Muskogee Phoenix Comics Monday, December 21, 2020 PB DENNIS THE MENACE FAMILY CIRCUS Hank Ketcham Jeff and Bil Keane Overly familiar in-laws overwhelm Dear Annie: As the time with our children holidays near in this Dear (and now spouses/ unusual year, I’m Annie grandkids) is not as seeking advice on how precious. He hesitates to handle a situation Annie to cause any hurt feel- we’ve been dealing Lane ings and just lets them with — poorly — the dictate the plan. past few years. I struggle with being We’re a long-time these major holidays “selfish” and wanting married couple with are the only time we to savor our rare fam- grown children. Be- all see each other to- ily time to ourselves. cause of job transfers, gether, at our family Or should I be more we have lived away home. “charitable” and in- from our hometown The uncle and aunt clude these relatives and my large extended are not pleasant who have no other family for more than guests. They are very family to visit on hol- 25 years, so holidays self-centered and po- idays? Any advice is have always just been litically opinionated extremely appreciated. our “core” family. We to the point of being — Simmering in the see other relatives on rude. My kids are very South an annual trip back respectful and engage Dear Simmering in home in the summer. pleasantly, letting the the South: Your idea of My husband has only couple hold forth with limiting your in-laws to PEANUTS Charles Schulz one sibling, a broth- their chatter. This is one holiday is a great one. er, to whom he is not awkward enough, but And encouraging them to particularly close. The they have also begun get together at times that brother and his wife questioning the young are not as precious to you are childless by choice people on things like is also a wonderful solu- and were never at ease their love lives, their tion. You deserve to be visiting us and our plans for starting with your children, spous- children, claiming kids families and even how es and grandchildren in made them uncomfort- much money they your own home without able. earn! They assume a feeling like this couple is Well, as my “kids” closeness that they ruining your holidays. became young adults, have not earned, sim- While your husband the childless couple ply because they are hesitates to hurt his Stephan Pastis started expressing related. brother’s feelings, he is PEARLS BEFORE SWINE more interest in vis- My husband does clearly hurting yours and iting us, and we have all the planning and your children’s feelings been happy to include interacting with his by not setting boundaries them. However, it has brother. I have asked with his brother. Have an- become assumed on him to make it clear other talk with him and their part that they that they are invited ask him to ask his broth- are invited for every for one holiday or the er to not dominate the Thanksgiving and other but not both. conversation or act rude. Christmas. Our chil- I have also said that It is not fair to your chil- dren have started lives we can get together dren. If they can’t behave, and careers in differ- with them outside of then they can’t be invited ent cities, and so now the holidays when our to either holiday.

BLONDIE Dean Young & John Marshall NANCY Olivia Jaimes

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE Lynn Johnston WALLACE THE BRAVE Will Henry

BIG NATE Lincoln Peirce Mort, Greg and Brian Walker

DILBERT Scott Adams GARFIELD Jim Davis

BORN LOSER Chip Sansom Rick Kirkman & Jerry Scott

PICKLES Brian Crane Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman