Where are you spending Christmas this year?

We don't really have any traditions.

This year my OH is working Christmas Day and Boxing Day for the first time ? and my parents are going out for dinner with their friends as it would have been our xmas with my inlaws this yearn so now I'll be spending the day with my brother, his partner and my 2 scrumptious little nephews. Then Boxing Day with my parents and bro's family. We're having Christmas Eve with the inlaws.

It's gonna suck not seeing hubby much over Christmas. He'll be leaving for work at 7am and won't be home til 8:30pm.

It will be our first Christmas in our new house so we want to spend it at home. We invited my parents over but they're having my Gran and Great Gran at theirs so instead they're coming over Christmas eve and i'll do a party food / buffet type thing. We might pop in and see them at some point on Christmas day.

The original plan for Christmas day was we'd go see oh's mum and brothers in the morning then go home and cook dinner for the two of us but oh has now asked if they want to come to ours and his mum has said yes but this will involve her going to the docs to get medication for anxiety because she can't leave the house. I doubt she will come to be honest but we have to plan (and buy extra food!) for them to be there.

Oh is working 12 hour shifts everyday of Christmas and New year accept for Christmas eve and Christmas day so we don't have much time to fit everything in.

We're at my parents this year.

I can't actually believe it but we've managed to agree - easily - on what we're doing this year! No arguments, nothing. It's like we've finally learnt to compromise!

Going to Devon on 23rd, home on the 27th which I feel is a very good compromise, as I get to spend all 3 Christmas days with the family, and H only has to spend 3 days with the family ?

We'll then be having a second Christmas on the 28th with H's family.

We have an Italian feast on Xmas Eve. About 10 courses of amazing food! Best part of Christmas for me.

We have Christmas eve off so H2B and I will probably go out somewhere for lunch, watch a film in the afternoon, then go to Midnight Communion at Manchester Cathedral. Christmas morning we'll be at our own flat, then to my parents for lunch with my bro, SIL and niece. I may have to work boxing day so if I do we'll come back home in the evening, if not we'll stay over that night and come back on boxing day. That's about it though - back to work as usual on the 29th.

Just me and H at home. He doesn't really have any family, and my family don't want to know! We invited my parents over for dinner but they said no as they don't like the rats. So just us, the rats, and some dinner!

My tradition is having a bowl of pick & mix, we always did when I was growing up but we were never allowed to eat them! So now I have a big bowl that I can scoff the lot if I want to.

We are at the MIL's Christmas eve, my sister's with all my family on Christmas Day and boxing day will be at my FIL's.

Thankfully they all live within about half hour of us.

I admit I get a bit annoyed with it all (although I LOVE Christmas) it's just so much tooing and froing.

Our tradition is to have smoked salmon sandwiches for breakfast on Christmas Day.

This Christmas will be the first without my beautiful Nana. Gramps has decided that he wants nothing more to do with 'Nan's family', despite the fact that they were married for 28years and he's the only Gramps I ever had, so he's buggering off to Reading to see 'his Sue'. Perfect little Sue who none of us can match up to.

Anyway, enough of the moaning. MF and I are going to Mum's. Will probably do presents to each other at home, then head to Mum's and watch the babies open theirs. Followed by Kir Royals and lots of booze and yummy food.

My mum and brother are coming to my house. I can't get much time off over Christmas only 2 days in a row maximum so it makes more sense, l wouldn't have enough time to go to Manchester (where family are from) or Ireland (where Mr Erin's parents live). I am looking forward to doing Christmas our way rather than following other people's way as you're at their house e.g. I am having Yorkshire puddings on Christmas Day and pigs in blankets (the outlaws don't do pigs in blankets?!).

Traditions l follow are curry on Boxing Day and Buck's Fizz on Christmas morning. It's all about the food for me! Mr Kevin will probably to church Christmas Day morning

We're seeing everyone at the wedding, so will do Christmas at home, just the two of us. But because of the wedding we'll probably have beef rather than turkey for dinner, as it's easier (normally I'd do turkey and all the trimmings).

I'm actually clamping down on a lot of traditions this year -OH normally goes to Gloucester cathedral on Boxing Day for carols, but as I've caved and agreed to do New Year at his parents' (I *really* wanted a year off this year) I'm going to try and keep him at home on the 26th.

Yet to really establish Christmas traditions of our own, other than an argument about when to open presents, but I'm working on it.

Our first year as a married couple will be spent in a holiday inn express this year! Haha. We're going up to my grandparents this year along with mum and dad and my brother, but we don't all fit in the house. Christmas day will be at my auntie and uncle's house, it will also be my granddad's 85th birthday. Mum's tradition is to have lasagne on Christmas eve, but we won't be there for that. We'll be working Christmas eve (they usually let us out around lunch time) then travelling to my grandparents. Staying up there until the morning of the 27th, then back home for a short time, as early on the 29th we'll be heading back out, as I'm a bridesmaid on the 30th! Busy one this year.

Oh! And we had a fairly new (a few years) tradition that my best mate came to my parents on boxing day (she's like family) we'd all walk up to the pub, have a drink or 2 usually with family friends that live down the road, and then we'd go back for a buffet. Yum! Only time mum ever makes coronation chicken. Going to miss that this year! We're actually having fake Christmas on sunday to make up for not being there this year.

