I really don't like this whole season. It just feels superficial to me. So over time I've pulled away from gatherings. My family is far away so that isn't even a question, but my partner's family always has something and since I really don't like some of them, which he knows, he is pretty good about keeping it all separate.

Volunteering is a great idea. I did it once at a homeless shelter and was surprised by how much fun I had.