stab him repeatedly with a pickle fork. It was tough going and the fizz got a bit hammered, but it wasn't my fizz

KOKOEveryoneTiggaxx