How do you decide who to spend Christmas with? In my house it usually goes something like this.
Me: We spent Christmas with your folks last year, so I think we should visit mine this year.
Him: Ok.
It's pretty much that simple - but I've heard plenty of horror stories from friends whose family loyalties get stretched in multiple directions as they try to work out whose relatives they should spend the festive season with - whilst not upsetting anyone.
Relate counsellor Ammanda Major, writing for the Independent says:
"Deciding who to spend Christmas with is often a major source of tension in relationships, especially where families are trying to cover all bases. This is never truer than for step families or blended families where there might be competing agendas, especially where children are concerned."
She adds that trying to change the mould after years of doing the same thing every Christmas can also cause problems.
So how do you decide where to spend Christmas each year? And what are you top tips for making Christmas Day plans without upsetting one particular family member or leaving out some branch of the family?
While we're on the subject, we'd love to know what your dream Christmas Day would look like, too. I was chatting with a friend this week and we agreed that it would be brilliant fun to do Christmas Day with a big bunch of friends rather than family one year - not that we'll ever do that, because side-stepping the extended family at Christmas would just seem wrong to all of us. But if we could do it without disappointing any of the rellies, I reckon we would.
So what would you do on Christmas Day if you could truly please yourself without upsetting anyone?
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