Dec 5th- QotD- Christmas dinner at home or away?

[Julie Billingsley]

Traditionally we enjoy Christmas morning at home and then go to my in-laws in the afternoon and spend the rest of Christmas with my husband's family. They just live 40 minutes away. Tom has 2 sisters and 2 brothers plus all their spouses and kids, so it's a large fun group. We always have a blast.

Since my mom died a couple years ago, my dad has traveled down to spend Christmas with us. I love that he comes down, but he doesn't enjoy spending Christmas day with Tom's family. So for the first time in 13 years we might be spending all of Christmas at home. I'm super bummed. But my dad won't come down for Christmas if we are planning to go to my in-law's house, and I can't let him spend Christmas alone.

So, it got me to thinking, where are you planning to be for Christmas dinner? Go to friends or family or host it at your house? Do you have a large group or a small one? Do you have the same plans every year? And most of all, are you happy with your plans?

[NeverendingJen]

it's just us, and most likely DH will work since we don't have kids. Right now the person scheduled to have 24 hr duty on christmas has 5 kids from age 8 to a 6 week old, so we want to let him have a chance to be with his family, so DH has volunteered to take his duty shift.

[mariewilcox]

Christmas day is always spent at home - just Cheyanne and I. We play any games she gets, watch movies, eat whatever we fee like, and then go to a late afternoon movie.

We spend Christmas eve together as a family with her brother and his wife and my granddaughter.

We have "family Christmas" the weekend before Christmas (this year the 17th) - this is my parents, my sister and her 2 kids, my one cousin, my one uncle, and my one remaining grandparent.

And yes, I am very happy with our plans. Christmas is still bittersweet even though it will be our 9th Christmas without DH.

[taracotta7]

We will be having dinner at my in-laws. Um, but I wish I we were staying home! (and my hubby has the same thought so I am not being totally mean........it is just THAT bad.....company not food. LOL)

[heathergw]

normally we have Christmas dinner away at the parents (switch who's parent's we see every year)... last year we had Christmas dinner at home since I was too pregnant to travel and same with when Moriah was born... we actually brought her home from the hospital on Christmas day... and my parents were in town and made dinner for us and my brother and his family came over for dinner.

this year we're not sure what's happening yet, it will either be in Indy at Mark's parents or in central IL with Mark's grandma... leaning towards Mark's grandma since we aren't sure how many more Christmases we'll have with her.

[HeatherKS]

We'll be having our Christmas with Paul's family on Christmas Eve and then spending Christmas day (after church this year) at my mom and dad's house. Not sure if we'll do a small lunch and then an early supper or what since we'll all be tied up with church during the morning.

[SweetMelissa]

We will be having dinner at my parents house (my in laws & dh's grandparents are also going for dinner so everyone will be together).

[MamaBee]

always at our house... Christmas Eve, my mom makes the whole meal and my mom, step dad, and my step dad's aunt and uncle come over to our house because my folk's dog doesn't like the attention Jake gets. Then on Saturday, my hubby's family (parents, grandmothers, and aunts/uncles) come over to our house for celebration... my folks also come for that too. If we didn't host - the grandma's would be all alone on Christmas.

[maryinaz]

We'll be at home, just our family. Until my DH's parents died, we had huge Christmases at their house with all the siblings, grandkids, etc. Things change when the parents pass. We also used to go back to Joplin every other year and spend it with my family. But that stopped once we had to start paying for 6 of us to fly.

So we've been at home all day for Christmas for quite a few years, and that's OK. We think it's important to solidify our own family traditions and for the kids to be at their own home.

[cardinalskate]

We HAD always done Christmas eve at my in-laws, then Christmas day at my family's. Now that we have our own family, we've worked it out so we are able to stay home and be our little family on Christmas Eve and day. I like it much better. We will have Christmas dinner/present exchange at my in-laws this coming Sunday and the date for my side of the family is unknown still.

[Stacey42]

We have Christmas dinner at home.

Both our families are too scattered & far away to see any of them on Christmas day, though any of them are more than welcome to visit us. The boys have requested next year we visit the grandparents over Christmas instead of Thanksgiving & that will be a nice change because it's been about 4 years since we last did that

[marlathrall]

Last year, we went to three different Christmas "events" on Christmas day... Three. This year, will likely be the same. I absolutely hate it and am always exhausted and stressed by the end of the day. When we have kids, I fully intend on staying home and making everyone come see us. The running around is too much.

[melrio]

A couple of years ago, we started having our family dinner on Christmas Eve at 5pm. It allows for the grandbabies to come over and get a nice dinner and open presents before going to bed. Then when the kiddos wake up they aren't all rushed to get to everyone's houses and spend time together. DH & I make a breakfast for my parents and his mother on Christmas morning and have a 'kid-free' time together. Then DH & I head back to deer camp for 3 days of rest & relaxation. It's part of our gift to each other. LOL

And from Marla's response, this is why we do things the way we do because I was literally exhausted and dreaded Christmas. One is not supposed to dislike Christmas!

[emmasmommy]

our house isn't big enough so we always go somewhere else.

normally it's always been my ILs on Christmas Eve and then my parents on Christmas Day. this year, things are changing up a bit. we're doing Christmas Day brunch at d's parents, then we'll go to my parents whenever.

[KyRainbow]

Our big family day is Thanksgiving, so Christmas is always pretty low key. We usually just have finger snack type foods on Christmas day, and it's always at home.

[mummytothree]

We use to travel on Christmas day, when we lived in Ohio near all our family it was just for the day to my parents and then my in laws house. When we moved we would usually go fro a day or two, but since we added kids #4 & 5 we finally decided NO MORE traveling for us!!! It's to hard for us to drag 7 people all over the place...if they want to see us (both our parents are retired and only have themselves to drag around) they are more then welcomed at our house!!