We'll be spending Christmas Day with my parents and family this year. Boxing Day will be with H's dad and his two sons, hopefully! We always open presents in the morning at home with the kids and a box of chocolate biscuits, then follow it up with croissants and pain au chocolat for breakfast before we get dressed and travel to mum and dad. While we journey, we listen to Christmas music, wear our Christmas hats and sing at the top of our voices!!

We go to my parents house.

My Aunt and her fella will be there too.

Christmas eve, H and I open our gifts from each other, as we like Christmas morning to be about the kids. Christmas morning, we watch the kids open their mountain of presents, and we head to my Mums at around 10/11.

The kids get a second mountain of presents. The adults then swap presents, whilst the kids play with theirs. I then help my Mum with dinner, and my H buggers off to the pub, with my Aunt.

We spend the day there, eating, drinking, and playing family games. We usually have a darts match if the kids are too engrossed in their toys. We head home about 9, and veg infront of the TV drinking Prosecco, and scoffing cheese and biscuits.

Boxing day, I take the kids back round my parents, and H goes to pick his 2 kids up. Another round of presents with them, and more stuffing our faces.

We have nothing to do with H's family, so have no drama about who we go to see.

We're spending Christmas Day at home just the two of us - we tend to alternate between that and staying with my parents over Christmas. Normal traditions include watching Love Actually on Christmas Eve, but we're planning to invite some friends round for drinks and party food, so we might have to watch it a day early.

Christmas Day will be presents then a focus on food and drink. We always spend Boxing Day with H2B's family, which is his dad+missus, brother A+fiancee, brother B+wife, either at FFIL's house or at a pub. On the 27th we're driving up to Manchester to stay with my parents for a few days, see my grandparents while we're there, eat loads more fab food (my dad is an amazing cook) and go to see the Little Shop of Horrors at the Royal Exchange, before driving back home to Gloucester on 30th. No plans yet for NYE. I'm really looking forward to it all ?

In-laws this year for us. We've been to my parents for at least the last 2 if not 3 years, so it's their turn, plus H's Granny died this year so it's his Grandpa's first Christmas on his own and we want to keep him company!

They don't really go in for Christmas in a huge way - they'll have a tree and Christmas dinner, but only a few presents and no Christmas TV or anything (they have no TV at all!) I'll probably take H's Grandpa to church as he enjoys it and none of the rest of them go. I expect there'll be a lot of wine and board games, though I have to work on Boxing day so won't be drinking much on Christmas day so we can drive home in the evening!

We're going to my parents for a couple of days before Christmas itself, so I will at least see them. Then after a run of nightshifts, off to Derbyshire with some old uni friends for New Year.

I find Christmas a bit rough - being so far away from Family and friends who are continuing with old traditions without me..... and H hates Christmas so kind of grudgingly goes through the motions to please me (no presents tho.)

We are slowly building some of our own traditions which is nice, and it helps to keep busy.

I'll probably go carolling with some friends from the Drama Club on Christmas eve, then we'll volunteer at the Community Open Door Christmas Dinner - H does the dishes and I lead the kids carol singing (reckon I get the best out of that bargain).

Hoping for a BBQ on the beach for Boxing Day....

We don't know where we'll be this year - h2b's sister will be with us (she lives in Finland) from 17th - 2nd Jan. She'll be at his parents in yorkshire the week of Xmas, but they care for his 99 year old granddad so aren't sure if they can cope with us there too (refused my offer to cook the meal if we do go!) So we're waiting for their decision. if we go up, we'll go on Xmas eve and stay til the 27th, at which point we've arranged to go up to Newcastle to see h2b's childhood friends, we've booked an air bnb apt from 27th-30th with best man and his wife, who live in israel. then it'll be back to manchester, altho we've been invited to Bristol for NYE, but thats a lot of travelling, Manchester - Hull- Newcastle - Manchester - Bristol and back to Manchester in one week!!

If his parents won't have us we'll stay here, go to Manchester Cathedral midnight mass on christmas eve (so ID, we may see you there!) and go to the neighbours flat Xmas day. we did this last year and i ended up having a drunken sleep between courses h2bs parents are lovely but don't drink, so it can be a long few days there!

Our traditions are out the window this year for me, as I am working Christmas Day and Boxing Day! Normally though, we have all the family round for breakfast on Christmas Day and we have ham, egg and fresh cooked bread. Christmas lunch is in the afternoon and usually there's a lot of people for that and then we have a party for everyone on Boxing Day. H's family live a long way from us, so we won't be seeing them this year, but last year we went up to them for New Year which was awesome. H seems to enjoy the chaos that is our house over Christmas!

x

We always host both families. It works well as nobody else wants to cook, I enjoy the cooking, and I love not having to leave the house all day! Will be extra special this year as it is our first since moving out of the flat and in to the house, and we are having a real tree!!! ?

Milton Keynes! Ho ho ho!

