Ok, lets take a survey. I know blogger has a poll that I can add to the side, but it wasn't working for me. I really wanted to hear what you have to say anyway... I don't want to limit your answer to 1 of 3 choices.
How do you spend your Christmas holiday with your extended family? When do see the in-laws? Your parents? Brothers? Sisters? Do you travel? Does your family travel? I want the full scoop here, leave me a novel if you must, I really want to know. :) Oh, and please also let me know how you feel about this arrangement. Is this the perfect way to do things for you or do you wish there would be a better way?
Thank you
Thank you
6 comments:
IN Past years (I emphasize PAST), we would wake up, eat breakfast and do Christmas morning at our own house, then we'd pack up the kids and all the relatives presents and head to MY mom and dad's.. (around 9am.. remember my kids are CRAZY early risers, and we're done by 7:30 or 8am!). Spend about 2 hours at THAT parent's house, then we would go to my MIL's around 11am - ish. We'd do ANOTHER round of presents (DH has 9 brothers and sisters, so it's BIG), then everyone would be wiped out and cranky so we'd go home and force naps on the whole crew. It SUCKED. (excuse my horrible language.) But I honestly don't think ANY of us were happy with the arrangement. This year, we are not going ANYWHERE. WE have told the parents, and said, it's time for us to start our OWN family traditions. If you want to see us, you can come to our house. I think the kids will be happier, the parents will be happier, and we'll actually get to enjoy the holiday as opposed to feeling "rushed" and like it's "all about the presents" - which it is NOT, obviously! :)
Hope this helps!
Jen
Okay. THIS year we're actually going to the inlaws for T'giving and C'mas. But only because we haven't seen some of the extended fam for some years.
But we do plan on being home the day of Christmas b/c OUR little fam does it at our house. My parents have come in past years...saving their presents for the girls until that morning as well.
In my opinion, it's all over far too fast. Not enough focus on Jesus...or those in need.
But we're still in the process of coming up with family traditions. I'm thinking that some of them will just evolve as the girls get older.
and I have to say I'm GLAD that this year's holidays will bring me to YOUR town. xoxo
Here's our deal. After traveling back and forth for Christmas holidays, we finally put our foot down and called Christmas ours. We were getting mighty tired of hauling all our stuff to various locations with 3 kids ages 4 and under(including all kiddo stuff), sleeping in one room to sit around staring at walls all day.
We decided that Thanksgiving would be our holiday to travel to visit the family so we rotate years (one year his, next year mine). We felt VERY strongly that it was time to establish our own family traditions...waking up Christmas morning at our house, staying in our pjs all day, having our own special dinner, opening presents, etc...otherwise, our kids were going to have trouble remembering where we spent what Christmas. Besides, our families had us for X amount of years...and we are our own family unit now. My parents were really great about it - and always encouraged us to stay home and spend it together. It was a little more difficult for my hubby's family.
So, anyway, I hope that helps some. We are loving not having to travel during all the snowy times and being able to establish our family traditions. :)
Thank you everyone, I love this, please keep em coming! :)
I'll comment if I can get the whine-a-thon to stop around here.
Ok, just saw the reminder. Typically, Dave and I alternate Christmases with parents. His live in FL and mine live in PA and DE. This is our first year with a baby and we're going to FL since we missed going as schedule last year, since I was 7 mos pregnant. Years we don't go to FL are a little complicated, since my parents are divorced. Those years involve either a lot of driving or a lot of visitors.
Thanksgiving has been different every year. We've spent it with friends and we've also gone to FL if we wouldn't be there for Christmas.
After this year, I want to reevaluate our plans. I don't want to do something different every Christmas, now that we have a baby. I want to have our own family traditions. I like the idea of traveling for Thanksgiving, I'd be okay with that. I just don't want to feel like we have to please everybody, cause I want to establish ourselves as a family.
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