Are We Overdoing it? On Climbing the Mountain of Christmas Traditions

What to do when your family's wholesome holiday routine gets out of control, and takes over your life:

I’ve been in sticky situations with mountains before, but none quite like this. The craggy, snow-covered peak rose to a preposterous height above a glittering crystal creek. The summit itself, a contorted whisp of frosting shaped by some unseen painter’s knife.

A high-alpine lake glistened an unreal baby blue, cascading over the cliffs to the valley floo…