I agree. Having to celebrate holidays separately is the price you pay for separation.
I remember, the first Thanksgiving after my ex left. (Mind you, he left in early February and we're in the US so this was 9 months later). Divorce papers were filed in February and the divorce was in process. I was living with my mom as our house had been sold.
And my ex asked our adult kids (then 17-22) if he was invited to Thanksgiving at my mom's house!!!!!
Now first of all - my mom would have glared at him all day as she was mad as heck at him for cheating on me.
Second, we were not reconciling nor was this a "mutual" divorce - by what right did he think he would be welcome at our house?
Honestly, I think it just dawned on him that he was gonna miss out on the awesome Thanksgiving dinner that I had always prepared (with no help from him! He always went surfing Thanksgiving morning because it was uncrowded - uh, yeah, because good husbands were home helping their wives!!!)
I gave a strong "No!" or maybe "He!! no!" to that. We have split or alternated Thanksgivings since (although lately my ex has chosen to be out of town over Thanksgiving).
Honestly, at this point, I'd be happy to invite him and his wife over for Thanksgiving dinner - EXCEPT for the fact that he has treated the kids (and me, financially) so poorly since the divorce. So nope. Not invited. That's the consequences of cheating on your wife and dumping her after 26 years and then being a selfish father to your adult children for years. Not happening.
