Family Holiday get togethers

[Star]

With Christmas around the corner that usually means family get togethers. Do you look forward to seeing all family or does it stress you out?

For us, Christmas is a very busy time. On Christmas eve, we do hubby's side of the family's x-mas. We go there at around 6 pm and sit and wait until midnight to open up all the gifts. I used to hate it when the kids were little because then they'd be tired and cranky for Christmas day. We used to eat our Christmas dinner after the gifts were opened (that used to drive me nuts too) but now we eat dinner at around 8 or 9 pm. We all agreed that it should be changed because by the time it was ready for us to eat (at around 1 or 2 am) we weren't hungry anymore and all we wanted to do was go home. This get together used to stress me out to the max because the kids were small and hubby's low life brother would be a total ass but I don't let him bother me anymore. Where he is, I'm not.

Christmas day is spent with my side of the family. This year we're having it at my brother's place (the brother I like). This is stressful for hubby because he doesn't get along with one of my brothers. The one that I don't get along with too well. We all get together in the afternoon, have dinner at dinner time then we go home at around 8 pm.

We are always so exausted after these 2 days. We usually just lay around and do nothing for a couple days just to recouperate. It's crazy!

[Duke]

This will be the first Christmas in 9 years that I won't spend alone. My gal is coming to stay with me on the 22nd or 23rd and will hopefully never leave. I have no idea what this years Christmas will be like but I'm looking forward to it for once.

[Merika]

Every year we end up doing things a little different. Sometimes we all get together at my parents....sometimes we don't. It depends on what everyone's plans are. I live in a family where people have multiple houses and they don't always plan to spend Christmas in Florida.

This is one of those years when everyone is going elsewhere. What we do then is get together in smaller groups all spread out along the holidays. Either way is fine with me since it gives the kids and I a chance to do different things.

Sometimes they give me a list, sometimes I give them money and we all go out last minute together (that's actually a lot of fun)..... this year they are going to be surprised and not know what they are getting. It works for us to keep it flexible and not get in the same rut.

[darkangelism]

When i lived near my grandparents we would go to there house for christmas eve.