To think Boxing Day is for family and not football?

[Felicityfennel]

So sick of it! Every year, DH and DS want to go to DH’s hometown to watch the Boxing Day game. Plans have to be worked around this and given it’s an 8 hour round trip, it’s pretty much an overnight stay. If we’re with the in-laws for Christmas, fine, crack on. But when we’re in our home town and have other family to see, really?! It also means an early night Christmas Day as they want to be up and out to get to the game on Boxing Day the next morning 😭

@Skyblue92 sorry are you trying to say your mum did give and take and understood her wants didn't trump your dads on the Boxing Day football.. imagine such reasonableness?

I don't think you're going to convince @MargotBamborough!

Not sure you understand what the word "cluster" means. The only example you give which fits that description is Easter.

She said it would be fine if it was a year they were staying with her in laws and the match was local, rather than an 8 hour round trip away and involving an overnight stay.

That is clearly the reasonable compromise.

If they're planning to go in these circumstances that means the plan is to do it every year, which is not reasonable.

I am confused as to how this is affecting the WHOLE xmas
Yes, an overnight stay may be unreasonable.
I liked POs suggestion to switch the years you go to PIL to the years his team play at home
But an 8 hour round trip, for a 2pm KO.....you only need to leave at 9am (not that early)

And who (with young children) stays up drinking beyond 10pm on Xmas day anyway. Personally I am normally fed up of drinking and ready for bed by 8pm, but even if you tend to have people round....till later that really doesn't change what you do next day.

As for the team.....I know people love their team and you can't support another team....but you can go and watch any team play and its not unreasonable to alternate...one year match near PIL house, next year a BD fixture closer to home?

Sorry OP but your reasons chop and change. It’s also a ridiculous argument to say you want them to lounge around and eat chocolate, clearly they don’t want to. On Boxing Day I’m always itching to get out and do something.

Sounds like a great tradition for your DH and DS, you can still lounge around and eat chocolate, it has nil impact on that.

🤣🤣🤣

This thread bought back so many happy memories of football on Boxing Day with my dad that I've just bought tickets for a local team for Boxing Day for the whole family! Thanks OP.

Oh I love Boxing Day - all the footy fans clear out to drive to the match and DD and I can sit and each cold chicken (in my case) and watch P&P on TV.

I don't see why they shouldn't go to the match - how exactly does it affect you? Wave them off in your pjs, all good! As I read it, the time when it is a pain is when you are at home as the match is close to PiLs - so you are just at home, yes? If you are away at PiLs, you don't have an issue?

Why should DH and DS have to lounge about when they clearly don't want to? Much better that they are out of the way surely? (As I see lots of otehrs have said)

My DH has always been a footy fan - or for as long as I have known him at least. I would never ask him to change that.

Are you another one in the enforced family time jollity camp then?

Oh dear. How predictable. Plenty of mature adults, both male and female are football fans.

Wow. I don’t personally think having a hobby that you enjoy, that gives a sense of community and an activity you can do with your kids is a sign of not growing up.

I am a runner (not atm but hey) and in the past have been out all morning or even most of the day at a race. I have another hobby that takes me out most weekends in the summer. Does that make me a child too?

@PastelHouses, I have a shock for you.

Women like football too!

Shocking isn't it! 2023 and women are acting like they can like a sport that was only ever meant for men! Unbelievable. I knew this would happen once women were allowed to vote!

This thread has reminded me to check to see if my team are at home on Boxing Day and they are!!!

Wonder if dh fancies coming with me!

My team are away on 27th sadly. It's an evening kick off too, annoyingly.

I'd never heard the phrase "family time" until I joined MN and saw a thread where someone said "weekends are for family time" which made me think: are people never allowed to do anything solo ever again on the weekend because they have a family? "Family time" sounds awful 😂

Not just me then 😁

My Dh and son's aren't into football so it has never been an issue for us but as a child my dad, grandad and all the uncles would go to watch the footy. My mum always said she was glad to see the back of them so she put her feet up!
Mum and auntie's used to go out the following night and it was a big glam occasion!

A woman liking football .... ye gods!

Outrageous

So you want DH and DS to give up really important day out to do nothing and eat chocolate?

Oddly both my kids like football but out of them it is dd who follows her team every week, whereas ds is a fair weather supporter.

Your comments are tiresome. It's possible to enjoy football, on Boxing day sometimes, and not "hate your family". Unclench and stop preaching. You're sounding increasingly bonkers with every post.

Someone will be along to call her a "cool wife" next...