Everyone's relationship is different. The truth is I've not yet spent a Christmas as a family with my SO and her kids - that's five years we're talkin, three of them all living together. I go to my parents house with my sister (who is single) and we have a very quiet, relaxing Chrimbo there, just the four of us. I usually stay for a few days, maybe meet up with some old school friends. I love it.

SO invites her family over, so it's a crowded house. She also loves it. I just can't ever see myself being a part of that, at least not until the kids are no longer kids.

Christmas is like steroids for kids. You can see their little heads getting close to exploding point as the big day gets nearer. And when that bomb goes off, I want to be a million miles away. The thought alone of being stuck in that crazy house on Xmas day sets my anxiety off. It would be like a horror movie version of the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, where Sparky's G-rated nervous breakdown would quickly progress to an NC-17 massacre involving the turkey carver. Leg anyone? Sorry, that was probably a bit too close to the bone (haha...hmm).

It's times like Christmas that remind me - I just don't have much interest in "kid stuff". I don't feel their excitement. I don't particularly cherish the sight of their eyes lighting up when they open a present. I don't indulge in the fantasy of Santa Claus.

Now before you say it, no, I'm not the Grinch or Scrooge. I love Christmas and don't want to take it away from kids. In fact I want to give it to many more kids who sadly get nothing on that day. But I just don't want to be AROUND kids on that special day. I want Champagne in the morning, cigars and whisky in the evening, adult conversation, adult jokes, adult drinks, adult games and adult movies (both kinds!).

I guess when you don't have kids, Christmas means something completely different. In my humble opinion, it's BETTER!!

Peace, love, and appropriate use of the meat carver, to you and yours this Yule.