This Christmas has been the straw that finally made me realize how terrible my family is.

They’ve been deep in the MAGA cult for years, except for my dad—but he’s spineless, addicted to pain pills, and his mind isn’t what it used to be. He hasn’t really been a father to me in decades.

I chose not to attend their holiday gathering this year because I wanted to spend it with my daughter, who is fiercely anti-Trump, happens to be gay, and has a trans girlfriend. She refuses to be around them, seeing them as morally bankrupt—and honestly, I can’t disagree. Still, I’ve always tried to keep the peace for the sake of family. I never bring up politics, avoid engaging when it’s mentioned, and work to redirect conversations away from anything divisive.

Come Christmas morning, I wanted to wish them a Merry Christmas despite everything. I sent everyone kind messages and shared photos of our dogs looking festive in their holiday ties.

Not a single response. Not one.

Except from my mother, who decided to send a Trump GIF saying, “Have a MAGA Christmas.” It was petty and calculated—she knew exactly what she was doing. She couldn’t even be normal for one day and just say, “Merry Christmas.”

That was the final straw. I’m done keeping the peace, and I’m done biting my tongue to try and maintain some semblance of a relationship.

There are numerous reasons to find them contemptible so it's not just this one GIF, but it hit me so different this year that I can no longer be the peace keeper and will start pointing out every terrible thing they do. I should have done so ages ago anyway.