When we were first married we spent christmas with ils as my parents had to work over christmas. When they changed jobs we took turns for a couple of years until it became the only time my nan was able to visit the whole year, as it's the only time mum, aunty and aunty's partner can all have time off at the same time to get her up and down. Dh tried one chirstmas alone at ils but missed me and came home straight after lunch. We've always spent nye and nyd with ils.
Since dd was born things have changed a bit. My nan isn't always reliably able to travle, even if someone goes to pick her up, and my younger sister is living with her boyfriend and will change plans at the last minute. Parents live accross the road so me and mum share the cooking and my parents, sister and boyfriend, and nan eat at ours. This is likely to be what happens for the forseeable future as it would be very likely my parents end up alone if we didn't invite them over.
Mil was devestated when we said we wanted to stay at home after dd was born, only 6 weeks old for her first christmas. We had ils round for christmas cake in the afternoon so they could see her first christmas too. She still has a houseful ar christmas, youngest still at home and middle son not yet attached to anyone as well as her fil and mother craming in every year. Realstically they don't have space for us and out tear away toddler. But last year saw them on the 27th when buses were running again for a second christmas dinner. Mil has offered to do that again this year so hoping it will become a tradition from now on.
This year my christmas present is having the dining room and the living room back; dh is getting rid of the 9ft pool table taking up the living room. I hope this means we might actually have the space to accomindate ils and my parents in the future. Although I have a feeling the invite will probably never to accepted based on mil's comments when she caught me measuring to see if two tables will fit in the living room. I think the general idea of her rant about never needing two tables was that she's always going to spend christmas at home!
Sorting this all out did mean I just had to make plans and tell the ils who assume we'll all be up every year. Dh doesn't realsies it's christmas until there are presents to open and the alarm goes off for him to put the turkey in the oven while dd and I are at church. He really doesn't care where we spend christmas as long as he gets to watch doctor who in peace, something his only ever managed to do at home!