What does “invited to Christmas” mean to you?

[Talkingtomyhouseplants]

In my family on both sides it means the whole day - arrive late morning and stay until probably about 9:30/10pm.

Other people seem to invite people just for the meal and then they…leave?

What’s your set up?

I was listening to LBC this morning and the presenter said that according to callers/texters it means 2 to 3 days! I nearly dropped my coffee! Imagine 🥺🥺

Nooooo - DH and I were saying just yesterday how grateful we are to live in the same town and his parents and a mere 8 miles away from mine. No staying over thank you very much. Popped into ILs to a mince pie yesterday and they’ll come to us Boxing Day.

I can see how it happens if you don’t live local though - DB and his lovely gf (apparently he is proposing next year though!) are 5 hours away from me and my parents and have been staying with them since the 23rd and will
be until 27th - exhausting.

If someone invited me “to” Christmas, I’d verify timings with them. We’ve always been given times.

Absolutely agree. It's inevitable if family live away.....but so exhausting 😴

With my MiL it's from just before lunch (we have grown up children) until she wants to go home, could be tea time, could be 9 or 10 ish. My parents live further away, so they stay for a couple of nights. They are all in their 80s.

My parents and SIL are coming at 11 am and they will leave around 7 pm tonight.

Yes, would you not say "for" Christmas rather than "to"?

Well has to be the whole 12 days of Christmas for us and our entourage (plus 3 dogs and Snappy the gecko). So that's from 25th December through until 5th January.

Actualy we haven't been invited for 'Christmas' for many, many years now. I've no idea why.

Mum who I love dearly (4 mins walk away) comes at 1. Opens her presents from us and vice versa, has Christmas dinner around 2 and happily leaves before 5.

In my family it's go for dinner/lunch and stay for 4-5 hours total. We use the dog as an excuse to get home even though she sleeps for 20 hours a day

In my head, it goes like this:

Invited to Christmas: roughly Christmas Eve to Boxing Day

Invited to Christmas Day: morning to evening, roughly 12 hours max

Invited to Christmas dinner: verify timings for meal but aim to arrive about half an hour before serving (unless helping with cooking, then arrive earlier) and stay until early evening or later

11-5 please!

We always gave/give times, usually something like "Come at 11 for present-opening, lunch at one ish, stay for film/walk/mince pies" or whatever. When I used to go to XPILs 6 miles away it was home by 6 or 7pm.

My dear old Dad used to have us over for Boxing Day and we all knew it was strictly 12.30 pm until 4pm. One cup of tea and one mince pie allocated after lunch. One of my brothers decided to test this one year and asked for another cup of tea and my Dad said incredulously, like it was a completely novel idea "ANOTHER one?? Well I suppose I can but it means boiling the kettle again". Brother relented at that point and we all left at the usual time. It gives us a chuckle even now.

In my family it’s midday until long into the night!

Depends on so many factors. We have relatives who live close by but have dogs that they can't leave for more than 3/4 hours but as we have cats and are quite open plan, it's not convenient for the dogs to be brought.

Also whether people get on or its a duty visit, whether people want a drink etc etc.

I feel its always worth clarifying so there's no misunderstanding eg about the level of catering or whether the hosts need to go out later so want morning/lunchtime guests out of the way before teatime.

Etc etc.

This sounds perfect and I am hoping this is what my dad does today. We are eating at 2-3pm and I am hoping he leaves before all the good stuff is on tv as I like to unwind and lie down on the sofa. What will likely happen is he will get here at 2pm and stay until 9pm.

Invited for Christmas = arrive late morning and stay till early evening.

Invited to Christmas = arrive Christmas Eve and leave on Boxing Day.

I got invited by a friend’s family for “Christmas” a few years ago and my friend offered to drive me home after dinner. I had expected to be there until maybe around 8pm, I said nothing obviously.

We arrive at my Mum’s at 11am then leave by 7pm- we have young children, so that’s our choice, we’d be welcome to stay later into the evening. We also only live 10 mins away.

Oh that’s a bit sad - it feels like they are waiting for you to leave to have the “real” Christmas

For us you go for dinner and a couple of hours either side , I see my family all the time and this works for us . I had family here yesterday for a buffet / presents and they were here for about 4 hours .

We're going to my cousin's - we'll arrive for 1pm and leave early evening (say 6pm ish).

To me it means for the day, so lunchtime til evening. However I’ve known people mean it to be just Christmas dinner. I would always clarify what time frame that meant!

With my kids (adults) it may mean 5 hours or 2 days. It depends on their plans.

With friends usually 5-6 hours. We don't have extended family.

My mum is cooking for 2-3pm, so we’ll head over midday/1pm and stay until late like 10-11pm!!!