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Original poster

Why are more families not like us?

207 replies

wingingmywaythroughlife · 22/12/2021 12:38

As a child, my parents refused to visit any relatives on Christmas Day whilst my brother and I were young enough to believe in Santa. Anyone wanting to see us would visit, to allow us to play with our toys. Growing older, we would do a quick 30min-ish per household visit on Christmas Day to see the kids of extended family, before going back to DPs for the afternoon/evening. Now I have my own DC, DPs come to me, for same reason they wouldn't take my brother and I out of the house on Christmas Day, and Christmas Dinner is served up in mine, allowing for anyone who wants to visit in the day. Is this not normal???

OP posts:
KloppKrazy · 22/12/2021 12:40

I think so.

Comedycook · 22/12/2021 12:40

No that's not usual. I don't understand why you would do that?

Justmuddlingalong · 22/12/2021 12:41

It should be. Many a Christmas would be more enjoyable for a lot of people if they did, as numerous threads prove.

Interested in this thread?

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Christmas Families
actiongirl1978 · 22/12/2021 12:41

It's normal for us. We stopped travelling to our own parents the Xmas I was pregnant with first DC.

Have hosted my parents and occasionally I laws every year since.

Sparklingbrook · 22/12/2021 12:41

We did the same when the DC were little. We had open house and people could visit us whenever they liked. We didn't have Christmas Dinner (still don't) so there were no deadlines and people could have anything to eat from the fridge they wanted at any time. All very relaxed and the DC were happy to play with their presents.

ShirleyPhallus · 22/12/2021 12:42

that sounds normal to me. I couldn’t think of anything more miserable than being dragged around old rellies on Christmas Day when I’d want to be at home playing with my new toys?

Newchallenge · 22/12/2021 12:42

Perhaps you lived closer to your families? A half an hour visit is not long if parents live 2 hours away, say.

Holly60 · 22/12/2021 12:42

I always loved going to bed parents or in-laws for Xmas. We’d stay over, get cooked for, told to relax, served copious amounts of champagne and the children would play with their grandparents. Now my DC come to us (alternating actual Xmas day with their in-laws) and the same applies. They love it.

Holly60 · 22/12/2021 12:42

Going to MY parents

MalbecandToast · 22/12/2021 12:43

Yeah we do that too OP, nothing worse as a kid than getting loads of new stuff but then not being able to play with any of it because you go out. We do just us Christmas day and then we do a family knee's up on boxing day.

TheXmasSkyRemote · 22/12/2021 12:43

It was what we did when I was a child. I am bringing my children up to be the same.

You'll have someone on in a minute to tell you are kids are spoilt and the day shouldn't revolve around them.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 22/12/2021 12:44

There is no right or 'normal' way. People do what works best for them.

MissDollyMix · 22/12/2021 12:44

My parents used to fight like cat and dog. It was miserable as hell being stuck home along with them. I loved seeing my extended family at Christmas. At the risk of sounding like a bad hallmark film, being together is as important as the presents. Just my opinion.

Holly60 · 22/12/2021 12:44

Santa always managed to know where the children were going to be too!

BarefootHippieChick · 22/12/2021 12:45

It's normal for us. Since having kids, we've always stayed at home rather than dragging them round relatives when they'd rather be at home with their toys. My parents would happily come here for dinner, although now they prefer to stay at home. I'm always amused by how many people spend what is supposed to be the most 'special' day of the year with people they really dislike 😆

Paddingtonthebear · 22/12/2021 12:46

Yes we always stayed at home on Xmas day as kids and now we have our own kids we do the same.

Maggiesgirl · 22/12/2021 12:46

We did this when DS was young. Now we are the grandparents, we visit them. Kids don't want to be dragged everywhere on Christmas day

VioletCharlotte · 22/12/2021 12:46

I always loved going to my Grandparents at Christmas and my DC loved going to my parents. Different things work for different families.

Stellaris22 · 22/12/2021 12:46

Both our families live 300 miles away and I love having Christmas with just DD and DH. It's much less stressful and I'm glad we don't spend most of the day in a car going to different houses, or the stress of hosting.

Sparklingbrook · 22/12/2021 12:47

We still saw family further away just not on Christmas Day.

HeadToToesNo · 22/12/2021 12:47

I've used covid as a wonderful reason not to drag my young children around the country to houses they don't have toys and I'm absolutely loving the lack of stress.

Mol1628 · 22/12/2021 12:47

Just everyone has different circumstances. We still go to my parents with our young children as they have a bigger house and my mum enjoys cooking. And it’s not far. Then we stay in all day Boxing Day and my parents come to us so my mum gets a day of not having to cook.

Paddingtonthebear · 22/12/2021 12:48

But if may be unusual. A lot of my friends (in 30’s and 40’s) still go to their parents or family every Xmas and wouldn’t comprehend having their own day at home and making their own food 😆

gogohm · 22/12/2021 12:49

Varies, we went to my parents because it meant I didn't have to cook! Once they were older often family came to me however this year we are at my mums, she's the only one with a big enough house now kids are adults plus dsd's too

LittleBabyCheeses · 22/12/2021 12:50

We stayed at home at Christmas as kids (with people visiting us), and now we have kids we stay at home. They like to be here with their presents, anyone is welcome to visit. Works for us.