To think that this is how Christmas and Boxing Day should be

[Resurgam2016]

We're staying in a small cottage by the sea. Just DH & kids. Family quite a lot of miles away. We've gone for walks, played games, eaten too much, watched a ton of rubbish TV. Played computer games. Drunk wine by the fire.

No arguments. No fuss. It's bloody brill. We plan to do this every other year to keep ourselves sane.

WIBU to say that big gatherings are overrated.

YANBU.
We normally do this but for one reason and another haven’t this year.
The peace, the quiet, the ability to just say ‘No’ to all invites because we are away.......bliss!

Not in the slightest! We are at home but just us. DH and I and the kids. My mum popped round but not for very long.
We have been free to potter round in PJs until late morning or sit and watch rubbish TV. Eat what we want whenever we want and not worry about entertaining or anyone else's plans!
Hosting Christmas for a houseful would be my idea of hell!!

"No arguments. No fuss"
That doesn't happen if my kids are together without distractions from each other. Much more likely to have nice peace at my huge family gatherings.

We are by the sea too - had lasagne yesterday, and have been on MN most of the time. Watching jurassic park now, and have watched loads of other channel 5 crap

Best Christmas ever.

All the PILs/DPs occupied with other relatives

win/win

We've done something similar. It's bloody brilliant.

We live in a little cottage by the sea and this is how we always live. Cant be doing with any big gatherings nor fitting in with others plans. Enjoy

I am sitting here in front of the fire trying to bottle the happy feeling to get me through next years family-athon.

I'm so jealous. Definitely doing this next year after spending the last half hour hiding from the in laws crying.

Best idea, we had a Chinese takeaway just us 4. So relaxed, we just watched films and built lego all day. Family are near by, but we just said no thanks.

After the last couple of days I really wonder why we do the whole Christmas trauma usually. DH and I both work. We have x4 kids and life is so busy. Just stopping and removing the usual family merry go round has made me realise how much I actually enjoy being with my immediate family.

I love the others ( grandparents etc) too. But why the enforced hell of mega gatherings at Christmas? We see them at other times without all the expectations and fuss.

Oh, do it every year, Resurgam! You’ll only confuse their expectations if you do one year off, one on [hgrin]

We are going to do this next year. Our dds are in their twenties and we usually have them plus ILs and every other year my mum.

Next year both DDs will be travelling so we have already told our parents that we are also going away next Xmas. (We may well just stay at home but shhhhh, don’t tell anyone please)

Lovely, but sounds like my home, 10 minutes to the coast, surrounded by woodland. I have no extended family so every christmas sounds like the one you describe.

Then I would say you are lucky speakout. Finding that Christmas can be enjoyable is a revelation.

Resurgam2016 but we can carve out life.

Yanbu

I grew up having Christmas just my parents my sister and me, so no history of extended family gatherings. I very much enjoy the low key relaxation.

Sounds absolutely lovely op. Nice to have a quiet and happy Christmas (we didn't head away but are doing similar for new year ) .. The rest of the year will be busy enough

Sounds heavenly. We can’t afford to go away for Christmas but plan to pretend we are away for Christmas as this one has been so crap because of other people.

We are at MILs by the coast,
Me DH, 3 kids, SIL, MIL, MILs partner and then DHs Aunt and Nan have been here lots.

We’ve eaten loads of yummy food. Played various hilarious board games, drunk loads, watched films, gone for walks with the dog and the metal detector, built Lego, and chatted

It’s been great.

We are also in a house by the sea/hills. Had the most gorgeous shepherds pie with yum gravy and veg and roast and we were totally packed! Was lovely. Well neither of us like turkey or ham, we were going to do salmon, but the pie was winking at us ha ha!

No visitors, didn't have to go anywhere after the morning gathering with family at mum's nursing home (always a lovely event).

We live here. It's just a normal house a little bit outside the city, but it is brilliant at times like this.

I hope you all had a great time wherever you were/are.

Both my husband and I live 3000 miles from family. We have a normal house in a town, nothing special.
I have had the best Christmas. Just me,DH my 3 adult kids( 2 of whom still live at home) and our Dd who is 12. Lots of laughs, way too much booze, nothing to do but laugh and have fun. I have had more fun this year than for many, its been great.
2 of the adult kids are NC with their dad after last Christmas and one of them has a handle on their MH and was not worrying me ( last year was rock bottom, and he realised this and got some help). They all have sp much fun when they get together, its infectious.
I am a very content woman tonight

I've loved my very busy family Christmas. Inlaws, our grown up kids and their partners.
doing it all again tomorrow.

I had major surgery on Wednesday and I've just laid on the couch trying not to laugh at them and split my stomach staples.

Have Christmas any way you enjoy it x