I am feeling really guilty and so is DH and we need to decide about Christmas for tomorrow...

[rhondajean]

At least if we are to get the free wine if we order with m and s.

We both want to just stay in and relax and order Chinese for dinner, we go out on Christmas eve, have turkey dinner, etc then, and christmas day is I think the only day in the entire year all four of us are at home all day and have nowhere to go and nothing to do except be together.

Problem is, DMil was widowed last year. Last Christmas, we had her and dgmil for Xmas dinner as no one else would ask them and we didn't want her sitting at home alone with her mother on her first Christmas alone.

It was a horrible day, mostly because DH and the DDs took the vomiting bug and dinner was ruined, then the ils stayed till late, I couldn't even have a glass of wine because they wouldn't!

I've been a bit unfair in that ive left it to DH to decide and told him he has to do it by tomorrow. Wwyd? There is an expense element to is as well - much cheaper for takeaway for four than full Xmas dinner for 6.

I feel awful about this!

At the moment I want to stay at home with my kids
No travelling etc
But when they're older I'd hope they'd come to us sometimes & I'd have to travel to them at Xmas even though I'd hate it
I can't imagine what it'll be like
I hope they live close so we can just do lunch rather than overnight stays

Dish up at 12, they'll be yawning by 2!

I felt the same as you rhondajean for years, dh, ds and I always fancied that one day alone with chinese and pjs. We did it a few times and it was great although always felt a little like something was missing. My dad had a heart attack in the summer and now I just want to spend every minute with the wider family making memories.

Just get slowly sloshed, they don't notice so much when it's gradual

I may already have arranged to go to a friends for drinks at 7 30 strangely she may also be coming to mines for a drink at the same time meaning her dsis may have to leave her house

We do want to see them, would just be nice to have one day for the four of us. If DH was off for two weeks like me it wouldn't really be a bother at all.

Yep it'll either be vodka in my oj or wine in a mug! If DH wasn't throwing up his entire guts he'd have had some beers. It's only a five minute walk to mils house so unless it's snowing they would walk back.

It'll be better than last year yeah?

Can you pop in to visit them, say at tea time? Bring presents/cake/whatever. Then you get most of the day to yourselves, don't have to cater for anyone, and you can leave when you want to. But they still get to see the children, have a bit of company etc?

Or if you must have them to yours, cook a fairly simple lunch (which surely would work out cheaper than takeaway?), and have a glass of wine if you want.

If they only live 5 mins away, then as everyone suggests, do a buffet (people notice what you drink far more sat around the table, than getting up for refills in a buffet scenario ), then at around 3.30 suggest the whole family don their coats for some fresh air, and you all walk nan home.

Love the idea of packing up some of the buffet - cold cuts, sausage rolls and cake for later. They'll probably really appreciate that idea.