We have upset family members - MIL has accused us of treating her like a second class citizen by not being with her Chrissy day. I haven't spent Christmas with my dad for years, he moved in to a new house this year, my brother is coming over from Ireland, this will be my grandma's first christmas as a widow and hopefully next year Babs will be incoming so it won't be as easy to travel away for christmas.

But no, really, we chose to go to my Dad for Christmas because MIL doesn't matter to us.

All christmas traditions are out of the window this year as OH has suggested we go away. We're hoping to go to Malta for at least two weeks so will be there for xmas and new year. It's a good time for OH to take time off as he's a builder so doesn't usually work much if at all during that period.

I do normally do Christmas in a big way. Two trees, loads of other lights and decorations, endless guests, gourmet breakfast on xmas morning for anyone who wants to join us. We both have large families and social circles so are usually booked up for most of the holiday period. I will miss it all this year but really looking forward to our holiday.

One of my colleagues has brought some mince pies in today and hallelujah, I can eat them! They're what we like to call 'accidentally vegan'. So I've just had one for breakfast. It was most enjoyable.

I used to go away every Xmas when I was single as I'm not an Xmas person but last few years with OH means we have the kids at some point on Xmas day. Normal tradition is for kids for half the day, my family when we don't have the kids and OH's family when we have them. Then we have my sister over on boxing day and we go walking and then I cook.

This year is all up in the air due to the wedding and also there has been upset in the family as my Uncle has decided for the first time in 20 years not to go over to my parents house on Xmas day (families eh!!) so my parents are now going down to my sisters in Bath for Xmas day. I don't get to see my family at all over Xmas . So OH and I are having Xmas lunch at a local restaurant as I realised that due to being on our minimoon just before and all the stuff to do for the wedding that we won't have time to get any food in for Xmas day itself. So its just us two for Xmas morning, yummy lunch and then his family Xmas day night and then back down south boxing day.

But I am mainly looking forward to FOOOOOOOOD!! And drink. Feel like I've been really conscious of food/drink for the last six months as 'the dress' is a bit tight. So I can relax through Xmas. )

OH & I will be going over to my Mum & Dad's in the morning, I've always spent Christmas with them
(bar 1 year when I spent Christmas with my biological dad ... that was a nightmare)
My sister, her husband & my niece will meet us at my folk's house and then its presents time!

Traditions include Mum fighting to get the turkey in the oven, Dad trying to chop veg, my uncle & I making fruit salad and my sister dancing like a loon to Christmas songs =D

Then we always take the dogs for a long walk after dinner and then all pile into the living room to watch Christmas films, till 1 person falls asleep and gets chocolates thrown at them hehe

Boxing Day will be spent with OH's mum, step-dad and step-brothers

x

OH and I had a discussion last night about our Malta plans and I with my sensible head on suggested we should stay at home and get some jobs done and use the money to pay bills etc. A friend has just emailed from Malta to tell me it's 22 degrees there today. Sensible head now removed and I want to go to Malta.

Ali I remember your promblems last year! glad its gone smoother this year!

Well it is E's first birthday on the 23rd (I have no idea where this year has gone!) so we are having a tea party at home then Christmas Eve we are going to my mum's. Christmas day morning we are going to my brothers so it will be me, H and E, my mum, my brother, his wife and two teeneagers! Then Boxing day morning, we all go back to my mums (luckily just 40 mins away) as she is having a big boxing day party with family friends and my other brother and his family will join us.

then on the 27 we are driving to Dorset for a 40th birthday party and the 28th back home for another 1st birthday party!

then I will sit on the sofa eating mince pies until news years!

This isn't E's first Christmas but as she was 2 days old last year, it will be a bit more exciting with her and hopefully we'll make new traditions!

We are giving stocking a break this year! one tradtition my family has it so have pork pie with breakfast xmas day morning!

and actually my mums boxing day party is restarting an old tradition. her and my dad always used to host an open house on boxing day and she hasn't done it in about 10 years. She has recently moved close to some family friends who always used to come (and even drove from Germany one Christmas day night to get there!!!) so they will be there boxing day with all my family! I cant wait!!!

A lot of travelling, but we missed out a bit last year so im really looking forward to all the festivities!! :-)

I assume that OH and I will be at our respective parents' houses on Christmas Day, then on Boxing Day we'll both go to my parents'. His family don't really do gifts (with 9 of them it would get a bit expensive and they didn't have much money growing up), so we'll save our presents and open them on Boxing Day. My Xmas tradition is to go out with my best mate on Xmas Eve, just the two of us, but as she's away a lot this month I don't know if that will be happening. In which case, I have the choice between spending it with OH and his friends or going to my parents' or out for drinks with my sister.

Since being with hubs we have just stayed in London together just the two of us.

I work Christmas eve because we usually get sent home early anyway so I never see the point in using up a days annual leave. When I get home I usually spend the rest of the day baking festive goodies. Similar to Flora's H Christmas eve is a bigger deal back home for him than Christmas day so we usually drink while watching TV and exchange gifts at midnight as a compromise to his tradition and mine and then sit up drinking champagne and cocktails until the early hours.

Christmas day is usually spent hungover eating a steady supply of junk while watching tv.