My family consists of me, my brother, and our dad. Dad's family and friends pity us from afar. We're all we've got left. And, lately, we've been kind of sick of each other.

Dad seems to take his frustration over being unemployed and disabled since his stroke out on us, acts like a stubborn child. I can't tell whether its out of spite or actual senility.

My brother has depression and bipolar, and is unemployed of course. If he's not at his out-patient therapy program, he's home sleeping most of the day. I can hear him snoring right now.

I'm pretty much their caretaker. I go to work, I come home and cook and clean. I find distractions to keep my anger at them in check.

When holidays come around, it gets harder and harder to care every year. Traditions and customs erode away. We stopped decorating the house. We stopped decorating the pre-lit tree. I stick a couple gifts in a single box for each of us and wrap it. I still make a nice Christmas dinner, but this year I'm not dragging out the good china or flatware. Who are we trying to impress?

Around the holidays you seek out friends and family and celebrate being together.

My family is growing tired of pretending to still be one.