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Holiday Conflict Advice?

So fighting about who's family to visit over christmas is a common topic, and I was just wanting someone to weigh in on my situation. 

My boyfriend and I have been together for four years, and are waiting until after we graduate college and get good jobs before we take the next step.

My entire family and both his parents live in the same town, so it seemed only natural that we stay there for christmas. It would be easy and simple to split up the time between our families, have time to ourselves, see friends since we are all away at college, etc. 

My boyfriends father travels to Colorado every Christmas, this is a 18-24 hour drive in winter conditions. My boyfriend is really close to his dad and naturally wants to spend the holiday with him. So the last several Christmas's we spend christmas at home, and leave a couple days after to spend New Years with his Colorado family,and we usually celebrate second christmas. This year my boyfriend is really adamant about spending the entire christmas break in Colorado. While I love his family in Colorado and always enjoy my time there, and am happy to spend New Years there, but I don't understand why we need to spend the entire christmas season there. 

In my opinion we both get more of what we want when we stay in town, his immediate family is there and my family is there. I think that spending time with our immediate family is more important that spending time with extended family over the holiday. I like to think that if the tables were turned I would also understand this point of view. In addition, since we are away at college these holidays are the only time we get to be home. 

Am I being selfish here? What do you suggest? What has worked for you with these sticky situations?




Re: Holiday Conflict Advice?

  • Well this isn't extended family.  This is his immediate family too.  

    Hmmm this is a tough one though as I can see where you both are coming from.  I suppose what I would do is I would rotate and every third year you spend Christmas with his dad in CO.  Then come back to your hometown for New Years.  This way two out of the three years you get to see your family and his mom in your hometown, but every third year he gets to see his dad.  



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    I think spending ONE Christmas out of four w/ his dad isn't asking too much on your boyfriends part.  I can't fault him for that.

    However, the ENTIRE break w/ NO time in your hometown? I think your boyfriend is being unfair on that note. If he wants to flip flop - Christmas w/his dad then NY at home, that's fair.

    I'll say this too, though - YOU don't have to go for the entire time if you dont' want.  Let him go and spend the entire break.  Maybe spend Christmas w/ your family then go to his dads.  Or vice versa.

    But realize that if you're in this for the long haul, you've got to figure out a system that works for both of you.  Again, on Christmas out of four w/ his dad isn't unfair. 

  • Honestly, get this settled NOW.  Because once you have kids, it gets even more complicated.  Will your BF want to spend the entire holiday with his dad's family every year, thus leaving the other families out of seeing the babies at the holidays?

    And what happens if you get jobs across the country?  Are you always going to want to go to CO or even Home State every year?  Because once you are out of school, you are NOT going to get a whole week's worth of vacation to be used JUST for the Christmas Holidays.  

    At best you are going to have 2 weeks to split over the entire year.  

    Honestly, I would alternate between the families and add in your own home.  
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  • I second letting your boyfriend go to Colorado for the whole break and you just spending part or none of it there. It sounds like you'd rather just stay in your hometown. There's nothing wrong with spending the holidays away from your SO. My boyfriend and I live in the Northwest and all his family lives here. Mine live in Arizona. For the past several years I've gone to AZ by myself for Christmas as BF has had to work or it's just too complicated trying to make everyone happy (his parents are divorced). We've celebrated at our home either before I've gone or when I return. I spend Thanksgiving with his family which is a good compromise.

    It also sounds like your SO's dad doesn't live in Colorado- he just goes there for the holidays. Perhaps some years you guys could celebrate Christmas before he leaves or spend Thanksgiving with him exclusively and Christmas in your home town or vice versa?
  • Why don't you spend the Christmas holiday with your boyfriend in Colorado and then spend the New Years part of the holiday in your home town celebrating a second Christmas?  It may not be ideal but you need to give and take, and in this instance its your time to give a little. 
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