Do you go to the IL's? Your parents? Stay home? Everyone come to you? Do you do dinner on christmas even AND christmas?
Our holidays always seems so hectic and we're running around to this house and that house.
Our plans our changing this year so, please tell me about your holiday schedule!
watermelon / 14467 posts
12/21-12/24 morning: At the inlaws. We see them 1-2 times a year because they live 4-5 hours away and refuse to drive here.
12/25 morning: Christmas at our house
12/25 afternoon: Christmas at my parent's house.
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
12/19 Due to schedules doing Christmas with my parents, sibling and nephews
12/24 Church, then dinner and presents at my parents house with the extended family. There are like 40 of us.
12/25 Home just the three of us
12/26 - 12/29 ILs It is a 4/5 hour drive, which is why we don't go on Christmas Day. It was hell-a depressing spending the day in the car. Felt like we had no Christmas. So once LO came, we stopped it.
pineapple / 12802 posts
Our christmas is going to be a lot smaller this year, which is a little sad (we lost people) and a little nice (since we may be able to start some of our own family traditions).
Just trying to get some tradition ideas of other families and how you fit your traditions in with parents and stuff.
cantaloupe / 6885 posts
ILs live OOT so they come up and visit for a few days. This year it's the 20-27. Luckily they have been friends with my parents for years, before Dh and I even started dating so we are able to blend all plans.
Christmas Eve: we open Pajamas from Mrs Claus, go to church, then to my parents for seafood chowder and pizza with all of my extended family
Christmas Day: everyone is at our place for the morning, I put on a brunch...relax in the afternoon...supper is at my parents with all of our family
Boxing Day party is at my aunt and uncle's
The 27th is my dads birthday so we go to my parents
The 28th I STAY HOME ALL DAY
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
12/24 AM - Brunch at a friend's house (totally optional)
12:25 All Day - HOME! This year we invited my parents and brother to come celebrate Christmas with us, so they are coming in the morning and will be here through lunch. No traveling! Also, MIL might stop by.
12/27 Afternoon - Going to FIL's to celebrate Christmas with that family.
pineapple / 12802 posts
@avivoca: @Smurfette: It's nice that you both have, at least, the morning of the 25th to just your family! We have always gone to DH's parents house, which I always went along with because we didn't have any kids (not allowed to have the other two boys xmas morning). But now we have L and I'd like to be home xmas morning!
pineapple / 12802 posts
@Charm54: @Adira: I think we will be doing xmas day at our place this year too and I am SO thrilled about no travelling (other than picking up the 2 older boys for the afternoon).
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
@.twist.: If they lived closer we would go the IL's for dinner. DH and I both agree that we wake up in our house on Christmas morning. We used to spend the night at my parents (Christmas Eve) and do gifts there. It means we drive home and R is up really late, but it is one night.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@.twist.: Yeah, after our second was born, we decided no more traveling for Christmas! Now we invite our parents to join us instead. So much easier and I know the kids will like it like that (I remember having to travel for Christmas as a kid and I HATED it. Once we started staying at home for Christmas, it was so much more enjoyable).
watermelon / 14467 posts
@.twist.: Stand your ground. It's so worth it to be home that morning.
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
Normal year: We go to my BIL's house 2ish hours away on Christmas Eve. My ILs and D's aunt come on Christmas Day, and sometimes D's other aunt/uncle, and every other year my other BIL comes down with his wife and children. We usually stay through the 26th.
This year: Assuming all goes well we'll have just gotten home with Little Miss on the 21st, and I can't imagine being up for a 2 hour car ride. Assuming I don't go into labor early we're having an early Christmas with some of the family at my IL's this Sunday (40 minutes away) and spending Christmas at home with the kids(!) and my mom (who lives with us). My IL's will be coming over for Christmas dinner (which they are bringing/preparing).
honeydew / 7622 posts
12/20 I talked my MIL to doing the big family Christmas at her house the Sunday before Christmas every year so we can all hang and enjoy and there is no pressure/rush.
12/23 our first annual crab feed with friends.
12/24 probably a big breakfast at home. Early that afternoon a get together with my Moms side of the family.
12/25 Christmas morning, just the 3 of us. 13 people for dinner at our house. We will also have a cake since my Grandmas and MIL birthdays are both Christmas Day.
cantaloupe / 6885 posts
@.twist.: yep I always said once I had kids I was staying put Christmas morning. There are no other grandkids on either side so everyone is happy to come to us. This year we will have my parents, my ILs, SIL, my 2 sisters, and 4 of my aunts and uncles. They are all so excited to see DD1 Christmas morning. And I like having a lot of people around so it works!
coconut / 8483 posts
We live three hours away from all family except my dad who just moved close. This year is different then most but this is our plan and we hope to keep it this way!
Christmas Eve morning: do gifts with the three of us and my dad. Santa gifts too. At nap time head to our home town. Stop at the in laws to tell them we are pregnant (pending an good ultrasound on the 23
Do Christmas morning at my moms and stay the whole day. Extended family comes for dinner.
