What/when/where are you visiting family? When do they come to you?

[naturalbaby]

We have 3 young kids but ever since I got together with dh we spent Christmas day with one family, Boxing day with the other then swapped the next year. At first it was nice and easy because we were the first serious/long term relationship out of all our siblings so kind of set the rules! It's been like that ever since but starting to get a bit more complicated with partners and their family arrangements.
Now I'm feeling a bit more 'grown up' and our kids are getting older (still all under 4 though) I'm wondering when if/when we will stop spending Christmas day/Boxing day going to our parents houses and start getting family to come to us. I kind of feel I owe them but can't get my head round catering for an additional 7 or 8 people all day. I can't work out whether it would be easier in our child proofed home or having our parents cook dinner for us!

What do you do on Christmas day and how do you fit in visiting family?

We do the same as you, but having just filled the boot with presents for all three LO am wondering whether might be easier to just stay home. It's things like wobbly teeth etc, much easier to handle tooth fairy at home. Also seems mad carting presents on a 300 mile round trip.

Somehow get grandpa down here in a hotel room or something (no room or appropriate beds here). I also want to take a bit more control of it all. We go there and I cook, wash up etc, but still very much guests in his house rather than being able to do our own thing. Will be a bit of a wrench for dh, my folk would be cool as long as we roll up sometime in dec or jan. Would have to tidy the house more though.

When DH and I got married we said from the outset that we didn't want to be tied into a 'Christmas rota' - we each have two siblings who are very keen on that sort of thing but by the time their in-laws etc. have been factored in it would be a nightmare. What we've done is to say that we'd love to see as many members of the family as would like to see us at some point over Christmas i.e. not just 24th/25th/26th but that we'll be spending Christmas Day itself at home. This has worked well although it does mean that we do a fair bit of travelling.

This year we've already stayed with one of my siblings and spent the day with one of DH's plus spent a couple of days with his parents. Mine are coming over Christmas itself and we'll see the other siblings at some point over New Year.

It works for us!

we go to my sisters on christmas eve as it is my nephews birthday, christmas day is spent at home with just us (me, dh, 2 kids) and then we go to my mums on boxing day. The 27th is dh's birthday and this year we are going to pizza hut and the pictures. I have 3 brothers and a sister and 2 of my brothers will be at my mums for xmas but my sister will be at home with her partner and 3 kids. She will be at mums on boxing day too. I dont really see my other brother over xms although they were at my sisters yesterday for a flying visit.

p.s. it is easier for us to travel to see family as my sister/partner do not drive and my mum, sister and 1 brother all stay in the same town whereas we are a bit further away

My parents have never visted in 25 years. We have always visited them. They rang up a few weeks ago and told us not to go and see them this year as they are too busy.

PILs generally visit us but FIL is too ill this year so we just have just come back from seieng them for a few days. We had to stay in a hotel though as their house is too small for us all now. Glad to be home and Xmas alone TBH and then friends coming to stay or us visiting other friends from Boxing Day until New Year.

Me and the kids always go to my parents, we go on Christmas Eve and come home Christmas Night. Although they do only live 5 mins walk away and we don't really need to stay there although they like seeing the kids open their pressies and the kids love staying. Its always been like that (although sometimes stay longer), apart from one Christmas in Australia. Plus mother loves it :o