Item — HN Reader

Family pressures is definitely an underscrutinised aspect of the end of year slowdown. There is a palpable societal and cultural prerogative that you make yourself not only available to but are expected to buy shit for people you may want nothing to do with—ever.

Particularly people who live shitty lifestyles who expect you to "come over" and stay with them and put up with their domestic insanity.

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Obviously this doesn’t apply to kids who are stuck with their parents and some family dynamics are complicated and awkward but if you’re not dependent on your family for financial support or whatever then just don’t. Or if they don’t suck that bad then fearlessly set boundaries for your time and mental health. Once you’re an adult and your parents age the power dynamic in most families flips where they want your company way more than you want theirs.

Also found family is an absolute blessing around the holidays. I’m surrounded by people who love me more and less conditionally than my own family.

Don’t wait for society to deem it acceptable to ghost your terrible family, just do it. Be the change. You won’t be alone, trust me. You would be shocked at the number of nuclear families who cut out their extended family and have “family-friend Christmas” and even more than that cut out one of the sides.