When you're newly-married, it's tough to decide which set of in-laws "gets you" for the holidays -- perhaps your husband's family is more traditional ...
Sometimes, both sets of families become very emotionally attached to 'getting you' for your first married Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Thanksgiving. If distance is a factor, someone's family has to 'win.'
There's no denying that we all enjoy the universals of celebrations -- the good food, the family members getting together and sharing embarrassing stories -- but a holiday with different customs can be unpleasant without some effort to be a part of it.