My family's Christmas has turned into this elaborate production where my mom plans everything perfectly and the rest of us just show up and smile, but nobody seems to actually enjoy it anymore. We're all too polite to say anything but I can see it in everyone's faces during the gift exchange - we're all just waiting for it to be over.
More people experience this than they realize.
The architecture of your family celebration has calcified into performance, leaving everyone longing for connection that the ritual no longer provides.
“Where Are You with Festivals and celebrations?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.