Yes indeed, let me think back, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Valentine's Day, St. Patty's Day, 4th of July, Kwanza, Mother's Day, Father's Day......... all ruined.
Also ....... Ground Hogs Day, Earth Day, Sweetest Day, Grandparents Day, pretty much any day ending in a Y.
Ditto! Well, except for any day *he* stood to get some special time and presents. He was always there for those days.
But my holidays, the kids' holidays? He was drinking. He even liked to disappear right around birthdays and Mother's Day, etc., for a little relapse vacation on my holidays.
The year I was pregnant, I spent Valentine's day, Mother's Day, and my birthday alone. Even though we're still married, he's been absent for my son's last three birthdays.
Last year his family asked me to spend Christmas with them -- and then I watched them open literally thousands and thousands of dollars worth of presents, and I got some body wash and hand lotion. They thanked me for coming, and it was fine but awkward. I don't know why they wanted me there. No more of that.
This year that we've been separated has been pretty great by comparison. More than likely I won't receive a Christmas gift from anyone this year, and that makes me a little verklempt. My birthday was a little lonely. (My parents and I have a strained relationship and my mom likes to stick it to me by holding out on me on holidays.) But compared to the hills and deep, deep valleys of trying to plan and celebrate holidays with an alcoholic? I'll take it.