Friends are coming back from visiting their FOOs and ILs. I'm hearing several variations on, "It was a nice visit, but being around my family makes me so grateful for my friends." "Nothing terrible happened, but I'm just exhausted from a week of being constantly evaluated by my in-laws."
It all sounds very FOGGY to me. Some friends I'm pretty darn sure have PD parents. And makes me so glad for being NC and not putting myself through that kind of stress anymore!
I used to dread the Christmas Day phone call from my father, as well as the whole run up to the holiday as I never got a card, he made no effort at all.
This is my first Christmas NC and I'm already feeling relieved at not having to deal with that any more.
I remember Thanksgivings with my BPDxH and his family as being fraught with stress. It would start weeks before. After I divorced I didn't celebrate any holidays for a while and I was so relieved and grateful to have that burden lifted.
NC had been the near gift I could give myself. I feel like I can finally start to live my life and enjoy things like holidays. I haven't bothered with a tree for the last few years and I'm going to put one up this year.
My situation is that coworkers will talk about their wonderful holiday gatherings and I think, "good for you, but I'm glad to no longer have gatherings with my in-laws."