There is a little-known affliction that comes around this time of year. It’s quite specific, and usually happens right after the Christmas lunch or dinner with the family. This affliction strikes when we’re getting around to the catching up for the year, the reviewing of life goals and general catching up.
This affliction is called Christmas Foot in Mouth Disease.
There are signs when it is coming towards you and when you should watch what you say. Warning signs include:
- Conservative relatives
- Political topics
- If and/or when you are having kids
You can read about my non-Christmas Foot in Mouth Disease here.
Of course, you can do what I did the other year and ignore all those signs, and spend time telling a 15 year old high school student that if she wants to have kids right now, she should.
In my defence, I wasn’t actively trying to promote teenage pregnancy, but some people were being all scaremongering about you can’t study, you can’t travel, blah blah blah if you have kids and I got a bit cranky. You can do what you want in life. Sure, there may be obstacles if you have kids young. But there’s no guarantee if that if you do things “properly” and wait until you retire to ravel, that you won’t have obstacles then.
What has been your greatest example of Christmas Foot In Mouth Disease?
I’m usually too tired and full of food to remember anything I may have said in Christmases past! Well I don’t recall anything too specifically bad. Let’s hope I can avoid a serious case of Christmas foot in mouth disease this year too…
Haha self preservation in being full of food! I might try that this year!
So true. I doubt there isn’t a person alive who’s not done something like this over Christmas
It’s not Christmas without it, possibly.
It’s not anything that is said during Christmas, it’s always what is said before Christmas that determines whether or not said family member is going to cooperate during Christmas time!
I’m pretty sure that Christmas Foot in Mouth is a common disease … it goes with any family gathering really.
I can’t think of an example but given my current living arrangements and the frustrations I am feeling at the moment I think it’s best if I become a recluse and selective mute!
Usually religion at my family. My parents are religious but the sermons are really sermons and not really uplifting at all. Have little to do with Christmas and remind me while I left the church early on, although I definitely have my beliefs, so something slipped in. We just avoid talking about the minister – and politics – and concentrate on food, drinks, kids etc. I’ve noticed with extended family that even presents are contentious these days, with some being surreptiously being given lest others get upset … but kids always know, and that’s hard.
A lot of my relatives have this “disease” at every family gathering, not just Christmas. Just give them a drink and the disease appears!
Haha that’s true!
The whole family politics thing is enough to turn one right off Christmas but you are right, we can all suffer from foot in mouth disease at any time of the year!
I am skilled at doing it in the workplace too. Not rudely or anything, just weird!