How to survive the holidays without killing your family.
So it begins. You turn the calendar on your desk and eyes zoom in on the date. November 1st. Holiday season is upon us and no matter who you are -if you are Single (unattached, unmarried, and seemingly unapproachable) two thoughts go through your mind no matter who you are.
Dread…
Or
Excitement and Dread…
No matter how much you love your family and can’t wait to kiss your granny (post Corona), there is a part of you that feels uneasy about going home and facing the same questions that you faced last Thanksgiving or Christmas after you vowed to have a different answer this Thanksgiving or Christmas, … with the same answer.
“Yes, I am still Single, Aunt Jan. No, I’m not crazy, Uncle Junior. I do have friends and a life, 8 year old Tameka that already has a boyfriend.”
So the thoughts start to race through your mind.
Am I too young to fake a heart attack?
Wait, this is ‘Rona… I can do a Zoom Thanksgiving! …but – nope can’t taste Aunt Emma’s dressing through the screen, so that won’t work either.
So what’s left – wear a shirt that says ‘YES I’M STILL SINGLE, NO I DON’T WANT TO MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR’S SON’? but on second thought, if is he has all his original teeth and has a job, something might be arranged. What? I’ve done cute and successful and look where that’s gotten me. A reserved nameplate at the kids table.
If you can relate to ANY of this, then this minibook is for you. I wrote this book in a week, simply because this is a topic that I have lived for my entire adult life (short of 3 disastrous years – that I will tell you about later), and it’s one that I suffered through until I started implementing some of these strategies that you will find in these pages. Now let’s be clear – I didn’t know they were strategies when I started doing them – I just knew I was exhausted with dreading the time that should be filled with joy and happiness and turkey induced comatose, and something needed to change. The Craigslist ad for a new family didn’t pan out so well, so I was stuck with the one I had. If I wanted something to change – I had to be the catalyst.
And I will also add the disclaimer that this will not work for every family, and everyone in your family. This is meant to be a humorous, lighthearted read that could be very powerful if you let it. I will give you things to do and some things that you shouldn’t do, but you’re an adult sooo… do you, boo. Maybe some of the don’ts will work with noisy Cousin Shay. Govern yourself accordingly. Let’s get started.