NBR: Christmas Routines

CeeCeeSugaPie · December 2013

Now that DS is getting a little older, we really don't want to run around like crazy people all day. What are your routines for Christmas morning/day? We used to go to my IL's after opening our presents and ate breakfast with them, usually still in our PJs. Last year we trekked acrosss the street to SIL's as well. We'd head back to our house and then my Mom & Stepdad would come over and we'd do presents with them. Later we would do dinner at ILs. I think the plan this year is to open presents at home, go to brunch around 9:30ish and open presents with them. Not sure about dinner yet. No idea when we will get together with my parents yet. I was just wondering what everyone else does. Beau will be 3 in January and we just don't want to rush him all around all day, but would like to let him enjoy his new gifts before heading out the door.

HeatherStar · December 2013

We celebrate with different people throughout the week. DH and I are having our Christmas this Saturday. That involves a nice dinner at home, presents, and game night. Christmas Eve, we are spending with my extended relatives. Christmas Day, DH and I exchange stockings, and we give our cats their presents that morning.

We lounge around the house, then go to his Mom's for Christmas lunch/dinner. We will celebrate with my immediate family next Saturday. That involves fondue and then some kind of game competition (one year it was Beer Pong, then Battleshots, last year it was a Texas Hold 'Em tournament), and we have a traveling Nutcracker trophy for the winner. I love all 4 of my Christmases!

SnShne322 · December 2013

This year we are going to do our house in the morning, then ILs for lunch. We usually end up at a friend's house in the evening. All our friends meet up and we exchange gifts there. As more kids start to enter the picture, I'm not sure how feasible that's going to be.

I want to start some traditions with Wes. He's a little young this year, but I don't really want to run around all day. I'm not sure how to get around it with the ILs since they are fairly traditional. Maybe we will just make sure to do an early long morning at home with a nice breakfast?

RiverPlate · December 2013

We host a big family dinner - about 20-ish people - Christmas Eve. That's when we exchange gifts with DH's cousins (only kids get gifts). Christmas morning we open stockings as soon as everyone gets up, then my in-laws come over for breakfast. After breakfast we open presents under the tree.

RevJen · December 2013

We tend to exchange one gift at midnight and then have breakfast in the morning. We'll open presents at our house and then go down to my mother's for dinner. Back home for supper.

WillyH19 · December 2013

We do Christmas Eve with my extended family (cousins, aunts and uncles). On Christmas Day, my sister and her kids do their own thing in the morning and then come over around 11. We open stockings with everyone and then do gifts. We then do dinner (lunch really) around 1 and hang out for the rest of the day. This is when we actually make it to MI. We haven't been since 2010, because we were either home in VA or with H's family in NC. And, I guess things will change again next year with our LO.

sonore32 · December 2013

At one point when I was growing up my Mom decided she also wanted us to stay at home on Christmas so she started hosting a Christmas Buffet-Type dinner for everyone and just said "Come anytime you want after 4pm" and relatives would come and go as their schedules allowed. Eventually this turned into too much of a production and we moved it to the day after Christmas. There were no grandparents in the picture though so I'm not sure how well that would have worked if there had been people that insisted on seeing us on Christmas Day.

GreenBride624 · December 2013

We had to cut back once we had kids. I refused to run around like a crazy person.

Currently - We alternate Christmas Eve & Christmas day between My parents & MH's parents.

This Year - I work half day on 12/24. We will be with my parents & sisters for the evening of 12/24. We will exchange gifts with them. We will do presents & breakfast with just the 4 of us on 12/25. We will go to MH's parents in the early afternoon and spend most of the afternoon/evening with them (exchange gifts). I may bring Lorelei back home for a nap at some point.

Last year - We did presents with MH's parents on 12/24. Did our family thing the morning of 12/25 & spent the late afternoon/evening with my parents.

Pre-kids & Leah's 1st christmas - We were pretty much running around from Mid-12/24 - late 12/25. It was nuts!

AshleyT121 · December 2013

It's different every year but it's always crazy because both my parents and MH's parents are divorced... meaning there are 4 sets of parents/grandparents to juggle.

