Its HO HO HOme for the Holidays

Its that time of year again. For some of you it’s HAPPILY HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. We see lovers holding hands in malls and kissing under the mistletoe. You are in love and have a special surprise gift for your significant other that you’ve been planning for months. Its family, friends and food: maple glazed turkey, sweet potatoes with melted marshmallows on top, buttermilk mashed potatoes with cider gravy, cranberry grape compote, deep dish apple pie, and pumpkin cake with brown butter icing. It’s picture perfect. It’s a Hallmark moment. It’s a Maxwell House (coffee) commercial. It’s happily ever after for the holidays.

For the rest of you it feels like a “Bah Hum Bug” time of the year. This time is stressful. It’s having to work extra hard and credit card bills sky rocketing because you are expected to bring everyone a gift. Its dysfunctional family matters and nothing in common with their loved ones. To top it all off – you are single (or even if you're not it sure feels like it). The only perfect love story that you experience is on television while you eat: microwaveable TV turkey dinner, mashed potatoes out of a box mixed with water, canned cranberry sauce, and dethawed once frozen apple pie. It’s not a Hallmark card. Nor is it happily home for the holidays.

Are you in the midst of a battle with your significant other or loved ones this holiday season? Are you waiting for the strike of midnight & 2008 to break up? If so, you are not alone. A lot of couples facing doomed romantic relationships stay in the relationship at this time of year to avoid the challenges and disappointment of a holiday breakup. After all, who wants to be branded Scrooge because they dumped someone over Christmas? Instead they are hoping to bring a little merry to their reality.

How are you feeling this holiday season? Are you singing carols and chuckling “Ho Ho Ho” or are you crying “Bah Hum Bug”?