My mother wanted me to come home for Christmas too. She really turned on the guilt machine, which really turned me off. I gave her the laundry list of reasons that I could not come, but that didn't dissuade her for turning up the guilt. Ultimately it just made me angry and I hung up and didn't call her back.

I love my family, but I hate travelling at Christmas and I have valid reasons, like you do, for not going. I don't have a job so we don't have the money. DH has a project going live right around Christmas and can't take a lot of time. Because it's a holiday we have no one available to take our dog, who is not dog-social and can't be left at a kennel. And on and on. But beyond all the valid reasons I just really don't want to, and I've gotten over the guilt by thinking about all the times I did go and was miserable.

Don't feel bad for not going, and you're not alone.