A man in Phoenix calls his son in New York three days before Christmas and says, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing. We have both decided that forty-five years of misery is enough."

Shocked, the son screams, "Pop, what are you talking about?"

To which the father answers with, “We can't stand the sight of each other any longer. We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her."

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone, she shouts, "Like heck they're getting divorced! I'll take care of this,"

She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at her father, "You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't either of you do a thing! DO YOU HEAR ME?"

She then hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife, "Okay, they're coming for Christmas and paying their own way."