oh my tolerant dog

ER's second tip to surviving Christmas - buy your own presents. 

If you get great gifts from friends and family, read no further. 

Look, during your formative years, Christmas = presents. It wasn't religious for you, it wasn't about family, it was about getting good stuff, or not. Those were formative years. You still have an inner child. Your inner child is a capitalist and a hoarder and it wants presents. Remember, your inner child is a child. It is time to buy your own presents. This ensures that you get something you like and makes it easier to handle the jean jacket with freakishly short sleeves or the goblets that you would never, ever use, or the fact that no one even buys you presents anymore. The last few months of the year, when you are going to buy something you need but don't have to have immediately, or there is something you can afford to splurge on, buy it and put it to the side. Then use your special gift to entertain and distract yourself from whatever dynamics there are going on that you don't really want to be a part of.

[ER tip #3:  set up your own family, only spend Christmas with people you like and don't need to distract yourself from.]

Naturally, my presents were photography related. I practiced my flash extender (like a Better Beamer, but better) but didn't get any good shots so this is a shot of my indulgent dog. My last dog hated having her picture taken so I have a bunch of pictures with her standing up mid-shot, her body distorted and weird looking, while she escapes. Samuel does not mind at all. I haven't been testing flash on him because I don't want to mess that up. 
 
Not only have you made it through Christmas, you've nearly made it through a difficult year. I remember the end of 2016 when everyone was happy to kick the year and slam the door on it - except for me - because I suspected 2017 would be worse. I'm hoping for a good year for 2020. I know many of us are fearful of it. I wish us all hugs.