TheDad is an extrovert. Holidays bring out the best in him. He's always ready to invite guests over, or attend one gathering after another. Even on weekends, it drives him crazy to have to stay home.
I'm an introvert. Holidays bring out the worst in me. By the Third Day of Christmas (that would be the second Road Trip out of at least 3) I am ready to lose it, if I haven't already. And by this point in the year all I want to do is spend a day in my pajamas and Never Leave The House For Any Reason. This morning I was wound up so tight I was ready to burst into tears with no provocation. I had to escape to the supermarket where I could be alone.
TheDad also likes to drop all routine and do something different, whereas I thrive on familiarity--except for furniture arrangement and trying new recipes.
Parties, even family gatherings, can sap my mental strength in a way that even arguing with a four-year-old doesn't. I feel like it costs me a great deal, some days, to put on a smile and socialize, whether it's with family members or near-strangers. And parties become something I dread; I almost never look forward to them. Right about now, I'm just plain exhausted--and I look it.
We've got 2 more parties and one more visit scheduled in the next four days. After that, people in this house will start going back to school and work, and I will stop feeling like I need to go and hide.
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