You are so funny!  You can always come to PA and hide out with us I like spending the holidays at home too.  In fact, I have already horrified my parents by deciding to stay at my house on Christmas and not going to see all the relatives.  I plan on sleeping in, wearing sweats all day and eating random yummy crap!

Here’s to eggnog!!  *clink* :D I understand how you feel.  I too love the holidays, but sometimes they can be so stressful!!  And then there is the annual gathering of my husband’s huge extended family into his grandma’s tiny house, with everyone talking over each other, loud outbursts of laughter, and screaming at children....  *sigh* But I keep telling myself that it won’t be like this forever, and someday, I might miss this madness. 

I remember my parents dragging me around to all the grandparents’ (at that time, it included four sets of great-grandparents as well) for the holidays.  Though at the time, it was such a pain in the butt, I’m glad we did it, because those are such great memories.  And I’m sure I will begrudgingly do it with my kids, if/when we have them.  haha I’m a masochist.

Don’t forget the rum in that eggnog!
Oh man, I sound like an alcoholic, don’t I?  First I post about brining 2 bottle of wine with dinner yesterday and now I’m encouraging you to numb your stresses with rum and eggnong (but seriously, try it!  LOL).

I know what you mean about plans and expectations.  Jay and I were supposed to go back “home” to BC for Christmas for 4 days and spend the entire time running around visiting friends and family.  But flights got too expensive and we had a pre-Christmas visit last weekend, so, although I won’t get to see my family, I’m so relieved all we have to do this Christmas is drive an hour to my mom’s and relax for 4 whole days.

I totally get rubbed the wrong way when people ask when Jay and I are going to have kids.  Luckily my in-laws are super understanding and know that we’re focussing on our careers and kids.....later.  I can totally understand how you were rubbed the wrong way.  Anyways, you guys have 4 “kids” of your own right now Ones that you can keep locked up when you go out for a Friday dinner.

I just realized you linked to me in your post Anyone who clicks on that is going to see a steaming pile of boring crap post.  Haha!

Wait…

You can’t lock up your kids while you go out to dinner?

What????

Just kidding!

That’s why the State of Ohio says I’m competent, don’t you know!

I think that the holidays will ALWAYS be stressful.  There’s just no way around it...yet, it’s my fav time of year (again, for a while it was shaky) too...so there ARE good things about it too!

My advice?  Drink up!  :D

First, about the traveling to parade kids around.  I’m with you.  I won’t be doing that to this kid.  My parents have already told me in no uncertain terms they don’t expect us to tote the baby around like some kind of Christmas ornament.  That being said my Grandmother is 80 years old so at some point she will want to see her great grandchild and we’ll have to make the 4 hr trip to NY. As for my parents, I fully expect them to make the trip to see me.  They are in their 50s with little obligation to anything except their jobs and children.  Me, on the other hand-well it’s harder.

Second, I totally understand how you feel about Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I too, enjoy this time of year but it is very stressful for a lot of folks.  This is the first year in our new house and Ray and I are making Thanksgiving dinner (wow!) and although I LOVE to cook and entiertain and I am very much looking forward to it I am also nervous.  The good thing is that I will have help and I am not expected to be Martha Stewart (and I suspect neither are you).  So relax a little-the whole thing about the holidays is to enjoy being with family (is that possible??)

Don’t worry about Christmas cards this year- there will be many many years to do those in the future. I promise you, no one will miss them.

Argh.  You know what helps me?  Lists.  Lots and lots of lists.  Specifically, there’s the Christmas card list that gets refined every year (you don’t send me a card one year, you don’t get one the next).  Address a couple at a time and then mail them out in one big bunch--I like to wait til the last possible day so most of mine have come in and I am able to catch the random ones and add them to the list.  Better yet, have Will do ‘em.  Blame it on spreading the holiday joy around.  Also...if you’re too stressed about the food, do what my mom does:  just secretly buy it at the store, bring it home and put it in your own festive bowl/serving platter/what have you and TADA.  If it sucks, hey, it wasn’t you.  If they like it, accept the compliments with a smile.  It saves time as well as your sanity, leaving you to focus more on things like what a wonderful time of year Christmas is.

Wow, I’m a complete jerk, aren’t I?  Which means you should feel better now.

I’m with you. We are not dragging Maddy all over the place this year. We’ll go to my parents for Thanksgiving but everyone is invited here for Christmas. Last year was a pain taking Maddy to 3 different places. We want to be at home and do our own family traditions without rushing around to get everywhere.

Good luck!

First off, I am sure that the comment about parading around all of OK with the kids was not a comment directed at the security of the function of your ovaries.  That being said, I know that the reason that rubbed you the wrong way is because that is NOT how you were raised.  I mean I know you went to CO to see your mom’s family and to Iowa to see your dad’s but there were times I know that were spent here or where ever home was at that time.  Being a military child, Christmas and Angstgiving was celebrated where ever the US needed your dad at that time.  You were not expected to travel the world in one day, and if the chance ever arises that you do have children, I know deep down that you don’t expect your children to have to do that either. The fact that your MIL even brought it up just subliminally upset you as a way of her telling you to raise your kids the way she raised hers.  Not the way that you and Will will seem fit.

Now that I sound all clinical on you, that is just my unprofessional opinion, because as my job is all about crap, it is definitely not about giving advice, but having dealt with stuff like that before, I will gladly give you my opinion.

I definitely agree with you!  Though I love this time of year, the “feeling in the air”, its always SO stressful, too.  Booooo!  Why can’t it all just be simple and fun?