So for the 3rd year now we will be spending Christmas at home just the 7 of us!! We have never been happier celebrating a holiday as we have been these last few years just staying at home!!!

[kscwgirl]

Christmas Eve at my MIL's.

Christmas morning at home... then we go to my aunt's around 4 pm or so. Then usually the next day, we have Christmas with my parents.

We used to do all in one day but a couple years ago Jeff had to plow on Christmas (worst Christmas ever) and it actually worked so much better to have Christmas at my parents the next day.. the kids weren't overwhelmed, etc.. we've continued doing it since then.

[Keely~B]

Each year it depends on whether my DH has to work. This year he's off (WHOO HOO!) so we'll be out of town doing Christmas at my Mom's house.

[jaylensmom]

We'll be at my parents and then we'll go to my grandmother's house where all the family usually ends up...

[Megan Turnidge]

I clicked too soon. I should've read your post first. haha! I selected at home, but technically we won't be. We are eating at my SIL's house, which is only 2 minutes away. I'm making all the food though. We're eating there because I have a tiny apartment and a table that only seats 4. She's got a humongo house and plenty of seating, so it works better there!

[LeeAndra]

We have Christmas morning at home. DH's parents are local, so they will come over and watch and I will think up something for breakfast. We don't have SS this year until the 26th, so I am looking forward to a jammie day with DD, DH, and me. We have DH's family Christmas the day after, so we will pick up SS on our way over to DH's parents and have the big Christmas dinner then. We have my family's Christmas scheduled for the weekend before this year.

It's funny how the vibe of each can be so different. His family is super laidback abt holidays and events and give just 1-2 gifts a kid (and none between adults) while my family is super uptight abt it and expects everyone to give gifts to everyone. 'Santa' brings a ridiculous amount of toys to my parents' house for my nephew and DD not to mention the truckload she will get from Grandma and Grandpa. My parents do buy some things for SS, but on a smaller scale since he already gets so much from his mother and his maternal grandparents.

I really wish I could host Christmas for my family at my house, but my dad would never drive anywhere non-local for Christmas, so I'm stuck.

[KimberlyMorris]

I'm cooking for my little family for the first time. I'm excited!

[kristijoy]

We'll be at home, but going to friends for dinner. (actually it's a big community room, so there will be quite a few people!)

[mrshobbes]

We go away, our condo is waaaaay too tiny to host a Christmas meal/get together. This year we'll be at my brother's

[nun69]

Originally Posted by mummytothree

we finaally decided NO MORE traveling for us!!! It's to hard for us to drag 7 people all over the place...if they want to see us (both our parents are retired and only have themselves to drag around) they are more then welcomed at our house!!

So for the 3rd year now we will be spending Christmas at home just the 7 of us!! We have never been happier celebrating a holiday as we have been these last few years just staying at home!!!

this is us excpet is makes year 2 and 6 of us traveling and it is hard when you have to travel 5+ hours with 4 kids and Santa gifta...I am really enjoying it, but not sure my in laws or my oldest {18} and DH are...but they will get use to it

[MandaT]

We have no idea. Holidays are usually a huge fiasco, trying to fit 'everyone' in....

Christmas eve, me & the kids (as long as the weather is cooperative, etc) will travel the 1 1/2 to my dad's for dinner & back home.

Christmas morning will be at home.

I'm assuming at some point during the day we'll all meet up at my moms or my aunts. Or we'll make the rounds on my side. I do know my sister & BIL/nephews will be down from Oregon. We'll celebrate with DH's family before or after the actual holiday, they're not really into the holiday things like my family.

Christmas falls on DH's scheduled work days. So hopefully it's snowing, then I'll get to stay home with the babys & DH won't be at work for nothing. I voted for stay at home all day & if people want to see us they can come visit. Cook finger foods & just relax. (I'm sure I'll get vetoed on that idea though)

[Kat Stokes]

My DH is supposed to work both days but since we have little ones still he got a shift trade for CD. We normally spend CE with my family at my mom's and then CD has either been with his family or both families at our house. However, DH told my mom this week that we are spending CD at her house. It makes me sad that he doesn't have a good close connection with his family. I love them and love spending time with them so I have a feeling everyone will end up here at our house for CD - which will be just fine with me. I love that both families can get together and get along and have a good time.

[littlekiwi]

christmas at home with the whole family - will be cooking over the next few weeks and preparing as much as possible before hand so we aren't having to cook on the day

[MandaT]

Originally Posted by Kat Stokes

I love that both families can get together and get along and have a good time.

That would be a dang near miracle around these parts!!! (not even both families though, all of 1 family would just be nice!! lol

[Sharon Kay]

I voted "not made plans yet" ... but I sent mom a text about a week ago claiming "dibs" on Christmas Day Dinner at my house ...

Mom & Stepdad live in AZ ... sis lives about an hour away ... (brother is in MI so we won't be seeing him) ... parents are coming in town before Christmas but it is unsure where they are staying (guessing with my sis as she has extra room) ... but hoping it is here because mom gave me her Christmas dishes and the appliqued place mats I made her years ago (because she doesn't entertain any more) ... so would like to have the family here and use the dishes & placemats. ... and it means no traveling.

Christmas Eve is always at the in-laws and has been for 30+ years ...

[lovely1m]

I work a job where I don't often get holidays off, so we celebrate whenever I can. This year I will do Christmas on Christmas Eve after I get off work with my son and his father. Then Christmas with my mom and step-dad the 2 days after, then Christmas with everyone else on New Years.

[Leontine78]

We will spend Christmas Eve at my parents house. And dinner on Christmas day at my friends house. Eric is not at home on the 2nd Day (you don't have that here right?) so I am heaving pizza or something!