Delemia...

[T-Man007]

TweetOk, here's the deal...

We (my wife and I) are from ATL and our families want us to come out for Christmas. However, ever year we have went home since we moved to Colorado we get sick, and I mean sick (stomach bug, flu, you name it)! Also, I'm self employeed, so if I go for a week I make no money that week. The only decent prices are to go for two weeks and our families are giving us crap for not doing it. I don't mean to be rude to them but with the cost of tickets, spending expenses and time off work I stand to loose at least $4,000 to $4,500 to go home. How do you tell your family 'sorry, but I'm not losing that much money to come see you' without pissing them off?

Also, everytime we go home I do nothing except stress out about the money I'm losing and it's not like our family can take off for the two weeks we are there so we would just be sitting around on our asses until they get off work.

Advice please!

[angryoldman]

TweetDepending on what you do for a living, you can tell them you just got a big contract that is going to have you working about 12 hours a day over Christmas. The guy needs the job done before January 1st, and you stand to make a good bit of money if you complete it in time.

[ByRoN]

TweetTHAT COULD WORK JUST TELL THEM THAT YOU HAVE A WHOLE SUBDVISION THAT YOU HAVE TO FINISH UP!

[Scalleywag]

TweetTell them that you just can not afford to do that this year. Then set it up to where it is a bi-anual trip. Apparently the expect you to come because you do so every year. Break them of that thinking by telling them the truth. It just doesn't make sense financially (or physically for that matter) to make the trip. At the end of the day you have an obligation to your wife and children first so do not burden them to pacify your extended family.

Just my two cents.

[mick-G]

TweetI tend to agree with Scalley. If you can not afford or do not want to loose the money, just tell them that you have work commitments that make it impossible for you to come this yr. Do they make the assumption that since you can afford to do it then you are obligated to do so? If they get on your case even after that i would tell them "Are you going to take off the 2 weeks that we are there?" It seems to me one sided if they "expect" you and your family to just take up a leave, while they continue to work while you are there. Cant you find tickets for a few days?? Seems to me, even if you had to pay alittle more for a few days out there, it would be cheaper in the long run, as you won't be away from home and work as long, so you will be saving more that way.

[kite]

TweetI agree with Mick and Skalleywanker

[Klash]

TweetI'm with scalleywag. If your families value your well being - they won't guilt trip you and if they do - miss the next year too. Hell, those airplanes go both ways!
Then you can take half the money you would have spent/loss and give your family one hellacious winter solstice!

[supasaiyan99]

TweetScallywag and Mick-G said it right!

[pigmeat]

Tweeti went through this for a few years..finnally i started inviting them to my house, and put them on the spot!!!!

[T-Man007]

TweetThanks guys! The problem is, we didn't go last year and now they expect us this year. What pisses me off the most is my mom and dad will use up their vacation days going to the beach or seeing friends or some kind of other BS and then when Christmas comes around they don't have the days to come out here.

In all honesty, I can afford the trip but I don't want to lose the money. I can get tickets for a shorter trip but they are literally double in price. Also, my sons birthday is the 22nd so they want us there for that too! So, even if we for for say 5-6 days I would lose a lot less money in income but the tickets would cost more. But, that doesn't put aside the getting sick thing. Colds and flus are always up in the winter and more people fly in December than any other month so there's always a chance of getting sick.

Ugh! I guess I could suck it up and go for like 5-6 days, just pay the extra money for the tickets and have my family load up on vit C and stuff and hope we don't get sick. Or.....I could tell them 'sorry, can't make it this year either'. It sucks because I want to see them but I want to enjoy the trip and not be stressed out, which is what usually happens.

[supasaiyan99]

TweetTake lots of Zi-CAM in case you do get sick and buy hand sanitizer to use after you touch anything.

[mick-G]

Tweet007, you have to outweight how much you want to go as opposed to how much you want to stay. Does your wife feel the same way as you do? If the wife wants to go, then go bro, lol! If not then stay home. You have to make the decision and hold to it. Not to be blunt here, but to me, to be almost forced to go, then when you get there you have to sit around all day cause everyone is at work sounds a bit rude. I know its family and all, but they can't expect you to go every yr, especially during that time it is rediculious at the airports. If you do want to pamper everyones feelings, then i think if you can find cheaper tickets for less days, that would prob be the best option.

[dot1]

TweetI use to have the same problem, I finally told my inlaws that Santa is coming to my house! My inlaws are self-employed, like me, and they finally accepted it. It pisses me off that they and my parents expect us to do all the travelling and they rarely and I mean rarely visit us. Sorry for the rant but a sore subject to me.

[pigmeat]

TweetTake Airborne....if you go. I have went through this for 10 years now....not only for christmas either.....everybody puts pressure on me to come home to visit, but they all use vacation elsewhere so they cant come see me....pisses me off

[angryoldman]

Tweet

I tend to agree with Scalley.

I agree with Mick and Skalleywanker

I'm with scalleywag

Scallywag and Mick-G said it right!

WELL PHUQUE ALL YOU TOO!!!