Away for Christmas???

[Mumof5x]

Has anyone done this in the UK? And can recommend somewhere lovely.
I am dreaming this year of just packing up and just me DH and children going off to a hotel or something and having a Christmas just us. I do know it could cause some issues with both our family's but quite frankly I am being sick of having to drag our kids round our various parents houses (DH parents are divorced so we are expected to visit his mum early, then his father on way to mine for dinner) My parents try so hard but with so many people including my brothers and their family's its just chaos and stressful and we are all cramped round a table and perched on edges of sofas and every year I vow things will be different next year. Last year instead of loads of presents we took children to Celtic Manor for a few days just before and were home for Christmas eve it was wonderful!
Has anyone been anywhere they would recomend! Im fed up of saying it...this year I want to do it!!!!

I wanted to do thus years ago. But DH didn’t want to. We “inherited “ a relative at Christmas, started about 40 yrs ago when DH’s aunt found herself with no husband (left her and I realised why pretty quick, very difficult and set in her ways, disliked kids) and went to my MIL’s every year. MIL died then aunt hadbto come to us. Pissed me off that DH had to drive 40 mind Christmas morning to get her then drive her home at the end of the day. All this when the kids were young, the age they believed in Santa. She hated kids, never wanted them and moaned they made a noise. So I encouraged them as it was Christmas after all.

Anyway she died 2 years ago, and we only have my dad and he drives here, eats then leaves!

Id like to go elsewhere like Center Parcs but the kids don’t want to.

So I would say have the Christmas you want. Not anyone elses. Fuck every one else before it comes too late.

Thanks so much. I've literally been in tears over it. I find the whole thing so stressful. Neither my mother or mother in law have much to do with our children. Never call or check to see how we are, never offer to take them so I can get a break so it infuriates me that just because 'its Christmas' we have to make this effort and song and dance where the can pretend to be doting grandmothers. My father on the other hand...bless him! He stayed behind on a trip my mum took a couple of weeks ago so he could babysit for me and DH to go out for dinner on my birthday. It was only for 3 hours but the only break ive had in months and meant sooooo much to me!!! Their house is small for us all and it always feels so stressed. We went to Disneyland Paris last month and would have LOVED to have gone back there but will end up costing 1000s! Then looked at butlins which was about £1500 for us all. I will have a look at centre parks as I love the sound of that. I decided last year to stop spending so much money on Christmas presents and use the money I would have spent on taking us all away instead. Memories instead of a load of crap!!! I know everyone is going to be annoyed but to be honest I just dont care anymore

Sounds like you did your bit though. Well done...it must have be tough and you should be proud you did that! Many wouldnt have x