Yuri was focused on his dinner, barely registering how long his wife, Evgenia, had been chatting on the phone. When he finally noticed, irritation crept in. “Who could possibly be so interesting that she forgot about her half-eaten meal?” he thought.
Evgenia, oblivious to her husband’s growing frustration, was beaming with excitement. “Imagine this!” she exclaimed as she hung up. “My parents invited us to their house for New Year’s!”
Her parents lived in a cozy countryside home just an hour outside the city. Lately, her father had been unwell, so their visits had been limited to quick check-ins and medicine drop-offs. Now, the prospect of spending the holidays there felt like a much-needed escape.
Yuri, however, didn’t share her enthusiasm. He wiped his mouth, put down his fork, and furrowed his brow. “But you know my mom always comes to us for New Year’s. It’s tradition.”
Evgenia sighed, her excitement deflating. “For ten years, Yuri. Ten years of hosting, cooking, cleaning up. They don’t just come for dinner—they stay the whole holiday! And I’m exhausted every single time.”
Yuri dismissed her concerns. “We always have a good time,” he reasoned. “Besides, Mom already called. I told her everything was set.”
“Did you ask me?” Evgenia’s voice was sharp.
Yuri barely looked up from his plate. “What is there to ask? It’s obvious.”
“Fine,” she said, standing up. “But we’re going to my parents’ this year. If you want, you can join us.”
Yuri barely reacted, turning up the TV instead.
That evening, Evgenia decided to ask their ten-year-old son, Petya, where he wanted to celebrate. “Grandpa Vanya invited us to the village for New Year’s. What do you think?”
Petya’s face lit up. “I miss Grandpa! Can we go?”
“But what about Grandma Galya and Aunt Ira?” Evgenia asked, giving him a choice.
Petya hesitated. “Mom… I actually heard your talk with Dad. He’s not coming, is he?”
Evgenia hugged her son. “No, sweetheart. He won’t.”
“Then can we go just us?” he asked hopefully.
She smiled. “Yes, baby. We’ll leave on the 30th. We need to help with the holiday prep.”
A Shift in Tradition
Yuri, still convinced Evgenia would change her mind, paid no attention to her words. On December 29th, he arrived home early and was greeted by the sight of his wife twirling in front of the mirror in a beautiful new dress.
“What’s with the fancy outfit?” he asked, amused.
“We’re heading to Grandpa Vanya and Grandma Sveta’s. Are you coming?” Petya asked, jumping up excitedly.
Yuri lifted his son into the air and spun him around before setting him down. Then he turned to Evgenia. “Zhena, what is this? We have guests coming, and you’re planning to leave?”
“You’re staying?” she clarified.
“Of course! We already talked about this,” he said, looking at her as if she were crazy.
Evgenia simply smiled and went back to packing.
Reality Hits
On December 30th, Yuri returned home from work, ready to buy the last of the groceries. He flung open the door, expecting to hear the usual bustle of preparations—but was met with complete silence.
Frowning, he dialed his wife.
“Where the hell are you? I just got home, and the house is empty! How could you just leave? What about the guests?”
Evgenia’s voice was calm but firm. “Well, dear husband, I thought we understood each other. But this year, find yourself another kitchen helper. I plan to relax like a normal person, not be a slave to the holiday table.” With that, she hung up—and turned off her phone.
Yuri immediately called his mother. “Mom! Come earlier tomorrow. We have a lot to prepare. Tell me what to buy.”
A long silence stretched before his mother finally spoke. “What are you talking about, Yura? What about Zhena?”
“She left to her parents’,” he admitted.
There was another pause, then a huff of disapproval. “Actually, we planned to come and enjoy the holiday, not be stuck in the kitchen. We do enough of that at home.”
Yuri’s stomach twisted. “But Zhena does it every year…”
“She’s the daughter-in-law! That’s her duty!” Galina snapped.
Annoyed, Yuri tried to order food from a restaurant, but his mother refused. “Honestly, son, I expected better from you.” She hung up.
Not long after, his sister, Ira, called. “What’s going on? My boys were looking forward to this!”
“Come anyway,” he said, exasperated. “We’ll manage.”
Ira snorted. “Manage what? I can cook at home. We’re going to Mom’s.”
Yuri sat on the couch, stunned. For the first time, he realized just how much Evgenia had been carrying all these years. The exhaustion, the stress, the thankless effort. He felt a pang of guilt.
A New Beginning
The next morning, Yuri drove to his in-laws’ home.
Inside, the atmosphere was nothing like the rigid formality of his family’s celebrations. Laughter echoed from the kitchen, where the women worked together, chatting and giggling. Outside, the men strung up garlands and helped the children build a snow fort.
It was warm. It was lively. It felt like family.
As the clock ticked toward midnight, Yuri leaned in close to his wife. “Thank you for pulling us out of that cycle. I never realized how much I was missing.”
Evgenia just smiled.
A Shift in Priorities
The next day, Yuri’s phone rang.
“Son,” his mother’s voice was unusually sweet, “when are you coming back? We thought we might visit since there are still a few days left of the holiday.”
Yuri smirked. “Oh, actually, we’re heading to a resort with Zhena’s parents. We’re planning to go sledding and enjoy the fresh air.”
His mother’s tone immediately hardened. “What about us?”
“You’re welcome to visit,” Yuri offered. “The spare keys are with the neighbors.”
A long silence followed before his mother muttered, “Maybe we’ll come to the resort instead?”
“Unfortunately, we only booked a small cottage for three,” he said, pretending to sound regretful. “But you can always call and check for availability. Want the number?”
Before he could say anything else, the line went dead.
A New Family Tradition
From that year forward, New Year’s became about joy, rest, and balance. No more stress, no more unspoken expectations—just love, laughter, and the people who truly mattered.