Over the years I have too suffered depression during the holiday season. We have family to be with but it is just the expectations of perfection I preceive. One of our traditions is to be Santa for someone. We pick a family that is having a tough year (death, job loss, illness). This is not picking a family through a charity. It is a family totally not expecting anything. We buy gifts, wrap and do the ol ding dong ditch with the stuff. Over the years our kids have really enjoyed this. Yes Santa is real, he just doesn't always dress in a red suit.
For Thanksgiving this year my sister and I are taking a road trip to NY. We will be delivering some furniture. My sister has not traveled much so this is going to be like a country folk meeting Manhattan. I love to travel and SHe is getting so excited. On the other hand there will be 2 DH with adult children fending for themselves.