This year MH's work schedule stinks, so just A and I will be at my FIL's for dinner on Christmas Eve with that side of the family. Christmas Day we will do presents at home just the 3 of us in the morning, then to my Mum's for brunch where my brother and his family will stop by at some point, then MIL's for dinner. On Boxing Day A and I will go to my Mum's for dinner. Also, my Dad and step-mom will arrive at some point on Boxing Day and we'll do Christmas with them somewhere in the following couple of days.

GreenBride624 · December 2013

AshleyT121 said:

It's different every year but it's always crazy because both my parents and MH's parents are divorced... meaning there are 4 sets of parents/grandparents to juggle.

This year MH's work schedule stinks, so just A and I will be at my FIL's for dinner on Christmas Eve with that side of the family. Christmas Day we will do presents at home just the 3 of us in the morning, then to my Mum's for brunch where my brother and his family will stop by at some point, then MIL's for dinner. On Boxing Day A and I will go to my Mum's for dinner. Also, my Dad and step-mom will arrive at some point on Boxing Day and we'll do Christmas with them somewhere in the following couple of days.

That must be a logistical nightmare... It's like the movie "Four Christmases"!!!

RhymeReason · December 2013

I've got things relatively easy. Christmas Eve is dinner with my parents, my sister & BIL & neice at my parents house. Since Christmas Eve is during the week (and some of us work), we're doing this on Sunday instead. This year on Christmas Eve itself, we have family up from FL so cousin's on my dad's side are having an "open house" Christmas party at night which I am looking forward to since we don't see them that often. Christmas Day, DH & I wake up fairly early (ie 8/9am) and start to make breakfast because his parents come to our house and we have our own, small little Christmas together opening presents. We usually lounge around for a couple hours before heading to my cousin's house (the ILs come with us) about a half hour away where we meet up with the rest of my mom's family for lunch. It's buffet style and we just hang out & eat and it's nice and casual.

fabk · December 2013

This is our first Christmas with Alex and living down South. We usually spend Christmas Eve/Day/Boxing Day morning with ILs mainly due to logistics and FIL's birthday being Boxing Day AND MIL insisting on it that way because of her parents.

This year we are only an hour from ILs and 2 hrs from my parents. Game plan was supposed to be Christmas Eve, early morning at home just us. Drive to ILs first thing in the morning, spend the day and come home after supper. Boxing day and 2 days after to be spent at my parents.

That got nixed because MIL refused to put up a christmas tree otherwise. So now we are going there Christmas Eve, spending the day with them and coming home after supper.

Next year is the start of our new tradition as stated earlier. That is all I want for Christmas next year.

SusieBW · December 2013

I hate all the hectic running around we do on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but I know the years of doing it are numbered now, so I deal. Once DD is a little older (in 2 years or so), we're going to start hosting Christmas day so that she can be at home all day. But for now . . .

Christmas Eve - drinks with my friends at 2:00, then back to my mom's to get T dressed for Christmas Eve (we dress up for Christmas Eve, but not Christmas day), and head out to DH's Aunts house for about 4:30 or 5. She has a big family open house, so we stay there for a couple of hours to see all the extended family that we only see on holidays and at birthday parties and all that. Then back to my mom's for her Christmas eve celebration with my extended family and a yankee swap.

Christmas Day - T opens her presents at home as soon as we get up, and then we all get dressed and pack off to my mom's for presents and breakfast with my parents and my brother and his family (who come in from out of state for the week and stay there). We usually leave there around noon to go do presents at DH's parents house, then we go with them to DH's cousin's house for Christmas dinner with DH's family and his Cousin's wife's extended family. Then finally, finally home. Usually by 6 or so. DH and I do presents from each other on Christmas night after DD goes to bed.

sneetches · December 2013

Usually we have a party for my side of the family in the weeks leading up to Christmas, but scheduling was impossible this year. We have no plans for Christmas Eve. Christmas Day I will go to church. Then we open presents and get/make calls to my family. We're going to the IL's for dinner, but they don't make plans in advance, so I have no idea when. Last year we picked up DH's grandma and brought her with us. I'm not sure if that is happening this year.

sweetrhythms · December 2013

Christmas Eve- we go to my aunt's house for dinner and exchange presents. I'm not sure how this is going to go with a baby since it can run kind of late...we shall see.

