who has been away on holiday over xmas - i cant decide whether ot do it or not

[nailpolish]

tellme about it

thanks

bump

anyone/

Yes. It was wonderful. It depends who you are with and where you are going.

just me dh and the dd's

thinking of going to center parcs

although a friend has offered the use of her villa in turkey

have done it lots of times it is fab no hassle or meeting in laws just us or we go to stay with friends 2 years ago we went to mautitius this year we are going to aus

we tend to alternate 1 year away 1 year at home

Think about what you would usually do and whether being away will make life easier or more difficult.

When we went away over Christmas, the baby was too young to worry about santa, and the older ones were too old IYSWIM. - I think that might be a major consideration with regards to packing.

Then, consiser your stress level and decide if it is going to be higher or lower if you go away.

It was a good decision for us at the time we did it.

i dont want to sound like a miserable cow

but i am kind of starting to not enjoy or look forward to xmas. i feel like i just want to scream at everyone to go away and i just want it me dh and the dds

dhs family do my head in tbh

naily I am with you on that what we do is have a meal before xmas invite everyone and get it all over and done with then go away and leave them all to it
as far as I am concerned me dh and dcs are the family now and as long as we are together then that is all that matters

oh that is a good idea i was thinking of having xmas meal when got back from holiday - butid spend holiday dreadingit

thanks for that great suggestion

We do this: We book a Christmas meal at a venue well before Christmas and get all the extended family together. We split the cost. Everybody has a nice time, no cooking or washing up, then everybody does exactly what they want to do with there own little family over actual christmas. Eveyone is happy, no stress.

Nailpolish -I am starting to feel the same as you about Christmas. We have decided to make more of each others birthdays this year instead and to 'tone down' Christmas IFSWIM? Maybe im just a miserable bugger but am really tired of all the commercialisation and stress. Would like to go away or do something different this Christmas too.

im glad its not just me !

Do you have to have your family/the in-laws over? We spent Christmas at home on our own last year and it was really fab. I can really recommend it.

id love to beaulocks but i always get pushed into having family over. if i am away i wont have those guilty feelings

In that case i think you should go away and have a nice relaxed time and don't feel guilty.

We always tend to go away as the stat days have to be taken off, so you can get 2 weeks holiday without using up too much leave. One year I was hiking in the middle of nowhere. Last year went to Paris, the year before NZ, the year before that was skiing in Canada. Well worth it.

Then I'd say you should go away and have a lovely time en famille naily.

We managed last year on our own because my parents were visiting my uncle and his family in S Africa and my in-laws weren't speaking to us ()

im a bit worried my mum will be upset cos she likes seeing the girls, but she can go to my brothers. he never invites the family and gets to lounge about in bed with his gf all day then come over to mine and stuff his face

sowhere have you all been? anyone stayed in uk?

dh and i have been together for 16 years and have spent just 3 of those here.
its fab, we do xmas early, dinner for family about 2nd or 3rd week in december. i get everyone elses presents in november to hand out at dinner.

no huge amounts of food to buy, no cards to send, no annoying people to entertain.

the downside is the price, if you go longhaul like us its mega bucks.

took dds presents with us, a few, dvds books etc. come home and all her presents are waiting for her, we are refreshed.

My brother was the same before he got married and had kids. Total pita tbh!

I like 3littlefrogs' idea of a meal out just before Christmas for everyone.

we went snowboarding.

it was a bit pants

we did xmas at a hotel here, it was great.

Hi Nailpolish, I love being away for Christmas. The last minute scramble for a sprout in Tescos drives me bananas. We have been away three times (2007 Mexico, 2005 Kenya, 2003 Dominican Republic. My sister and I alternate having my Mum over on Christmas Day so it'll be my turn again this year. DH's sister and husband are never bothered about coming to stay with us at Christmas as they live quite a distance and aren't able to leave all their pets and DH's Mum lives near them so she goes there. We usually take some pressies with us for the kids and open the rest when we get back. Before Christmas we try and meet up for a day with DH's sister/brother-in-law and Mum to exchange presents. I really can't stand all the pre-Christmas shopping frenzy and commercialism and, somehow, going away takes our focus off all that. It is mega expensive though. Last year we actually flew home on Christmas Day (arrived Boxing Day) so it was a bit cheaper.

hi copycat
thanks for your great post
unfortunately we wont be going anywhere as glamorous as long haul! not this year anyway
i absolutely agree with what you said about last sprout in tesco etc. makes me edgy just sitting here thinking about it...