Here’s my question: When did my holiday season become an exercise of endless obligations? Shall we call them hobligations? Yes. Let’s coin a phrase.
Hobligation (hob ·li · gey ·shuhn) – noun – something which a person is bound by society, family and/or self to complete on time and with a smile during the holiday season, most often exacerbated by a strong sense of duty or crippling sense of guilt. Verb – to hobligate, to use the holiday season as a sneaky way to get your friends, loved ones, and in some cases, total strangers to do things they don’t want to do.
Now when integrating a new word into your vocabularly, it is advised that you try to use that word in a sentence at least three times a day. Shall I give it a go?
This weekend, I am hobligated to attend several open house / annual gatherings/ family soirees, some of which occur simultaneously.
Is it hobligatory to buy a present for my hairdresser? Or is an extra tip sufficient? Or maybe I will just wait until February to get my hair cut and then I don’t have to worry about this hobligation.
Even though I don’t have time to go to the bathroom today, I am hobliged to go out and purchase a new, unwrapped toy to give to a very good cause and not spend more than $10.
Boys, if you don’t stop picking on each other and driving me crazy, I will cancel Hanukah. Daddy and I and not hobligated to bestow gifts on you!
How about you MoB readers? What are you hobligated to do this season? Do share. It will make me feel so much better and less alone.