Christmas Day- morning we're at our house to open stockings. This year we're also hosting, so my parents and ILs and SIL's family will come over in the early afternoon. Last year my SIL hosted and we saw my parents only on Christmas Eve. Not sure what will happen with my parents next year if my SIL wants to host but I refuse to do a ton of running around and I want to be at my own house on Christmas morning no matter what.

mrsvedo · December 2013

No kids yet so we do the crazy person shuffle and end up with 5 celebrations in 24 hours.

Christmas Eve evening we go to DH's grandma's and open gifts with his extended family.

Christmas Eve night we drive an hour and a half to my parents' house and spend the night there. Open gifts in the morning.

Christmas afternoon we drive back into our town and go to his aunt's house for brunch with his extended family.

Christmas evening we go to our house and have our own celebration and exchange the gifts and stockings we got for each other.

Christmas night we go to DH's parents' house and open gifts with his immediate family.

Adjudi-Kate · December 2013

We'll have Christmas with my husband's side of the family this weekend. (We alternate which years we are with them on Christmas Day or with my folks.)

I have to work Christmas Eve until 2:00.

We will be traveling 3 hours to my mom and dad's house on Christmas Eve. My Dad's side of the family always hosts a party on Christmas Eve. There is a $20 gift exchange, like a white elephant but with good gifts. Then we will go to midnight mass following the party.

We'll wake up at my parent's house on Christmas and once everyone gets a cup of coffee, we all open presents one at a time while still wearing our jammies. My five year old will get a zillion presents from her grandparents! Then we meander towards the stockings while people start eating breakfast.

My mom will host a late lunch/Christmas feast with my grandmas and uncle in attendance.

On the day after Christmas, my plan is to see a matinee of Frozen with my kiddo. That evening, all my girlfriends (most of whom still live in my hometown) and their spouses will have Mexican Fiesta Night Ole! which entails going to a mexican restaurant and getting drunk. (But not as drunk as we got when we started this tradition 10 years ago.)

jackiback · December 2013

For the first year, we are ending the shuffle. We live 4 hours from our parents (they live in the same town) so we've always just went down there for the holidays. I was fine with this when the boys were babies- they have no idea what's going on anyway

- but have always said that when the boys were old enough to want to play with their toys and relax instead of running around like insane people, we were done.

And that is this year

We are going to wake up on Christmas at our house, open presents, spend the day together playing and packing.

Then we're leaving on the 26th, celebrating with my family on the 28th and his family on the 29th (we think). His mom is being insane and stubborn about it, but we are just like "um, this is what we're doing. If you want to celebrate without us fine." Bleh. They'll get used to it as time goes on.

GreenBride624 · December 2013

jackiback said:

For the first year, we are ending the shuffle. We live 4 hours from our parents (they live in the same town) so we've always just went down there for the holidays. I was fine with this when the boys were babies- they have no idea what's going on anyway - but have always said that when the boys were old enough to want to play with their toys and relax instead of running around like insane people, we were done.

And that is this year

We are going to wake up on Christmas at our house, open presents, spend the day together playing and packing.

Then we're leaving on the 26th, celebrating with my family on the 28th and his family on the 29th (we think). His mom is being insane and stubborn about it, but we are just like "um, this is what we're doing. If you want to celebrate without us fine." Bleh. They'll get used to it as time goes on.

I love everything about this!!!

ENJOY!!!!!!

packfan20 · December 2013

Every year changes a bit because of DH's work schedule. This year the plan is:

Christmas with my dad's side of the family - this Saturday (it's always the weekend before)
Christmas Eve at my parents.
Christmas morning just the three of us at our house. Then we will stop by my parents for brunch and then I THINK we are going to the in-laws for dinner but since SIL and I had a fight about it last month and MIL and FIL are in Cancun until the 23rd, I really have no idea what the plan is (nor do I really care).

Menrandes · December 2013

I don't really mind all the hustle and bustle. I kind of like it. I think because some of it has been done every year that I can remember, and I know those days are numbered.

On Christmas Eve we go to my step grandparent's house and do dinner there. Just hanging out basically. No present exchanges or anything. On the way back home my husband and I listen to Transiberian Orchestra and look at Christmas lights. This year, though, he has to work so I will be going by myself and we'll drive around town once we are both home that evening.

Christmas morning he and I always do cinnamon rolls (I've been experimenting all year for the quest to find the perfect gluten free cinnamon roll) and open presents from each other and stockings.

