Christmas plans... staying at home?

[Hoopla5005]

So after years of having arguments with various family members about who’s going to who for Christmas, my husband has suggested we spend the day on our own and see relatives the days after that. We have one 5 year old daughter and to be honest it’s not something I’d considered as thought it was the “done thing” to try and squeeze in both families plus my brother and sister (who have no children if that’s any relevance) I just feel so relieved and dare I say a little excited that we aren’t being pulled from pillar to post, and my daughter can open her presents and actually play with them on the same day!!

Hubby wants to take charge with the Christmas dinner, get turkey crown etc with all the trimmings just for the 3 of us.

I guess I’m posting because I’m excited but also feel a little guilty when I eventually tell the families we aren’t going to theirs on Christmas Day

Anyone else doing this? Am I being selfish?

We're doing it, albeit with MIL but she's good company and helpful and only lives 10 minutes away.

I'm not feeling in the slightest bit guilty. After 6 hours each way on the train to DF's last year I'd had enough. DS (also 5) will have everything in one place.

We did this last year and are doing the same this year. We will still see relatives around the date and are having a mini Christmas day with my mum beforehand but that's all.

Last year was amazing. Enjoy OP!!!

Thank you. Just nervous as to what the family will say!!

I would tell them sooner rather than later if they are expecting to see you if they've started stocking up on food etc...

We did this last year and will be doing the same this year - it’s lovely to spend the day with kids playing with their new toys, having a nice relaxed breakfast knowing we don’t need to go anywhere. We’ll have open house the weekend before but Christmas Day is ours.

Sounds like bliss to me! My OH and I have spent every year we've been together traveling between our families on Christmas day. I'm pregnant with our first baby and we've already decided next year when she's here were going to start staying at home... can't wait!

We've stayed at home for the last four years. Best decision ever. We have a wonderful day, mimosas for breakfast as no one has to drive, lounge in our PJ's watching TV and playing games. We cook dinner at a leisurely pace with no time table to stick to. It's one of the few days we get together and we really enjoy it.

We're staying home. We will either go visiting or have visitors in the morning but will have the rest of the day to ourselves. Xmas dinner will be a steak for dh and a mushroom wellington for me and the children will have a bit of each. We'll also have roast sprout soup, roast root veg, steamed field veg and one of those Iceland melting chocolate star puddings as well as mince pies and hot chocolate.

We have next to no money so everything for the dinner will come from Iceland as we had won £50 in love2shop vouchers. We don't have enough to be able to comfortably feed any more people than just 4 of us.

We were in the same position last year and actually it was relaxed and fun.

The ads on the telly show big dinners in busy households with tables groaning under the weight of so much food and there being so many people that there isn't enough furniture for them all. If you concentrate on that too much it can make a Christmas like ours, with just our nuclear family, seem very quiet, low-key and somehow lacking when actually, if you're in good company, even if it's your own company, you don't need all that for it to be fun and enjoyable.

We did it for the first time last year (I was 8 months pregnant and have two older children too). It was game changing!! Same again this year.... And forever more!

In-laws will do a dinner on Xmas Eve and we'll see my side for a party on 28th.

We do this, and even one step further by not seeing our families in person over the whole holidays. My parents and DH's parents are hundreds of miles apart and neither set lives near us. We see lots of them during the rest of the year by having extended visits (luckily everyone lives in nice touristy bits of the country), so we just Skype at Christmas. DH and I used to use all our holiday (pre DC) schlepping all over the country to see everyone and it was a 1000 mile round trip. Now we all stay home and meet up at other times. Everyone is happy with it and it makes for a restful break all round.

We gave up after 3 years of chronic aggro with both sets of parents and spent Christmas Day as a family of 3 for years.

I'd love a big, loud fun Christmas but we just didn't have that kind of family and are now divorced.

This mine and DDs first Christmas in our own for 3 years and we are going nowhere and seeing no-one for Christmas Eve and day. Just us, the cats and lots of goodies...bliss!

She'll see her dad the Saturday before and we'll see my parents on Boxing Day.

You all sound like you have it sorted. Kinda makes me wish that I’d done it years ago!! Seeing her face when my daughter opened her presents only to be told we have to go soon ... hopefully can elimate that now!

Eliminate..

I'm staying at home with my 2 kids, then when they go to their dad's I'll be home alone for a few hours. I've had a few people invite me round in the evening but to be honest I can't be bothered socialising. Really looking forward to watching what I want on telly, eating lovely food & not being tempted to do any housework whatsoever. When else does that happen ?

There is no other way. 17 years. These days it’s me and the 4 DCs, and XH joins us for lunch on Xmas day. Other than that, we rug up and lock the world out from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day. Love it.

We're doing this. We are seeing DHs family on Xmas Eve - we are doing lunch at our house. My family we always see on 27th anyway due to their business. So Xmas Day is going to be a relaxed day - getting up when we like (teens who sleep late so unlikely to be an early start for us), opening presents, eating what we like (not bothering with a roast), watching xmas TV in our PJs, playing board games. I can't wait!

We've done this since we had dc, we see family at some point over the festive period but Christmas Eve until Boxing Day we spend just us - so much more relaxed!

We’ve stayed home last four years. All are welcome to us but last year it was just DH, DSs and me and it was fab! Same again this year, DH is sighing slightly about two day trips to see either side (about 90 minutes drive each way for both) but we’d rather that than stay. We do go to church (DH’s school (he’s a teacher, not 18!) has a family service then mince pies for all) which breaks the day up, but wouldn’t if it weren’t for the work connection.

We're also at home this year. We usually have xmas eve and Xmas day morning at home then drive to one family for Xmas lunch and Boxing Day then back home for a couple of days then to the other family for New Year's Eve and day! DCs are 5 and nearly 8.
This year as I'm having treatment for breast cancer my DH has decided we are staying at home! I don't think he, however will be cooking, but I'm planning on getting everything planned, prepped and just enjoying the downtime! I think the kids will love not being dragged all over as well. What's interesting is that we've said we're happy to host but no one has taken us up on the offer!! And my cooking is ok / honest!