CLEVELAND, Ohio - Thanksgiving has just passed, and my adult niece is already making a mess of Christmas.

She has told her father/my brother that she doesn’t want outsiders at our Christmas dinner or she won’t attend. What that means is my 80-something parents can’t invite their two friends to their own house for a dinner that they prepare and serve.

My parents invite two people their age who have nowhere to celebrate. These people are polite and add to the conversation. They bring food, they stay a respectable amount of time and they really appreciate the invitation. Sharing a bit of happiness with others is part of the holiday spirit. Isn’t that what it’s about?

But my niece won’t attend the holiday dinner if my mom and brother don’t comply with her wishes. She’s done this before. Now

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