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Original poster

Christmas when due in Jan

31 replies

Peony99 · 03/08/2019 11:09

I'm due on 2 January, and the idea of a big family Christmas fills me with horror.

I really don't want too be around hundreds of aunts (I have a big family) all saying "not long now!" ad nauseam.

Nor do I want to be too far away from hospital.

Would I be insane to host a small Christmas (5/6 people) at my house, with all the food from M&S and DM and DH in charge of everything?

What are others with a Jan due date doing?

(Yes I know it's August, but some of my family live abroad so flights are being booked and I need a plan).

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RudyRoo · 03/08/2019 11:27

I think that sounds perfect! Do what's best and easiest for you 100%. I am due January 9th and loving the fact my husband and I have an excuse to stay in our own house this year! (Usually we'd have to do the rounds visiting family up north)

starlight36 · 03/08/2019 11:41

It sounds a perfect compromise. Also good to manage expectations now so that you can relax knowing family are on side.

Florencenotflo · 03/08/2019 11:49

I was due 2nd Jan 2016. DH volunteered to work so he could have the next one off with baby. I went to my mums for dinner. Ended up being everyone's bloody taxi! I so wish I had just stayed at home with a load of junk food. We had our proper Christmas dinner Boxing Day.

Trust me, by that point you may not even fancy getting out of pyjamas. I would plan a very low key day, no expectations on you to host, Cook, prep... anything!

nataliemum25 · 03/08/2019 11:58

I'm due on the 2nd January, my sister is doing the cooking this year I just know I probably won't be bothered to cook this year

edinbeezer · 03/08/2019 12:06

My brother and his family are all coming across to Scotland from New Zealand for Christmas and there's a big family party planned. I'm due on 8 January and the hospital is about a 90 minute drive away from where the party is going to be. Really unsure what to do! I'll probably see how I feel on the day.

Original poster
Peony99 · 03/08/2019 14:22

Amazing, thank you. Now to tackle my mother who thinks that it's not Christmas without brandy butter for 20.

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 03/08/2019 14:25

I would rather be a guest than host if I were you! How far away does your mum live?

BertrandRussell · 03/08/2019 14:31

Because if your mum isn’t!5 too far away, wouldn't it be better to be made a bit of a fuss of there, then come home to an immaculate house with a few delicious snacks and a glass of fizz in the fridge leaving the chaos and the washing up behind?

Original poster
Peony99 · 03/08/2019 14:34

Bertrand she's about an hours drive away.

I totally get the 'coming back to an empty house' thing. But if we're at my mums I suspect she'll want tonnes of relatives there and it will be harder for me to just disappear for a quick nap and leave people to it.

I'm more bothered about having a small Christmas than avoiding hosting. DH will look after everything, I'm sure.

OP posts:
Starlight84 · 03/08/2019 14:40

Due around the same time but luckily we go to my dads every year so I’ve never had the worry of cooking! I know I could cope with a huge family affair. Just keep it small if that’s what you want. Everyone should understand :)

McHelenz · 03/08/2019 14:41

I'm due on the 9th. I'm flitting between locking myself in the house like we usually do, or go to MIL so I don't have to worry about buying food...

BertrandRussell · 03/08/2019 15:58

I am over invested in the OP’s Christmas! I am imagining her having being fusssd over at her mum’s house- then driving back late on Christmas afternoon for a lovely evening on the sofa being waited on by her devoted dp in their perfectly tidy house having one of their last few hours as a two. I’m not sure yet, but she might have a good night’s sleep then go into labour after breakfast on Boxing Day, then be home with a gorgeous new baby late the same afternoon. There may be a light but non disruptive snowfall at some point.

Frizzy1986 · 03/08/2019 16:36

Definitely do what's best for you but I'd avoid being in charge of something huge. I was due my first on Jan 10th so we were going to the in laws for xmas day. They are only 20 mins away and we don't have lots of family around so knew it would be low key. My family are down south so no chance we were going to head there so close to the birth.
In the end it was a good job we weren't in charge as dd made a suprise appearance on Christmas Eve.

alphabetti · 03/08/2019 17:12

I would definitely consider having Christmas at someone else’s house and you just letting them know you may need to disappear upstairs to rest if you need to. You may not feel like cooking anything even just M&S stuff or you may already have a newborn.

