Interesting to see this here tonight. Just a few hours ago, my wife mentioned to me what she heard from some nurses: apparently, Christmas is one of the busiest times in hospitals, because a lot of people with elderly parents and grandparents would invent illnesses (or even cause them, by e.g. hiding or substituting medicine) to get them admitted to hospitals during Christmas, just to avoid having to have a Christmas dinner.
She also told me that some time ago, there was an ad aired about this problem in Poland; it featured an elderly man who tried, year after year, to invite his family for Christmas, to no effect. He eventually posted a notice about his own funeral, and as the family came and was surprised to see him alive, he brought in the dinner and said, "because that was the only way I could get you here".
Stories like this make me sick in my stomach. No matter the bad blood that can be present in a family, I just can't imagine how one can treat one's own parents this way.
She also told me that some time ago, there was an ad aired about this problem in Poland; it featured an elderly man who tried, year after year, to invite his family for Christmas, to no effect. He eventually posted a notice about his own funeral, and as the family came and was surprised to see him alive, he brought in the dinner and said, "because that was the only way I could get you here".
Stories like this make me sick in my stomach. No matter the bad blood that can be present in a family, I just can't imagine how one can treat one's own parents this way.