The French Word You Need For the Holidays

"There is a moment every December when I look at my calendar and realize that the holidays are essentially a triathlon made of tinsel and small talk. First, there is the driving portion, which involves circling unfamiliar neighborhoods, Googling parking rules, and eventually abandoning the car somewhere that feels both illegal and inevitable. Then comes the chat endurance test, during which you must remember who got divorced, who got a dog, and who now runs a kombucha company. Plus, be visibly interested in the updates."

"All of this is meant to be festive. And it is, sort of. But it can also feel like we are leaping through a gauntlet of social obligations while wearing one of those sparkly jumpsuits that look fabulous until you need to pee. Holidays carry the weight of repetition. Every year, the same gatherings, the same stilted conversations, the same negotiations with your own seasonal cheer."

Holiday seasons often combine logistical hassles and social endurance: driving to unfamiliar places, finding parking, and enduring rounds of small talk while feigning interest in life updates. Festive occasions can feel like a repetitive gauntlet of obligations that prompt people to attend out of duty as much as affection, sometimes making solitude more appealing. The French word retrouvailles captures the deeper joy of reuniting with friends after a long absence, conveying a mix of relief, recognition, surprise, and renewed fondness that can transform ordinary reunions into emotionally resonant moments.

Read at Psychology Today