I'm looking for a support group, preferrably online, for those without extended families. With the holidays coming I tend to get even more depressed than I normally am anyway. I'm hoping it might help to talk with others that are in the same situation.

Thanks,
Laura

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This makes me sad. If you lived in Ohio I'd have you over and feed ya and see what extended family is all about.. bring your boxing gloves!!! I don't know of any but I wish you luck

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Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. - Will Rogers

We have DH's family but none of them get along. It's kinda hard being around DH's mom because she has no idea who we are (alzhimers). They don't even do "get togethers" anymore. And my family well they are all better off all together and away from us. They just aren't the kind of people I want my kids around.

I just really miss the way my family used to be. KWIM

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I truly feel for you .
dh's family live about 2 miles away from our house. but are not apart from our family life.they were always too busy.they are not family ,not in the true sense of it.our children are more a bother than anything...and it is too bad.I got tired of doing the first step to get a sense of a family tradition.
my family live on an another continent.
my father passed away last year ,and this year my mom is coming over for the holidays(amd will be here fo rthe kids birthdays and dh's).
usually it is just the 5 of us(3 kids ,dh and me).
I also miss the big reunion,the feast on Christmas eve,the party ,the get together that we don't have here.
but now i am just used to it......

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I only have 5 people left in my family ( me, hubby, our daughter, my mom and my sister) but during the holidays, when we have get togethers, you would think we have a HUGe family by all the cars parked in my moms yard. we bring in folks who are alone. there is some older women at church who have lost thir hubbys and have no children. they always come. there is 2 people my sister works with that are single and have no family, they are there too . plus a few others who would otherwise be alone on the holidays. last yr, we had 17 people eating at mom's house and like I said before, only 5 were family. Its really nice to "drag in a family" as mom calls it. if you live in nc, you are welcome to come eat with us. we would be glad to have you. this way, we have a big family without all the drama of the big family. lol

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I don't know of specifically such a board, but, would like to make a few suggestions to you and anyone else that might be in the same situation.

* remember that things are not always as they seem - many families have their problems, don't feel like "oh, poor me, my family is so messed up". Now, of course, that is presuming that is your situation. Maybe it isn't, and you just don't have any extended family alive.
* make your own traditions
* reach out to those less fortunate in your community (food bank, homeless shelter,etc)
* get involved, and wrapped up in the joy of the season.
* family is not just your blood relatives.

and, when all else fails, eat chocolate.

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

When we moved 3000 miles from all our family, we created our own "family" for those holiday times. I would invite from my work all the single people who did not have anywhere else to go; my DH would ask those at his work in the same boat; any single and alone neighbors would be invited. (BTW, this was before we had any kids too) Anyway, those were actually pretty stressless holidays as there were not any back stories or histories between this family to have to deal with---no long simmering sibling rivalries, not any backbiting in-laws, etc. It made us feel better to be the host (since we always had large gatherings when we lived at "home") and it gave those loners a place to go and celebrate. Try it--you will really be happily surprised!

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"Yesterday is but a vision, and tomorrow is only a dream. But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a dream of hope." Anonymous

"Your candle does not lose it's light by lighting another candle" Generosity

Have the courage to be yourself.

Neither my DH nor I have family around, so I can totally relate. Holidays don't really feel like holidays to me most of the time. Not how I experienced them as a child with lots of family. I mean, I do my best to try to make each one special. But it is just me, DH, DS and DD. I am always wishing there was a lot of family around. I definitely always associated holidays with family.
I like jenief's suggestion, but for some reason, I never feel able to do that. Don't know many people in the same boat as us.

Don't feel like the lone ranger! I imagine there's quite a few of us out there, you just don't realize it. My only family is my kids, and my sister and her husband and son, and an Aunt that we include from my brother in laws side. But I have always tried to make the holidays extra special for my children, and I love them too. Make a big production of cooking Thanksgiving dinner with your family. At Christmas, play the holiday music, decorate the house, enjoy the sights and the sounds. Make your OWN traditions! We can't change it anyways. And remember, these times will be looked back upon by our kids as the "good old days". Wecan't help what situation we are in, but we can make the best of it. Good luck!

Dh and I move over 2000 miles from our Family back East,So we started our own tradtional Holiday we have no kids.I comes from a family of 9 kids I miss the whole big family time during the holiday.So just enjoy the season in your own way.