Christmas traditions away from home

[ArriettyMatilda]

Last year was our first as a family and we stayed at home with no visitors, which meant athe day went exactly how we wanted with our own traditions. This year we'll be splitting the day between mine and dps parents. What do people do about their traditions when staying with others?

Dd won't miss anything this year as she'll not quite be two, but I'd love to hear some ideas for traditions that can be easily done elsewhere. I would also like to know if others find their traditions clash with the people they are staying with and how you come to a compromise, just in case I need some tips.

i don't travel at Christmas so anyone who comes to my house has to cope with my traditions . That sounds a bit control freaky but there is a reason.......

My parents are very religious (as is my SIL) so they go to Church on Christmas Eve.
My Mum was never much into Christmas when we were young so I've compensated by embracing decorations at home.
I like to cook and have all my familiar things in my Christmas cupboard collected over years.
I cannot cook in my Mums kitchen (drives me barmy, have to take a sharp knife and a potato peeler. She only has a few plates and glasses. I'm not shipping all my stuff there and there's no point buying a load of cutlery/crockery she won't use)

So, Mum,Dad,DBro,DSil, come to me.
I have DH and Ds (16) DD (13.6) . Our Traditions have changed over the years as they got older.

To go somewhere else with children-
Do you do a Christmas Eve Hamper? Some posters think they're OTT but new PJs, a bath bomb/bubbles, annual or book, hot chocolate sachet (I add a jar of sweets).
It helps to start the Countdown and get them off to bed. We used to leave it by the fire when we went out for a walk .

When do they have Christmas Dinner? I like to eat when it's dark but before Dr Who (it's one of our Traditions ) but your hosts might eat at 1pm. So you can't have a huge breakfast and the selection box.

Do you play a board game? Go for a walk? Watch the TV film?
Visit other family/friends?

When are presents opened? How many presents will your DD get? When will she open your presents to her?

On Christmas Day, nothing gets done until I have coffee, apart from the animals get fed.

We travel some years. The Christmas Eve hamper works well for us (we usually rent a cottage between both sets of parents) and is easily transportable. This year we'll be staying in 1 parents house (not sure if DH's or mine yet) but I intend continuing most of that (new PJs and bath treat for all 3 of us, naice hot choc, DD's stocking and Twas the Night Before Christmas for bedtime at least). I may increase the hot choc rations to everyone in the house, and if I know in advance (and am organized enough), I MAY extend the PJs to everyone (but downgrading to Penneys seasonal kitsch chic!).

A long walk on Boxing Day is a must, regardless of where we are.

In DPILs house, all presents are thrust into your hands as you walk in the door, whereas in DPs house, they are handed around individually in the late afternoon. Stockings still exist in DPs house (sweets, fruit and a book) for any "DCs" (children of my DPs - all now well into adulthood!) while DMIL gives all her DCs and DCILs socks and jocks (boys) or pants and tights (girls). Well, DCILs don't get underwear, just foot coverings...

Also, DPIL eat in the middle of the day, whereas DPs eat in the evening (with bets on for the time we sit down at - winners are usually in the range 9-10.30pm!!). But visitors come to DPs house in the morning (drinks and nibbles) or DPILs in the afternoon (tea and cake after graveyard visit).

We have a mix of traditions, and because both houses do things at different times etc, we can mix those too (although it ALWAYS means 2 plates piled high with turkey, even if we are officially eating in 1, we have to have a "snack" in the other!!). Mostly it's a similar mix when we are at home in our own house too.

And all do mass on Christmas morning, so that is something we can keep everyone happy on!

We often travel at Christmas, staying with parents/siblings whatever.

To be honest, I try and fit in as far as possible with whatever the tradition is of the household where we are. I do adapt things a little - it's better if the people you are with will also try and meet you if not halfway, then at least make a nod to your traditions.

For example, brother and sister in law do opening all the presents under the tree as soon as they get up - also their DC get loads of presents from Father Christmas, whereas our DC just get stocking gifts from him.
Our tradition is to open just stockings first thing, other presents later.. So if we are staying with them, my DC open their stockings in the bedroom, then come downstairs to the tree to join BIL and family (who have usually almost finished opening everything by then), and to open their present from BIL and SIL.

Then after lunch, we will gather round the tree again, we will give presents from us to BIL and SIL and nieces, so they also have something to open and can join in, and we give our presents to each other and others to the DC.

That way everyone gets to open most of their presents at their "traditional" time, but there aren't others sitting there empty-handed and sad because they haven't got any presents left, or aren't allowed to open their presents yet.

My parents open presents at tea time - about 5pm. So when we are with them, we go along with that except that we give our DC their main present(s) mid-morning. They still have presents left at 5pm, but at least they have something to be getting on with while they are waiting!