The informant stated that her family had a particularly torturous holiday tradition–every Christmas morning, before she and her sister could open presents, her mother would force the family to eat breakfast.  This breakfast was always the longest meal of the year, with the informant and her sister anxiously waiting for the meal to end.  The kids would complain the entire meal, but their mother always insisted on eating breakfast–for no apparent reason.  The informant believes her mother did this because “she was into rules and being strict.”

I agree with the informant’s analysis.  To add something to it, I think the mother believed rules should apply 365 days a year–and Christmas morning was no different.  It’s also possible this mother had a bad experience with Christmas, which would explain her insistence upon a joyless meal for her children.