To ask if we're the only ones who don't make Xmas plans months in advance

[BelleHathNoFury]

The AIBU threads started in August (maybe earlier) with people angsting about spending Xmas with MIL or Uncle Bill, travelling here and there, how to make Christmas "magical."

Are we the only family who doesn't make Xmas plans months in advance? We live a couple hours drive - in different directions - but sort it out nearer the time. And with little drama.

We plan ahead because we have to. We live overseas and need to book flights and they only get more expensive the nearer you get to Christmas. Our kids are grown up and live in other parts of this country so we have to ask them what they’re doing too. Sometimes they come back to the UK with us and sometimes they stay with their partners’ families. We have to book time off work well in advance too. As to what we’ll actually be doing on Christmas Day, we don’t tend to plan that too far ahead and just roll with what everyone else wants to do.

I don’t know why it’s a problem for other people to plan ahead if that’s what they want to do.

My work wants christmas and new year leave requested by end of June. I think so many circumstances can change in six months but yes am forced to plan early.

wow! really?

no one cares

No drama in our house but we do like to plan who is going where early and so have done that over the last week or so. I mainly like to get ahead with gift buying so I have time to find the best prices etc. I have finished for dd and dh so now moving on to parent gifts.

Yet here you are ...

We don't live near either of our families so we do start to think about it early so we can make sure we see all the people we need to see, drop off presents etc and spread it out so we don't end up completely insane and burnt out by Christmas. I don't plan actual Christmas that early but we do the same for that every year.

We only |very have Christmas day with ourselves so the only planning in advance is a mental note of how much I need to save and for the first time ever I ordered Sainsbury's Christmas food to order ( only the actual Christmas dinner stuff)

We have to plan in advance - my father in law died three weeks ago and we need to sort out where MIL will be as she needs to know in advance - logistics etc. I also have parents in a different continent and two siblings to sometimes fly to see me here and vice versa.

I dont do christmas at all not done it in years.

We don't. It helps that we've never been expected to visit anyone or have anyone visit us, and we have very few relatives left alive now so it's increasingly unlikely that we ever will.

We just put up a Christmas tree, give each other presents and have a roast dinner, that's all there is to it.

Easy to be glib - my family situation is complicated with divorce, new partners and their children, I’m an only child so have to see my dad, adult children with partners, people who work over Christmas. Without a plan, it just wouldn’t work. Plus I enjoy the planning 😁

I don't make plans. DM starts making them for everyone on boxing day the previous Christmas. It's pretty much a variation of the same. Whoever is around & DB comes every second year. Whoever's house is whoever offers.

The one time I refused to make plans, SIL, who hates Christmas but uses it to show off, and BIL, who mansplains their fancy food, and brags about their wealth, got in first & DH accepted because we didn't have plans.

I'll stick with DM..... But tbh I really don't enjoy Christmas at all. It's something to get through. These days we have to factor in FIL in a nursing home, who refuses to go out.

I think most people plan in advance so they can get time off work and start booking events they’d like to go to before they sell out. Christmas delivery slots always go fast so you need to know if you need one. Butchers tend to take a limited amount of orders too so leaving it til the last minute wouldn’t work for that either. It’s nice to spread the cost and the workload too.

Also, I feel like some people like to beat others in inviting certain relatives. So they’re tied in before other people ask them to spend Christmas with them.

You’re definitely not the only one though. We’ve got lots of relatives who leave it all until December. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. It’s like going on holiday. Some people book it a year in advance. Some people book it and go the next day.

We have to plan, we have guests every year and there’s a lot of them. I just need to know who is coming and go from there, food drinks won’t be sorted until next month as we all have to supply something.

If we didn't make plans at the 6 month mark we wouldn't see anyone and wouldn't do anything.

We rotate Christmas between my parents and the in laws and also have to accommodate my DB and his wife (they rotate between her 4 brothers). Every 4 years we go to Scotland so have to factor that in and plan in advance for that.
Then factoring in seeing friends (as we don't live close to some friends) and their plans, my December is sorted by end of the summer holidays latest.

Activities for the kids get booked up quickly so mostly if you haven't booked by now, you aren't going to things. (Lapland UK tickets sold out in March! -yes I got some!). I'm trying to book something to see with a friend in December, but its mostly booked up so looked like we aren't going to be going now.

I'm assuming who ends up witb the privilege of hosting you has made plans in advance. Ny family don't work out the exact schedule but we know who's home we will attending. That's called organising and manners

Exactly the same for me, happy to see both my family and my partner’s family on any day in the lead up to Christmas or any of the days after but we’re flexible on this so always happy to see them all whichever day suits them, it’s usually decided a week or two before Christmas! Christmas Day however, absolutely no planning or organising needed

We always do the same thing, to be honest. I have cooked for the last 40 years probably. My 90 year old parents live in a nearby village and they will come to us. Any adult children and partners who wish to join us are welcome to, and 3 out of 4 mostly do. None have children yet, all live several hours away and will come and stay for 2 or 3 days usually.

In laws are in Scotland and we usually go spend New Year with them.

No drama or need to plan.

Not sure if this is aimed at me ...

I'm assuming who ends up witb the privilege of hosting you has made plans in advance

Not in August! We host and are hosted but it's more casual so don't need to lock plans in months in advance.

That's called organising and manners

Oooh get you, Jane Austen!