Boxing Day head to the in laws first thing and spend the whole day and dinner.
Usually we would go to 6 different houses all on one day to make everyone but ourselves happy. Over it!
pineapple / 12802 posts
@Smurfette: That is what we did too. Xmas eve at my parents and xmas day at the IL's. It was so hectic. My dad is gone now and my bro & BIL's don't have women in their lives (one BIL is kind of estranged right now), so things are REALLY small this year. It's the most complicated for us to tote around our 60 children so why not everyone come to us this year? My mom and MIL get along well so, that isn't an issue either!
@avivoca: oh yes! I will this year. Travelling is exhausting.
cantaloupe / 6131 posts
Ugh, we live away from both our families (both requiring plane rides). We spent DS' first Christmas when he was 3 months old with my ILs out of state last year, so we're doing it with my family this year when DS will be 15 months. We'll be flying and spending Christmas Eve in a hotel, Christmas morning at my parent's house, then Christmas dinner at my aunt's house, and then just visiting with family on the 26th and 27th. We will be flying back on the 28th.
MIL has already started deep pressure about next Christmas (like, she started nagging in October) but we'll have a 2 year old and a 7 month old baby next year and getting to their house requires 2 flights and a layover! I'm open to doing Christmas with them next year only because the rest of the in-laws will not have met our new baby and DH's grandmother is in her 90s, but we've started seriously talking about putting our feet down the year after that. I want my kids to wake up on Christmas in their own house.
I don't think we'll avoid traveling during the holidays, but it will have to be before or after Christmas Day.
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
My MIL hasn't mentioned anything yet but she will prob have us (and BILs and families) over on Xmas day.
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
@.twist.: I would just tell them, we are doing Christmas at our house. We are spending the morning just us and the kid(s) (not sure if your step sons will be there). Then tell them they are welcome to come over for lunch/dinner.
pineapple / 12802 posts
@lovehoneybee: Bringing & preparing! You lucky girl. 
@youboots: Early afternoon on xmas eve is nice. no pressure to stay late.
@Charm54: same here, my brother has a son, but it alternates what years we get him for xmas so not sure if we get him this year, but my bro is single and currently unemployed and he enjoys other people cooking for him so he's happy to come to us too.
@Mrs. Champagne: We are over it too! Xmas morning we usually quickly open each others gifts, head over to IL's, DH goes and picks up stepkids, we get them for 2 hours (!) and he has to drive them back (her legs break when driving is required) and then he comes back, we stay for dinner, sometimes we go to my parents, and then we go home. What a nightmare.
@gingerbebe: That sounds so busy! I admire your social tendencies!
@Smurfette: I think the IL's are already kind of ok with that. they're bummed about their one son, so she's not feeling as much of the spirit. Understandably.
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
Haven't decided yet! We went to my parents for Thanksgiving, so maybe they'll come to us for Christmas.
nectarine / 2636 posts
12/23 - 12/25 morning at my in-laws. MIL has a huge family party on christmas eve that goes until midnight easily, with a bunco tournament, and seeing family we never get to see otherwise.
12/25 around 1pm (naptime) leave in-laws to go to my parents 1.5 hours away. Spend christmas afternoon there, and early dinner, then home.
I'd love to have christmas morning at our house, but DH and I have discussed it and we;re going to keep doing christmas morning at my in-laws, which is fine. I just have to give up my idea of what I grew up with. I love my in-laws, so it's not too terrible to be there christmas morning. At least until MIL gives up her annual christmas eve party. We only have 1 kid, so this might change depending.
cantaloupe / 6131 posts
@.twist.: Its not really by choice - I'm quite the introvert. We spent Thanksgiving alone with just the 3 of us and then had a small Friendsgiving over the weekend and it was GLO.RI.OUS.
pomegranate / 3580 posts
12/24: Christmas dinner and presents at the in-law's since traditionally they make a bigger event of the 24th.
12/25: Open presents at home then go to my parent's hour for dinner.
Luckily this holiday works out well, but Thanksgiving is a mess with us trying to eat at both places, plus cook stuff for each one. Next year we're just doing one meal and visiting the other and we'll trade off every year.
pomelo / 5678 posts
We go to my Aunt's house Christmas Eve and see family. Then on Christmas we'll be just us. Presents for DD, good breakfast, then outside to hike or play in the snow/ sled, depending on the snow!
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
We always host Christmas Day and stay home all day. We do a big brunch after presents and my inlaws and BIL, his gf and his two girls are invited. It'll probably be the inlaws only over for brunch.
We'll likely end up hosting eve as well. Last year BIL went to his GF's for Eve, which is only fair.
My fam lives 7 hours away and I'm really hoping they can come for Christmas this year!
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
My mom and dad come here. We used to go to them but then we decided we wanted to have Christmas at home. His parents live too far away and don't care to celebrate with us so, my parents come on Christmas Eve. We go looking at lights and then we have Christmas Day together. It's really nice. I like having more than just the 3 of us there for Christmas morning. And I want to do it as long as they can do the drive.
