DH going to the gym on Christmas Day!

I wouldn’t be impressed. He’s ditching his family for his mates.

Going for a solo run I think is different to going to a gym to socialise with your mates when your family are at home on one of the special days of the year.

Meh, it's only an hour. I've been for a bike ride before to get some fresh air, it's really not a big deal.

Slightly OT, but I wouldn't go to the gym on Christmas day out of principle - who on earth makes their staff work Xmas day? I'm sure people can manage 1 day without working out.

Better the gym than the pub. I don’t see the issue.

I love a run on Christmas Day, it feels like the friendliest day of the year. Other runners calling out happy Christmas, even though we live in a city where no one usually talks to each other on the street. I imagine the atmosphere in a hotel gym would also be very festive.

when DD was little I would get up with her to open her stocking, make her breakfast and spend some time together until DP woke up. Off for a run and back and showered by the time my brother comes round, which is when we open presents.

I think if he’s not leaving you with all the jobs, and you also have family for company, it sounds fine

I'm planning on going cycling 1st thing on Christmas morning, just the same as I normally do. My family aren't bothered.

Since you have your parents there too I'm sure they can help with childcare?

For what it's worth, I used to live somewhere where there was a carwash open on Christmas day...by 10:00 there were already lots of customers, and by 3pm the queue was up to a third of a mile long - made up almost entirely of lone men presumably trying to avoid relatives for couple of hours
How well does your DH get on with your parents?

This year my OH has done a daily bike ride and wants to keep it up. On Christmas Day he’s planned a shorter/easier route than he’d normally do and we will either all go together or he will take the kids while I load up the car to head to my mum’s for dinner. He keeps his daily ride tradition but we make it into part of our day. He’s done the same on other busy days or else got up early to go before everyone is up (a struggle on Christmas Day with kids)
Him just buggering off for 2 hours alone to do anything would annoy me (pub, gym, run whatever). I do agree with you though that it’s no different than to going to the pub. Both are going to generally be fine if you don’t have kids and you are not hosting the 5000 and are pretty selfish if you have a young family &/or all the family coming round to be fed

I'll be out walking my dogs for at least an hour, but it will keep me in a better mood all day.

I know it's not really the point @Wifetobe21 but I saw your thread title and thought 'Respect to him' because I can't be arsed going to the gym on a normal day - let alone Christmas day! 😅

But yeah - it is a bit selfish of him, and possibly a bit rude if you have your parents there. On the other hand - meh. My other half or me will be out with the dog in the morning for an hour.

Christmas is no different from any other day, he already has plans and it's just for a couple of hours total, it's not like he would be out there doing god knows what with god knows who all day, is it?

Me too!!

Dull to you … not dull to others, some people find it enriching, mood balancing, social and stress relieving. Each to their own I say.

As long as he’s pulling his weight and you also get 90 minutes to indulge I can’t see the issue.

I go to the gym every day, but won’t be there on Christmas Day. It’s not open, but when I was looking into finding one that was, my teenage kids asked me not to. So I’m not going. 1 day is neither here nor there.

if you would rather he was at home with his family op, I would ask him not to go. It may not have occurred to him it would upset you.

Calm down?
I think you missed out the " dear".

How patronising.

I know it's important for people to maintain friendships and interests outside of their marriage.

But I think.there are certain occasions when the marriage and family take precedence over friends and hobbies. And I think.Christmas day is one of these occasions. That's what it's about.

I think if OP's H really cannot stand to spend one whole day with his wife then he really doesn't enjoy her company or like her very much.

It's just so dull. The gym, like every other day. Why not pop into work too? Pub would be a much more festive choice.

In fact. It's so dull, I don't believe it.

Must say I'm looking forward to Christmas Day parkrun...going to a gym session doesn't sound that bad objectively, but if it doesn't work for your family and he's being a bit cloth eared about your objections, you're not unreasonable to be a bit put out.

You are falling into the martyr trap.

I can’t imagine anyone I know (other than one controlling friend) thinking there is anything wrong with each adult taking an hour out.

Try it so you’ll realise the world won’t fall apart without you overseeing everything.

But that's the issue isn't it?? It's NOT equal. It's always the fucking men.
And whi has to sit there entertaining the kids and relatives?? Who has to get everything ready?
And they might say to you 'well you could go out for a few hours later on' and think that's fair. But you won't be able to because of all the things you have to do. And also you aren't going to want to leave your young children for several hours on christmas day.. well part of you might want to but the biggest part of you is going to feel that duty to make it a special family day for them.. which involves not swanning off to do as you please.
Honestly it grinds my gears so much.
It's like you are caught in a trap. Supposed to just be cool with it when you would never in a million years really be able to do the same as it would be judged and you'd even judge yourself for it.
If I went to the gym with mates for a few hours whilst my ILs were round and my young kids were there on christmas day they would think I was a terrible human being. Because im a mother.
But when it comes to men no one bats an eyelid. And you can say as much as you want, oh just do it, just do the same.. but its ridiculous because it isn't the same at all.

No, you go to a gym and it is closed Christmas day.

I remember an identical thread last year with page after page of people arguing about whether gyms are open or closed on Christmas day.

The fact is, some are and some aren't. It's really that simple.

As this has been posted on mumsnet I’m going to assume you have a child/children. If so, I can understand you being narked that his gym session is eating into your family time, but unless this is a regular occurrence that’s part of a bigger issue, it’s not that big of a deal and I wouldn’t let it get to you.

It’s only 1-2 hours and if he’s there for the important moments (present unwrapping, prepping dinner, washing up!) there’s nothing to really be annoyed about. I sometimes go out for a run Christmas morning if the weather allows, and I’m gone for an hour. I would be very unimpressed if my partner got annoyed at me for that, as at the end of the day I’m doing something for myself that benefits my health and wellbeing on my day off. Going to the gym for 1-2 hours isn’t much different. If anything, be thankful your man is taking care of himself!!

Just make a deal with him that if there’s something you would like to do for yourself on Xmas Day, that you get to do that too. No matter what it is.

You needed to put that you had a toddler in your OP..
My dh told me he was going for a run on christmas morning abd I told him in no uncertain terms that he was not. We have 3 kids.
If you have young kids that's what's prioritised on christmas day. And family round too! No he doesn't get to fuck off to the gym.. do you get to go off for a few hours with your mates? No. Because you have a child and some guests.
He's being an arse.
If it were just you two no kids or family visiting then fine. But he's being massively unfair here.
We will be all going out for a walk as a bit of excercise. Together as a family. Because if you have a family then its a day spent together as a family.

Why would you say "more" important?

If OP and her DH are awake for 16hrs, that's 14.5hrs together and 1.5hrs at the gym.

Does that help put it in perspective?

I couldnt get worked up about it, if that's what he wants to do, plenty of people go for a run on christmas day. There's nothing worse than that horrible feeling after a few days of doing nothing but eat and not moving much over Christmas. He will feel much better if he does his usual routine and probably much more pleasant than if you cage him for 24 hours with his in-laws. It's a good excuse to get out the house for a break, I hate that caged feeling stuck with people you don't necessarily like.