Host or Guest?

[SnowJamz]

Do you prefer to be the host for Christmas dinner? Or to be a guest at someone else’s house? And why? 😃

Do you do the same each year, or do you decide on a year by year basis?

I used to like hosting and enjoyed fussing over everyone. But now enjoy being a guest at someone else’s house and having more time to chat to everyone.

I personally prefer being a guest, but hosting is more convenient as we have the smallest child in the family (she's 6, so not tiny) - so hosting is easier than lugging bunches of stuff from house-to-house, and concerning ourselves with when she's going to get tired and ratty.

Neither. I prefer it when it's just the five of us on Christmas Day. And that's what we're doing this year. Catching up with extended family before and after Christmas. But if I had to choose, I would say host because I would want to be in my own home.

I like to host because I like to do Christmas the way that works for my family. I'm perfectly happy if no one wants to join us, but generally several family members do.

Neither. We stay at home ourselves. Cosy PJs, no rushing around, eating nibbles, playing with toys, building Lego, watching TV together.

Visit relatives after Christmas Day. Got two weeks of holidays.

I am a perpetual guest, turning up after having travelled afar at the houses of either my own parents or DH’s parents to a welcome of pure adoration; either of whom then spend the next couple of days treating us like minor deities who must be appeased with plentiful gratuitous offerings.

I don’t feel at all bad about it. They love having us and each set is disappointed when it’s not “their” year. We still say one of our best Christmases ever was 2021 Tier 4 when we had to stay in London and order a Chinese takeaway for Christmas dinner.

I don’t like cooking, our house isn’t really set up for loads of visitors, and ultimately as a woman with a senior job and a busy social calendar the last thing I’d ever want to be doing is spending my Christmas break worrying about oven timings and looking after everybody. Christmas sees my buttocks firmly parked on a sofa with the Harvey’s Bristol Cream open by 9am.

Host every time. I get to stay in my own house and cook the Christmas dinner I like (with tweaks to accommodate the tastes of others). I hate going to someone else's. We went to our DDs last year and her hosting was amazing but our old dog was all out of sorts and I had nothing to do! This year they are all coming to me. Me and the dog can't wait.

We host if people want to spend it with us. I enjoy planning the menu and decorating the table. The food is cooked exactly as we like it with lots of planned for leftovers. We do try to accommodate guests must have dishes where we can and everyone lends a hand with preps and clearing up.

Prefer to be waited on 😂 but in our social circle we regularly host dinner, cocktails as ours is the larger house. DH is a chef so usually takes over the cooking whilst I entertain the kids/adults.

Neither... both sound like hell too me lol.

Im not leaving the house for anything short of a life and death emergency and I HATE people in my house.

Xmas is just us relaxing.

I'm hosting for the first time this year, but it's only me and OH, my sister (her OH is working) and my parents. There are only ever 5/6 of us and we've always been at my parents house until last year when they decided their daughters could host instead.

We all used to muck in at my parents house anyway, and cos it was my home I never felt like a guest anyway. I'm so glad and happy that I get to host them this year - they won't feel like guests in my home anyway, but I want to spoil them rotten anyway!

Then its NY in Wales with the inlaws. Not sure when we'll be seeing my step kids this year, they both have part time jobs now and can't get time off over the holidays.

Guest especially at my dad's or somewhere else we can stay but I tend to be host now as I have more space.

I'm doing sod all this year though as I'll be 36 + 1.

I prefer to host - I enjoy it and don’t find it a massive chore. I prefer Christmas dinner done my way, I don’t want to have to drive to anyone’s house and not be able to have a few drinks, or dh ditto, and nowadays I prefer my own bed, so don’t really want to stay at anyone’s else’s house, either.

Many years ago when I was in my 20’s and with an ex partner, we visited my Dad in the morning and were served brunch, my mums at lunchtime and served a full Christmas lunch; his parents in the afternoon to be served (an unexpected) full Christmas dinner and then had arranged to see our neighbours in the evening who served another (very unexpected) christmas dinner!! I have never gone to anyones else for Christmas Dinner since!

DH and I have an open house for Christmas Day which is usually a mix of my Dad, MIL, 3DSS and a variety of single friends. Boxing Day and/or NY adds BIL and SIL and 3DSS girlfriends and Step Brothers & Sisters.

I am probably now at the stage again where I would like to be invited elsewhere. We have had a couple of years at restaurants (shortly after I lost my mum for example and I didn’t want a normal routine) but wasn’t the best as I prefer my own cooking.

This year we are going to family for a few days over NYE and really looking forward to having time to relax and be a guest for once.

Exactly this. I love hosting but not Christmas Day, it’s about spending time with my DCs. Thankfully both DH are on the bottom rung of the ladder when it comes to our families so never any pressure on us to host or even attend. We will see family before Christmas and friends after.

Guest, I don't drink so can always drive and I love being waited on! I always offer to help though.

Over the last 10 years I've mainly hosted but I use the word host very loosely.

My side do help and know where the drinks and nibbles are and are expected to keep themselves topped up, (meanwhile ILs if they come expect to be waited on).