What do you do for Christmas?

[DianaB]

I'm trying to figure out what to do for our family for Christmas this year and I would love some ideas especially from those who have grown and married children (we also have some grandchildren).

Last year we played the Santa game (where you draw a number then you can open a gift or steal a gift--a lot of fun in a big group, but we didn't have enough people). The year before we paid a guy to come down with an airplane and had him give everyone a ride. We've also rented motel rooms and gone to Wichita to the Exploration Place (a children's museum) and out to eat.

A gift exchange doesn't work to well because there aren't enough of us. Do you know of any games or have any ideas to make it fun. We bought everyone a can of silly string one year and had a silly string fight in the basement (it was a blast!!!)

So what do you do for Christmas or do you have any ideas for me??

[Janet]

Sounds like your Christmas is more of a party than ours is. We just gather together, eat and open presents, nothing really exciting. On both sides of the family when the last few kids were little, we all decided not to buy for adults, just got too expensive and just buy for the kids. Well the kids are all older now too so all we buy for is our parents. We only have my mom and his step-mom.

We get together with my two brothers and thier families at my mom's on the 23rd to celebrate. There is always nit picking going on and people acting like brats so we go late and leave early. Basically we are there long enough to eat a snack or two, let mom open her presents and then leave.

On hubby's side, his step-mom is in a nursing home so we celebrated there with her on Christmas eve. My mom then comes out when we get home and spends the night and then the four of us open our gifts Christmas morning. She then leaves to eat dinner at my brothers house.

Pretty non-eventful, but no one is willing to change anything except my husband and I.

[DianaB]

This is just Christmas with our own family. We also have Christmas eve with my husband's aunts, uncles, and cousins. It's not something that I look forward to. They're not a real accepting family especially if you're "married" in and they're very opinionated. I have to be real careful about what I say and what I do. They only get together for a meal and visiting, no gifts. I'm always glad when it's over.

We've talked about cutting back and buying gifts just for the kids, but I have a college student and a high school student that I still get gifts for. To buy gifts for the grandchildren and my two daughters at home means that the only people that I'm leaving out are my married children and their spouses. That doesn't seem fair so I try to think of a family gift or something that we can do together. It really cuts down on my stress level when I don't have to buy individual gifts. That's why I'm looking for ideas!!

Janet---Maybe you should get some silly string!!!!!

[Janet]

Originally Posted by DianaB

This is just Christmas with our own family. We also have Christmas eve with my husband's aunts, uncles, and cousins. It's not something that I look forward to. They're not a real accepting family especially if you're "married" in and they're very opinionated. I have to be real careful about what I say and what I do. They only get together for a meal and visiting, no gifts. I'm always glad when it's over.

We've talked about cutting back and buying gifts just for the kids, but I have a college student and a high school student that I still get gifts for. To buy gifts for the grandchildren and my two daughters at home means that the only people that I'm leaving out are my married children and their spouses. That doesn't seem fair so I try to think of a family gift or something that we can do together. It really cuts down on my stress level when I don't have to buy individual gifts. That's why I'm looking for ideas!!

Janet---Maybe you should get some silly string!!!!!

I just may have to get some.....and spray it down my one sister-in-laws throat. I know that doesn't sound nice, but I don't like her and she says awful things to my Mom. This year she just better not, because I decided I don't care if it ruins the holiday, I will put her in her place!!

[DianaB]

Maybe you can just make her your target!!! Just kidding!

It spoils things when you feel like you're on edge waiting for someone to say or do something. Whenever I'm really worried about being around someone I usually pray for the situation whenever it comes to my mind and I'll ask my family to be praying over it too. It always seems like things go alot smoother if I do that.

[RLC12345678]

Well my hubby's parents live about 1.5 hours away from us and my grandparents and parents live about 3 hours away from us. For Christmas Eve we always go to my hubby's parents' house and have all the traditional Christmas Eve festivities. We open presents, go to Church, have dinner, etc. Then on Christmas Day we wake up and drive to my grandparents' house and have lunch there with my parents and sisters and the rest of my side of the family. Then we go to my parents house and have dinner and spend a night or two then come back home.