How did you navigate different Christmas traditions as a couple?

[ImInStealthMode]

Just wondering if there are any couples around who had vastly different Christmas traditions that they've had to navigate?

DP is of a nationality that do all their celebrating on the afternoon/evening of the 24th and the 25th is just another day, and I'm British so 24th for me is a normal working day and then a quiet evening building excitement for everything to follow in the morning of the 25th.

We've only been together 2 Christmases and one of those was Covid restricted so still trying to navigate how to honour both sets of expectations (and family expectations) without leaving anyone feeling hard done to!

Interested to hear how others have worked around it, particularly where one half of a couple doesn't celebrate at all? (Appreciate that sounds like a journo question, I'm not I promise, I'm just nosey).

Thanks

The only thing we disagree on big time is whether the Christmas dinner leftovers should be eaten hot or cold on Boxing Day. Scottish (Glasgow) & English (Home Counties) dichotomy.

@cheapskatemum Just in a giant sandwich surely?!?! .

National traditions - we do both

Silly family twists and traditions- we do mine as his are stupid (he agrees- he didnt come from a Christmas family)

I think I'd celebrate on both days, his side of family gifts etc Xmas Eve, your side Xmas day.

Only thing is I wouldn't want to eat Xmas dinner two days in a row.

I have friends where the DH’s culture celebrates on Christmas Eve and DW is British and celebrates on Christmas Day. They spend Christmas Eve with his family and Christmas Day with hers. Even if they don’t see family now that that have kids, they have a 2 day celebration as the other customs and traditions are quite different so it’s not a repeat of the same over 2 days.

I'd celebrate on the day of the country I currently live in while mixing some traditions for the other country in. So for example, a Christmas Eve dinner similar to that country and maybe one present after. The the main celebration on Christmas day (assuming you're in UK). We have some family abroad and this is what we do when they visit.

But isn't that good - to take the best bits out of both of your traditions and make your own (hopefully they don't clash!)

Alternate? Or do different things with each family?

DH's family celebrate Xmas Eve and mine do Xmas Day. For the first few years we were together we used to go up there for Christmas Eve every other year and to my parents Christmas day every other year. After having 2 DC there isn't room for us to stay at the in-laws and they don't like staying here so we've just morphed into doing things on the 25th.

@OwlinaTree

I think I'd celebrate on both days, his side of family gifts etc Xmas Eve, your side Xmas day.

Only thing is I wouldn't want to eat Xmas dinner two days in a row.

Yes there is this @OwlinaTree. This year the big feast is tonight, and tomorrow we've got picky bits charcuterie meats and cheese to nibble instead of sitting down to the whole works again.

@Forgetaboutme That's what I would naturally think to do, but perhaps I'm biased because we live in the UK. I might feel differently if we lived in his home country!

@cheapskatemum

The only thing we disagree on big time is whether the Christmas dinner leftovers should be eaten hot or cold on Boxing Day. Scottish (Glasgow) & English (Home Counties) dichotomy.

We disagree on this too. We now just microwave DH's .

Ex partner would go off to their parents to do all the usual christmas nonsense for a few days, I would stay at home and enjoy the peace and quiet, and take great delight in binning the xmas cards and other assorted sparkly tat as soon as they were out the door

@bizboz glad it's not only me/us! We have to save some gravy for his too.

OP: I would put mine in a sandwich, but I'm allergic to wheat