The Holidays Are Coming… and So Are Our Parents by tania katan
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It’s almost time for the annual family gathering — you know, that magical event where love, obligation, and mild resentment all show up wearing matching sweaters.
Let’s be honest: if you’re a Gen Xer caring for aging parents, the holidays aren’t just “the most wonderful time of the year.” They’re a reality show with no producer, no commercial breaks, and absolutely no union-regulated rest periods.
You know the cast:
Mom, arriving with a walker that has been duct-taped so aggressively it looks like it’s preparing for re-entry from outer-space.
Dad, who insists on carving the turkey even though he can no longer grip the knife (but “it’s tradition!”).
Your sibling, who flies in, spends 36 hours, and says things like, “You’re doing great, keep me posted!” before disappearing back into the mist.
You, playing the roles of caregiver, cruise director, tech support, and emotional shock absorber.
There’s the moment you open the hall closet and find adult diapers stacked right next to your nephew’s size-4 Pampers — two generations of bladder uncertainty, one shelf of solidarity. The inevitable moment Dad asks—for a third time—“Where are my car keys?” and then, “Where is my car?” The moment you search your mother’s unattended coat pocket for signs of stuff she might be hiding from you and find expired medication (with someone else’s name on the label) and a rusty pocket knife because, clearly, you never know when you’re gonna need to give yourself tetanus!
In other words: welcome to the most wonderful, awkward, absurd time of the year especially if you’re caring for aging loved ones.
Here at dōt.age, we know these moments aren’t just stressful — they’re stories. Stories filled with real love, humor, frustration, tenderness, and the creative problem-solving skills only us Gen Xers could’ve developed while growing up latchkey kids and learning to microwave our own damn dinner.
We are building the world’s funniest, most comforting corner of the internet for Gen X caregivers — a place where your stories don’t just land, they help someone else get through their day—their holidays.
We invite you to share your caregiving holiday stories with us and with the growing dōt.age community.
Big or small. Messy or magical. All of the above!
Share it with us, and help us build a community that every one of us wishes existed years ago.
You can submit your story idea here: https://www.dotage.info/contribute
Because none of us should be doing this alone. And because laughing about it beats crying in the guest bathroom. Every. Damn. Time.
xo dōt.us