When I was pregnant with my daughter she was due 17 Jan but came 28 Dec. We went to my mums for Christmas that year and I’m glad we did as didn’t feel like cooking as felt so uncomfortable. You may feel up for hosting now but closer to the time you may think otherwise. Could you even decide on a back up plan that everyone was happy with if you felt like changing your mind last minute?

aliensprig · 03/08/2019 17:41

I'm due on Dec 31st and we've already warned everyone that we're not going anywhere this year, or hosting anyone. If they want to see us they have to put themselves up somewhere, and bring food! Lower expectations as early as possible haha! Grin

StarlightIntheNight · 03/08/2019 20:30

I am due 20 December. I don't want to go anywhere for xmas, nor do I want to host. Not sure exactly what to do. DM is flying in, as she does with each dc I birth :) The in laws want to come too, which I don't mind, but then some other family members also want to come, which I don't want because I do not want a big gathering at all, when I have a newborn and I am recovering.

CharminglyGawky · 03/08/2019 20:51

My DS was born very very early Jan and I went to family that Christmas. It was awesome, I didn't have to lift a finger everyone made a fuss of me and charades was hilarious as I could guess but pass on my goes to my younger cousins as nobody expected me to keep hauling myself up off the sofa to act anything out. Also clues like 'call me the midwife' led to some interesting mimes towards my bump! My Aunt did thank me on the way out the door on the 27th for not giving birth in her house Grin

We do have a smallish family though, there was only 9 of us.

The problem with planning to host that close to due date is what will your guests do if you can't host on the day? They won't have any food in! And babies can and do come early, my very early Jan baby was meant to be mid to late Jan.

anitagreen · 03/08/2019 20:57

I'm due Jan 8th but I have a feeling I'll go into labour hopefully around Christmas time I'm just going to do all my shopping In November and get the shopping delivered in December the 20th ready for Christmas Day luckily the hospital is 10 minutes in the car, however I have Precipitate labour so I never actually know when I'm in labour until just before I deliver, my first was 45 mins start to finish, second 15 minutes so this one hopefully will be really fast too just hoping I get to hospital on time!. This Christmas it'll just be me my partner and the children at home so not too stressful.

Fivebyfive2 · 03/08/2019 22:46

Love this thread, so interesting to see everyone's plans!! I'm due with my first on 9th Jan, everyone is already saying 'ooo could come early for Christmas'!! We're going to my mums, but they're only a 15 min drive from ours and the hospital is about 30 mins away. Looking forward to not having to do anything 🙂 Dh will be going t total just in case!

Botanica · 03/08/2019 23:10

I'm due on the 5th of Jan but have a feeling we'll be having a December baby.

Planning to stay local and have Christmas either at mine with my parents only or else go to theirs. With only four of us it should be fairly straightforward but I think we'll buy in a lot of it this year just to make things super easy and then we can all relax.

Actually really looking forward to it!

ELM8 · 03/08/2019 23:40

Following with interest.. due with my first end of November but everyone keeps saying first is late usually so will probably be December.

We usually host everyone at ours as we have the most space. Haven't broken the news yet that we don't want to go anywhere or host anyone.. unsure as to whether we will have the balls to go through with that plan and not upset everyone! They all live a minimum of 2 hours away as well so couldn't even come for a few hours then leave.

Agree with previous posts, if I were you I would let someone else host, leave early and have a nice clean quiet house to go back to! Bliss!!

Kinsters · 04/08/2019 02:08

I'm the relative who lives abroad so for me it's easy - we're staying overseas and having Christmas on the beach just me and DH (in reality I'll probably refuse to leave our air conditioned house to go anywhere). No decorating, presents or cooking needed. Baby is due 2nd Jan.

Hope everyone ends up having a lovely Christmas whatever they decide to do! OP if hosting it yourself could you ask your mum to take over if you're in labour or have a newborn?

anitagreen · 04/08/2019 13:11

Just realised my sons birthday is late November so the big party I've planned I'm now thinking to scale back as I'll be 36 weeks I think I'm not sure or maybe 32 I need to check Confused didn't think this through did I

sandytoes84 · 04/08/2019 13:22

I live quite a drive from any family, so it’ll just be a quiet one the two of us (we nearly always do this anyway and do our visiting in the week before Christmas).

Don’t think I’ll bother decorating the house, unless I really want to when it comes to it. I usually cook a full dinner that feeds us for days, my husband loves the leftovers! But this year will probably be an m&s affair.

Poor husband also a Christmas baby, hoping we don’t get an early arrival or we’ll have 2 of them in the house!

anitagreen · 04/08/2019 13:31

Is anyone's partners worried that they will miss out on Christmas dinner this year if the baby decides to come on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or is it just mine worrying about food 🤔