I'd happily go home now

[Confused228]

Done 3 hours with family, I'd happily go home now 😂

Right? Why does it have to be a whole day event...

I've just ushered one lot out and about to go and collect the next

So tired 🤣roll on bedtime

Same stuck here until tomorrow. Came yesterday. Wanted to go home by about 9am

Oh dear can you leave early?

I haven't even got to my mum's house and I want to be back home. The prospect of spending another meal with MIL has reduced me to tears. She criticises everything I cook, lacks basic table manners and food hygiene, and starts conversations with DM about people none of the rest of us know because you can't possibly have 3 seconds when no one is talking.

I was thinking this just now.
In what world can I see family until about midday and then go home, curl up on the sofa with champagne, smoked salmon mousse and toblerone, all of the books and Christmas TV?
It won't happen whilst my parents and PIL are alive as we always host. And, by the time they pass away, we could well be into grandchildren territory and I know I would want to see them "on the day" but also wouldn't want to pressure them into be up and out visiting early in the day.
Last year, I remember slumping on the sofa at 6pm and having the sitting room to myself for the first time in 48 hours and just wishing everyone could just disappear and yet we had another 48 hours of visiting relatives to go

Don’t do it next year. We haven’t seen wider family on Christmas for years. Just us, tv, good food, board games and relaxing. I felt free the first year we sacked off seeing people.

I totally agree.

At elderly parents and dad has just declared he is full after the starter and now our main won’t be till dinner time. Not a problem but there is nothing to do but watch TV.

He also decided today was the day to start drinking after 6 years sober which I found extremely upsetting. He stopped at a mouthful of Baileys as it made me cry but now I feel I can’t drink at all. There’s no one here but me, dad and mum.

If I could go home tonight / first thing in the morning I would but no trains till the 27th. It’s truly shit.

Put my foot down this year and no visitors or visiting. Just me, DH and DS2(24).

Made a smallish cooked breakfast with Prosecco then presents. Doing dinner for 6ish with Dr Who & Wallace & Gromit in the background. So peaceful and lovely.

Our turn for MiL next year though

Just is this year and it’s bliss

Glad it's not just me then 😅

It's only been four years since we had Christmas in lockdown, again. Did all the family visiting arrangements just go straight back to normal afterwards? I know a few people who took the opportunity to break those arrangements but I know that's not as much an option for everyone.

There's a lot of pressure to spend time with extended family at Christmas but that's not always the most enjoyable day...no space, no peace, very forced.

We were just dh, the kids and me today. It has been really relaxed. I'm about to pick up my book for an hour before we watch a film. Then bed I think.

Hate going anywhere else for Christmas tbh.

Do it. 3 hours is waaaay long enough. Go home and relax. My partner and I are home alone. No stress, no pressure - I recommend it..

I agree that three hours is well long enough. Whole day events or extended stays can be so tiring. Having to be switched on and festive is hard work.

I'm going away next year. By myself.

Day 5. One and a bit more to go. Same same

I genuinely tried to work this out in my head earlier. How controversial would it be for a married woman with kids to go somewhere alone for Christmas. I was thinking when kids are teens maybe?

On a more positive note it's over for another year. It's the longest possible time that I need to wait to hear those awful songs again. I absolutely hate every minute of this season

Why do you all do it? Put yourselves under so much pressure and strain? Is it some misplaced guilt you all feel ?

Day 5 😧no, couldn't do it.

I'd be alone otherwise and I have done one christmas alone but that was worse 😂

Everyone's at our house so I can't even leave. Was fed up after about an hour. Have spent the whole day biting my tongue. Going to take DH and DDs away next year to a cabin in the middle of nowhere, just us!

Elderly parents who are a moaning PITA. Brother never offers to have them. They'd be alone otherwise and I end up feeling guilty. I'm not doing it again next year. I'm having a year off. I deserve it.

One of the benefits of living a walkable distance away - 3 hours and done. Rest of the year 30 min cuppa a couple of times a week, send the kids round after school - works out better than I thought

This is why I see family including my mum and her partner before the big day and then MIL pops over on the afternoon for a few hours and then it's back to us 4 and the cat 🙂 Perfect amount of quality time, then it's just us on Boxing Day and we're off to the cinema 🙂