For some people, Christmas is the biggest, most festive and happiest time of the year because they get to spend some time with their families that they can’t see more often. And even though most often the word family has a positive connotation, causing warm feelings, not everyone shares the same experience.
So the holiday season for them causes more anxiety and stress than happiness. But when you become an adult, you can choose to not go back to the place where you felt unwanted, were abused or not understood.
It’s not a sin to dislike your family or relatives and not want to see them on holidays when doing something else would bring you more joy. That actually happens not as rarely as you would think. Reddit user JustBo-Lieve asked “What’s your ‘that’s why I don’t go home for the holidays’ story?” and people shared what bothered them so much about their families that they don’t want to see them ever again.
More info: Reddit
#21
Simply put, my family is full of grudges and alcohol. Holidays are supposed to be full of good feelings but every time one comes around someone mysteriously pulls up drama from 1992 and just ruins everything. So I'm just going to work.
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89points
#22
Jesus. My parents are Opus Dei, the intolerance to other ideas is why I left home at 17. That level of "Jesus" is too much to take on anything other than the phone. I will call, I wont visit.
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84points
#23
For some reason my brother and his wife and super unfriendly towards us and my extended family including my parents.
Just for example my parents drove 8 hours to come see them and they ended up sitting in their hotel room all weekend because he would never make plans or would cancel at the last second. Note my parents supported him financially well into his 30's.
Just for example my parents drove 8 hours to come see them and they ended up sitting in their hotel room all weekend because he would never make plans or would cancel at the last second. Note my parents supported him financially well into his 30's.
So basically every family function consists of my folks coddling to my brother and having him either blow them off or showing up briefly and being a complete a** the whole time.
Plus I have a psycho aunt who attacks me at every moment she gets. I think my family has a lot of mental problems....
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78points
#24
Family is mostly passed away (I'm in my 20's). No parents no brothers/sisters/uncles/aunts that live in the area. No reason to visit my hometown other than my in-laws live there. Going back gives me panic attacks.
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65points
#25
Not as interesting as others, but it's just about the location. I moved to San Diego from Indiana about 3 years ago. I hate Indiana. Last time I was there, it was flat as hell (don't expect that to have changed), cold, dreary, and boring as f**k.
I coined a term for the way I felt; Sudden Onset Seasonal Affective Disorder: SO SAD.
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63points
#26
Moved 1000 miles away from hometown to go to college. Mom told me before I even graduated from high school that I'd better make some friends my first semester, because a round trip flight at thanksgiving wasn't in the budget.
It's not bad. I went home with my roommate last year, and this year I'm staying with my boyfriend. I'm involved with the Macy's parade, so that keeps me busy too. I think if I really wanted to my mom would find a way to fly me back, but I don't mind waiting a few weeks till winter break starts.
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57points
#27
We've had the holidays by ourselves for around 11 years. My husband, two young adult children and I. All the grandparents have passed on. We used to get together with my husband's brother and his family, but after he divorced, it was too hard to set up plans, since the kids were with their mother some of the time. Everyone is adult now and it's even harder to arrange, since some are now married or involved and have other places to be.
"Home" is now us. My kids miss their cousins. They've missed them for over 10 years and now it's just a happy memory. I hope some day we'll be able to change it, but I don't know how, exactly, to do that.
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51points
#28
My father and my step brother's like getting into fist fights every holiday. Oh I also tend to get yelled at a lot but I'm not sure if that has changed seeing I moved over 300 miles away after getting married. I refuse to go home for Christmas even though my husband has tried to convince me. Would much rather go too this state lol
48points
#30
Because everyone is now spread out over a massive state that gets insanely cold during the holidays. They can come see me where it's still 70 this time of year.
That or they can wait till I visit in the summer.
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36points