Why are more families not like us?

[wingingmywaythroughlife]

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???

@HunterHearstHelmsley

It doesn't really work when there is more than one child, more than one family etc. One of my siblings insists that everyone goes to them. My other sibling goes to my parents. There are young children in both families. Unfortunately, the children of the non-travelling family miss out.

Following on from precious posters... I'm definitely assertive. My sibling may choose one way, it doesn't mean I have to. Its a shame for the children, but I can't help parents making selfish decisions.

We did same growing up Xmas day at home. Sometimes my grandma would stay and we would usually see other relatives Boxing Day. I do Xmas day at home with my kids and my sister and dad come. We see in-laws Boxing Day, before my mum died we alternated with my family to visit one year and dh parents the next but now my dads alone we do it this way. In-laws are fine they spend it with their dd and her family. I agree Xmas day should ideally be a day at home for kids. Whe ds is older (11+) we will change things.

@Cofifeefee

All these people "dragging" their children around.

Mine just get in the car. Maybe because they like their extended family and toys will be there all year.

Genuinely I cannot remember Christmas presents from my childhood. I do remember being at my Grandma's with all my cousins eating dinner, and later in the evening when the adults would play cards, the smell of my Grandad's pipe, while we sat on cushions on the floor watching tv, having crisps and the luxury of fizzy orange.

Exactly this! I've got lovely warm memories of sitting in my Grandparents kitchen with the extended family, all sat round a long table eating Christmas dinner. And us playing games in the evening together.

There's the whole Christmas holidays to play with toys. Christmas is more than just presents, to me about being with family.

My DC feel the same, they were gutted one year when I said we would stay at home and have parents to us instead!

You can 'drag' the DC to the relatives on Boxing Day, doesn't matter as long as you see them if you want to. it doesn't have to be on Christmas Day does it?
You can play games and open presents on other days if you want. You can even eat Christmas Dinner on Boxing Day.

@MalbecandToast

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.

This was our point of view too! Way less stress for my parents for come to us if they want to.

We always had to visit when we were younger too. I did like it actually but I keep my children at home. I have a 4 year old and a baby and they need to nap (4 year old doesn't usually but Christmas day he does!) I need time to make dinner etc although I'd like to see my family I think it's a day for staying at home.

Sort of. My family all lived on the same street so when I was little we did go to my grandparents on Christmas Day for dinner but never really visited anyone else and we had lots of visitors on Christmas Day.

My children stay home, I think a couple of times we have visited family but mostly kids what to be home playing.