We relax a bit, shower and stuff. Then we head over to my Grandfather's house where we have a deli tray spread and veggie platters for lunch, along with a lot of cookies! We open presents and just enjoy everyone's company for a while before my husband and I head off to our next stop of his mom's house. Though this year when we head out, we are going home to make Christmas dinner and she will be coming over to us. I'm excited about this change!

Then sometime during Christmas week we host a post or pre Christmas party, depending on where in the week Christmas falls. This year it's the day after Christmas. We play board games and exchange silly gifts with friends.

booknerd226 · December 2013

DH and I are impatient and easily excited and already gave each other our presents. Like within hours of buying them. Seriously there is not self-control in this house lol.

Christmas Eve dinner with DH's extended family and Secret Santa presents are exchanged.

Christmas morning breakfast and presents at MIL's house.

Christmas lunch and presents with my family at my grandmother's house.

Christmas late dinner and cocktails with DH's dad and stepmother.

And then finally home to exchange stockings and watch a late movie lol.

cnthrdlywt2bwZ · December 2013

I am so jealous of Jacki. I would love to be at home with the girls.

We drive four hours south (WITH a dog too) and stay for several days before with my in-laws. We hang out and eat and sleep, watch football & the college basketball rivalry game. i get to read. This year we're taking our oldest to see Frozen with her aunts.

DH's extended family does a big Christmas Eve thing. It can get a little redneck but they've lost a few family members and until they lose a few more they'll keep doing it. :-/ I miss Christmas Eve with my family.

We open gifts Christmas morning, eat breakfast & then come home. We drop our bags & the dog and go to my parents' house about 15 minutes away for Christmas afternoon/evening.

Until my FIL retires from his winter on-call job, we barely have a prayer that we'll be at our house. We barely even decorate because the kids are still little and I feel like there's no point- we're not home to enjoy it or open presents by a tree. I'll just hope for a blizzard next year I guess.

muzikgrrl · December 2013

Our routines is super simple because we don't have any kids and my in laws are always out of town during the holidays. They usually head south but this year my SIL is expecting so they will be flying out west to her place on Christmas Eve, lucky me I get to drive them to the airport. Christmas Day my husband and I get up and open our presents. We usually go see a movie in the afternoon and then head to my moms for Christmas dinner and gift exchange with my siblings, uncle, stepfather, him mother, son, wife their two kids.

krispy83 · December 2013

DH's family lives 2500 miles away, so we never see them at Christmas. In previous years, we've always gone to my parents' house first thing on Christmas morning for breakfast, gifts, etc. and spent the entire day there. My brothers and their SOs come as well. We do gifts in the morning, then just kinda chill through the afternoon, then dinner with the grandparents and any other relatives who are around and want to come.

This year, because DS is old enough to actually sorta get what is going on, things are changing. There's been lots of drama about it, but whatevs. Anyway, we're going to stay home on Christmas morning and do gifts here with DS. My brother and SIL are going to come over as well. Then, around noon we'll go to my parents' house. We'll exchange gifts with my parents and brothers and their SOs and then the afternoon and evening will proceed as in previous years.

There was also some drama surrounding Christmas Eve, so we're spending it with one of my friends and her family, which will be a lot of fun. I've been very lucky in my life that most of my holidays have not been drama-filled.. until this year. Suddenly, I get why so many people hate the holidays!

Nova726 · December 2013

Christmas Eve we go to my mom's house and it's usually all siblings and one of my aunts and we exchange gifts and eat. Christmas Day we stop by my ILs to drop off the dog, then go back after church to eat and exchange gifts over there, later my ILs and my folks come over to our house for dinner.

myJunegirls · December 2013

What is funny- we say this every year. We want the girls to be home, to not run around like crazy, so they can enjoy their gifts. And every year we bring it up to them- and they school mom & dad- and say "but, it is more important to us to see our family than play with our toys"

See what I know. They are both incredible kids.

So given that. We do my IL's on Christmas Eve and then head to MA to see my Family Christmas day. Mixed into the two weeks around the holiday we schedule 3-4 "get-togethers" with some friends to celebrate.

NBR: Christmas Routines

Re: NBR: Christmas Routines

Choose Another Board

Search Boards