@TheLeadbetterLife
Christmas is a holiday. That's all. The idea that it's supposed to be a time for family and togetherness is a load of mawkish guilt-tripping started by Dickens and propagated by American movies.
For centuries it was just a winter piss up at a time of year when there was no farming to do.
There's no reason at all why it has to be anything other than a bit of time off work, and it's up to individuals how they spend that time. No-one should be pressured into being with specific people or doing specific things. Too many people are pressured, and they find Christmas a miserable / exhausting / stressful experience as a result.
Time off is precious, let them do what they want.
This. ^ I have no idea why people are so focussed on this big family Christmas, a-la Eastenders/Corrie/American movies etc etc etc.
It perpetuates the myth that everyone needs to be and SHOULD be with a bundle of people at Christmas, preferably blood relatives, and should all preferably spend Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day with all these people.
Someone in the family (always a woman) is going to have a really stressful and difficult time trying to sort everything; the gifts for everyone, and all the food and drink of course, for 8 to 15 people. Some of who will want vegan, veggie, no turkey, (but red meat instead,) no dairy, gluten free food etc etc... And everyone has to sit around smiling and making polite conversation with everyone.
40 or so years ago, as children, me and my brother used to love aunts, uncles, and cousins popping around to see us on Christmas day, and especially when they stayed for dinner. We had a few Christmases, with 8 to 10 people eating around the table, and several aunts and uncles getting pissed and staggering home in the snow. (We all lived 15 minutes walk away from each other...) And it was fun - for us.
Me and my brother would eat all the Christmas tree chocolates, and play with our toys and board games, and go out to play with our friends...
But for my mum, it was really stressful. She said (a few years later) that she really envied Jack and Violet over the road, (a couple in their 50s at the time,) who had no kids and no parents and just one sibling each who they would see just a week before Christmas. Then they'd spend Christmas alone with just the two of them and their 2 dogs. They seemed so relaxed and happy and went for walks, lay in til 11am, and popped to the pub a few times. 'Bliss' my mum said.
We have these Christmases now. We did have the kids at home for 20-ish years, but since they left, they spend Christmas with their partners, and we spend it with just me and DH. We see close family and the DC a few days before Christmas, and then spend Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day alone.
I loved big family Christmases when I was a kid, but when you're the one having to organise it and entertain everyone, it's a totally different kettle of fish.
Everyone should have the Christmas they want, and not be guilt tripped by other family members.
@Helloitsmepickle2016 YABVU.