GOLD / wonderful olive / 19030 posts
Christmas Eve: I'll be working 24th until noon, go to church at 3 and then head out ot my parents for dinner/evening celebration.
Christmas Day: open presents in morning, head to family celebration for lunch, and then head to DH's aunt's house for dinner.
cherry / 168 posts
We live 20mins from my family and Dhs (opposite directions we are in the middle)
24th - We are going to Mass Christmas Eve with in laws
25th - Having my family over for late morning brunch Christmas Day (in laws were also invited but declined)
- Going to the inlaws Christmas afternoon after DSs nap
26th - Having all of Boxing Day with my family
27th - Our daughters baptism on the 27th so the day with both families 
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
So this is the first year we've changed things up a bit so that we can do Christmas morning just the four of us at our house. (Our parents are local).
Christmas Eve morning - Santa with the boys; the mall is eerily not busy and it's really the best time to go in years past; with a short wait in the morning.
Christmas Eve afternoon - early supper/presents with ILs and then 4pm family mass with ILs
Christmas morning/brunch - just us four
Christmas afternoon - my brother and his wife will be in town so they'll come over with my parents to do a short visit and then we're all going to head over to my cousin's a few miles away for our big Christmas dinner with my dad's side of the fam.
Wknd after Christmas - we go up north to ILs hometown where we do a lunch or dinner with all of FIL's extended fam.
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
19/20th - Christmas with my parents
24th - Family day at home. Probably do some baking. Church in the afternoon.
25th - Christmas morning at home with just us. Afternoon/Dinner with his parents locally.
pomelo / 5220 posts
We are traveling to my parents this year, everyone lives on opposite coasts so no shuffling around. We will do our usual Christmas Eve - a buffet style of all sorts of yummy snacky foods (small brisket sandwiches, chips and dips, and lots of margaritas!). We used to do presents on x-mas eve but with LO we will probably wait. Christmas we do a big dinner, ham or turkey and the fixings.
pomelo / 5084 posts
@.twist.: We are hosting both christmas eve and christmas for both sets of parents this year (one set had to travel). Normally we would travel but DS is only two weeks old so they are coming to us. I'm excited! It's only the two sets of parents and us (siblings are all doing their own thing) so not too much stress at all.
cherry / 245 posts
12/24 - Christmas with my entire extended family at my dad's house (on my dad's side).
12/25 - First thing in the morning just the three of us. Then breakfast at my sister's with my immediate family (my parents are divorced). Brunch at my BIL/SIL with my MIL and FIL. Early dinner at my mom's house.
12/26 - Brunch (1.5 hours away) at my DH's grandparents with my MIL, BIL, FIL and SIL.
Afternoon at my dad's with our immediate family.
Jesus, take the wheel.
cantaloupe / 6397 posts
My in-laws live far away and have decided it is much easier for us for them to come to us every year for now. So thankful for that.
12/24 - DH works all morning but M and I will be home. In-laws fly in around 2pm. We'll go to church for 4, and then to my sister's for supper afterwards
12/25 - Christmas morning in our house with the in-laws. My parents will go to my sisters and then come to our house to watch M open her gifts from them. We'll stay home all day because we host Christmas dinner (our house has the best layout for the 20+ people we usually have)
pineapple / 12234 posts
12/24 - lunch at DH's grandparents, seeing his dad's side of the family, B's Christmas pageant with my family, Christmas Eve mass, late dinner at my parents house (usually just champagne, brie and shrimp)
12/25 - morning at home with just the five of us, brunch with DH's moms side of the family at our house and dinner with my family at my parents house
pomegranate / 3272 posts
12/20 - We travel down to see DH's family
12/24 - Church and then dinner with my parents. We do it up right!
12/25 - Morning we are at home and then we head to my grandma's for dinner with my side of the family. There's a lot of us crammed into a tiny house.
12/26 - Christmas at my parents with my immediate family (brothers and their families)
pear / 1852 posts
when we were dating/engaged/childless, we alternated spending Christmas eve and morning with one of our families, and christmas afternoon and boxing day with the other.
Since dd came along we haven't followed anythig the same each year yet. too much travel!
her first year we spent with his faily since they are out of town.
her 2nd xmas we'd moved across the country and so stayed to see xmas in our new community.
her 3rd xmas we were invited to BC to see the rocky mountains, and it was a cheaper flight.... so I saw the rockies!
this year we're staying home (having moved back this summer) and spending xmas eve and day with my moms side. New years we're travelling to NB to spend a few days with the il.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
I'm due with baby #2 a week from tomorrow, so this year is different! We are staying home, mil and BIL are flying in. Will be pretty low key, assuming I'm not in the hospital having a baby!
We don't have any "normal" yet. Families are far away so it's always one or the other, no seeing everyone. I'm really excited to be home for Christmas this year.
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