Have you had the Xmas conversation yet?

[BananaCaramel]

Over the last couple of weeks my whole family has independently decided it is time to sort Christmas.

Me and my my siblings with our other halves and kids are going to my parents (possibly with PILs), my grandad is going to my auntie and uncles and we’ll have my ILs and BIL and his partner to ours on Boxing Day.

I thought it was early (although I was also guilty about sorting myself out, largely became last Xmas was terrible for me and DH so we wanted to make sure we got a decent one this year!) but apparently we were all of the same mindset and everyone announced to the group chat that we’d be at my parents for Xmas this afternoon (we all have a standing open invitation, we just have to let them know if we’re coming)

Have you had the Xmas chat yet?

Yep, it went like this:
Me: Would you be very upset if I went to Thailand for Christmas?
DM: Nope. Go wherever you like!

And that was that. 😎

We host every year because no one else can be arsed so no conversation needed really.

This is where I want to be - I love hosting Christmas but my current house is just too small for everyone but we are hoping to move next year and I am going to offer to host

No conversation needed here either, DHs parents passed away over 10 years ago, he hadn't spent Christmas with his brother for even longer before that, and my sister is single. So all round to my parents' house (most space plus dad likes to relax in his own space and wouldn't want to go anywhere else). The only planning needed was to make sure we can stay overnight as previously we lived in walking distance but we moved a bit further away this year and I don't want to have to stay sober enough to drive!

Yes sorted a couple of weeks ago! But we do have family abroad, plus bitter divorced parents to consider, and one relative’s awful unruly dog so it needs to be sorted well in advance to make sure parents are scheduled for different dates, flights are booked with special assistance for elderly relatives and that the dog has a sitter sorted so won’t be there to terrorise on the day.

Yes. We always wait it out and hope nobody invites themselves over. We usually get to mid-October before they all announce they’re coming to us.

This year we only made it to July.

Full house this year, all the children with partners ( my DIL parents and nana ) and children and dogs. I love hosting Christmas and having a full house. The last couple of years have been quiet for one reason and another but this year it’s everyone 15 adults and 7 children under 8, 3 dogs 1 cat 😅.

Yes. Very quickly.. my daughter will be married next month.. l always spent Christmas day with her and my Grandson.. l will this year too.. except be more of us.. her new wife and her two daughters.. I've gained two wonderful step Grandaugters.
Boxing day other daughter and 3 teenage Grandsons.
Always feel blessed.

I kind of thought it was still March until I read this. I am definitely not ready for summer to end.

we go to family every other year and they come to us every other year. This year we’re not hosting (we did last year) so decided to go away instead, just our little family. We’re not selfish people, so felt guilty when we booked it without discussing it, but our family members were okay with it & no one will be on there own on Christmas Day 😃

I think I booked my flights at Easter!

Mine's going to go something like that.

We're off to Lapland. So excited I've packed already. 😂

Love that. I can’t stand all the obsession over Christmas. It is a time of year that I don’t feel great about due to life stuff and how overwhelming and built up it has become - I mean they’ll start stocking mince pies later this month FFS! My anti-modern-Xmas feelings are totally lost on my DP and ILs who go on about Christmas bloody dinner all year round. It makes me want to scream. And run away!

Our family had the conversation about this Christmas before last Christmas!

No need. My ds spends every Christmas with me until Boxing Day, partly because I love Christmas and enjoy all the food, gifts, socialising, tree, outings, and partly because ex's ides of Christmas is to buy ds a book & some socks, and then go back to watching the football.

DS goes to see ex on Boxing day for four or five days, giving me the chance to redecorate, then ds comes home for New Year, so ex can get drunk without ds around.

It suits everyone. No grumbling or complaints 😊

Yes as every other year we aim to go abroad to my family. It means my son needs to book time off work and as he works in retail that can be tricky. Last year he worked Christmas Eve and returned on the 27th, and he lives on an island so he was home for barely 36 hours. He’s already out in but will get a week max. We may have to fly out separately as me and my DD will probably go for ten days.

Yes, with no parents to worry about, and adult kids, and no grandkids, our friendship group has decided we are doing a friends only Xmas this year. Going to make it amazing, go all out, and party like it’s 1999🥳. So, we have told the kids to make their own arrangements and if they want, giving us time to recover from the Xmas festivities, we could do a Xmas family lunch/dinner with them 3-4 days later. If they don’t want to, that’s fine also, just sort it out between themselves and let us know closer to the time😁.

No conversation to be had, my family in the UK have died and I'm not going to the USA to see other family! I'll see some friends earlier in December.

So church and lovely food 🙂

I host every year. Sometimes 7 people sometimes 13 people. Everyone helps and few bring dishes/desserts/ drinks and it always works out but leaves me very very tired. I do love to decorate and I have the space to host and I will continue as long as dear dad who is 91 on Aug 6 is alive and well enough to enjoy. As we approach Thanksgiving my cousin and I discuss what will be done where and everyone follows suit. I think it’s great you and your family have worked it out early OP

Vaguely but I need to make it clear to my siblings that i will not be sending any gifts this year, other then my own dc and dgc.

We have just had it this week who's going where. I wasnt involved in the decision I was just told what im doing which is fine by me.

I just want to be in the sunshine so I've been wondering how to moot it to adult dcs and beg them to do it for years.
Dd lives with her fiance and ds lives with me. If they want anybody else to come too i don't mind.
I just want to be in the sunshine with my dcs at Christmas.
I'm single if that makes a difference. I'm getting on and it's a bucket list thing and I hope they agree. Wish me luck 😃

Ooh you need to do this really soon otherwise people will have started shopping and be put out

As a couple without kids, I decided I'm not taking time off over Christmas again. It's such a quiet time at work, I can wfh and just keep an eye on my emails, so no need to waste my annual leave.

As such, with the limited time I'll have off, I'm not willing to spend it driving! So we'll be chilling at home, just me and DH. Bliss!