to be tempted to book a holiday over Christmas next year?

[boredandrestless]

This is slightly tongue in cheek, I wouldn't really go through with it but it is soo tempting.

Had my mum round who pretty much invited herself a few days before despite having an invite for Christmas day elsewhere, so I had to run out and get xmas dinner and trimmings and guest food. She turned up nearly 2 hours late on xmas eve so DS and I were waiting hours for our tea, and has left this afternoon after convicing me we should 'pop' into B+Q (I live very close to one), we were in there nearly 2 hours while she desgned and ordered a new kitchen!

Xmas day - boxin day I had ex-P decide he wasn't bring ds home at lunch time, but at 2 as that was what suited HIM, didn't think to tell me until I asked, and then hung up on me!

I am a kind laid back person and ex and my mum take advantage of this and ride rough shot al over my plans.

DS is autistic and doesn't like his nana being soo late on xmas eve while he waits hungrily for his tea, and doesn't like his plans for the day changing (e.g. pick up and drop off times, which ex fails to realise time and time again).

I have TWO sisters and neither of them have ever had my mum over for xmas, it always always ends up being me making the effort and putting myself out. And then she turns up late, bangs and stomps and rustles about at 11pm xmas eve while I try my best to get DS to sleep, and just generally does as she pleases with no thought to what I or my DS might want.

I feel like saying SOD IT and booking us a holiday right over the festive season next year to avoid all the hassle and resentment. (but I couldn't because I'm too nice and wouldn't want to upset people).

Get it booked!

Re your mum - if she was late you should have eaten without her, and I wouldn't go out to buy extra food and stuff either - if people come here they take us as they find us but I'm not changing things!

I had told my mum me and DS were having a takeaway for tea on xmas eve, so she said she would come round for tea time, and order and pay for chinese in return for me having her over. I agreed as I had already spent money I didn't have on xmas food and drink which I wouldn't have bought if she wasn't coming. She turned up at nearly 7 (instead of 5), I had eventually ordered the chinese but after 6, had to pay fr it, eventually plated up for us all, got me and DS sat eating and she finally knocked. Got up to answer door and get her plate out, and burnt my hand on the plate!

Christmas day can be stressful. I love my mum etc but we only spent an hour in each others company yesterday as they like a quiet Christmas -my mums husband has Parkinson's. I think on Xmas day we should all do what we want with our families. My day yesterday was not much fun as I was cooking etc n didn't feel like I saw much of my children ages 2 and 6. Visitors coming and going, sd arrived with her three year old who ransacks the house whilst she sits away and never offers to help-she never has in all the thirteen years so this doesn't surprise me! Have had a lovely boxing day, just us four, walked our dog, chilled out, had chips and turkey and cheese and biscuits etc. already decided next year we will have Christmas dinner on the 24th so the 25th is much less work for me nd I can enjoy my family and visitors.
I think us busy mums should decide what we want to do on Xmas day and don't feel so obliged to keep every one happy. I love my mum but we don't agree on everything and as great as she is ith the kids she cn be very self righteous at times. Just do what you want to do and if he doesn't fall in with your plans tough particularly as your son has asd.

I don't blame you - maybe you should just do it. She's in no position to complain and the sisters would be forced to pick up the slack.

This time last year I was thinking about Christmas in a hotel for this year. Was put off by the exorbitant cost and the fact I knew I'd be critical of someone else's Christmas dinner :o.

I find my mum best in small doses and two nights is way more than I would have liked!

I wasn't planning on cooking a xmas dinner as DS won't eat one, so it was more work, more cost, etc. I had already had a xmas dinner on a day trip we'd been on to a christmassy place so was satisfied with that and looking forward to slobbing out not playing host.

Then the thing with ex today annoyed me too! It was him that said lunchtime today for drop off, if I hadn't had checked with him he wouldn't have even told me he had changed his mind about drop offf time and I would have been sat around waiting. If he'd told me yesterday it would be 2pm I could have popped into town this mornign and hit the sales child free. Would feel guilty though if ex didn't get to see DS over xmas - that's why he goes there xmas night as it means we both get to spend some time with him xmas day.

Im too soft to bugger off but it is so so tempting!