Dear Annie: In response to “Not a Family Holiday,” the reader who was stressed about the prospect of dividing her time among family members during the holidays, I solved this problem for myself years ago. When I married, my husband had two small children from his first marriage. Sharing holidays was a requirement of the custody agreement. This always meant that we missed the holidays with the children every other year.
So, we created alternative holidays. We simply choose a different day to celebrate. As my husband and I added two more children to our family and they all added spouses and grandchildren, this model continues to work, allowing us to celebrate together without negotiating with in-laws. — Always Happy on Alternative Holidays
Dear Always Happy: What a great suggestion. This arrangement allows you, and your whole family, to enjoy the holidays with very little stress. The real purpose of the holidays is simply to spend time together. The date on the calendar is just that — a date on the calendar.
Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.
