Tell us about your family's holiday plans this year.

[Danielle]

What will you be doing?

Do you do pretty much the same thing every year or does it change from year to year?

Do you have any hard and fast traditions that you adhere to in your family? Tell us about them.

[Amber]

What will you be doing? The boys are actually going to get gifts Xmas eve morning, and then are going with their dad to his mom's house for the day on Xmas itself.

Do you do pretty much the same thing every year or does it change from year to year? It changes--next year, their dad has them for the entirety of winter break. The following year I do. Repeat that pattern until they are 18.

This year is a deviation because we're moving out of state on the 26th. Even though I *technically* have them for Christmas, I'm being nice & letting their dad take them for the day.

Do you have any hard and fast traditions that you adhere to in your family? Tell us about them. Nope. Not a one.

[Jbird]

Christmas Eve with the in-laws. We've never done this before at night, so it'll be new and different. Then home. On Christmas morning, DH always makes biscuits & gravy & sausage, a tradition from when his mom was alive. Then we will be going to his aunt & uncle's for Christmas Dinner. We do that every year.
In the past, we've had to deal with Taryn's mom - we would either get her Christmas Eve or take her to her mom Christmas Eve. But her mom up & moved to Florida last week, without notice, so what do you know, we get her the whole time.

[Amy J]

We'll be at home all day long. We'll get up, open gifts and relax all day long.

[Brooke]

What will you be doing?
We have a ton of things we'll be doing. Each year, we have to visit 3 sides of families: my Mom's side, my Dad and Stepmom's side, and my in-laws. It's a lot, but we manage to get it done w/o being too exhausted.

We always do Christmas Eve with my Mom's side of the family. That involves the 4 of us, Mom, sister, BIL, aunt and uncle, their 3 girls (who are like sisters to me), one of them has a long-term boyfriend and one of the other ones has a son. LOL My Mom actually has 8 total brothers and sisters and I have about 25 cousins on that side, but due to most of them being white trash assholes, we don't see them ever. ;)

Christmas Breakfast (starting at a brunch time) is always with my Dad's side of the family. That's with my Dad, stepmom, 2 brothers, sister, BIL, aunt, uncle, 2 cousins, grandma and grandpa.

Then Christmas Dinner is always with my in-laws. That's with us 4, MIL and FIL, SIL, Eric's aunt and 2 cousins, uncle and sometimes his girlfriend.

It's a LOT of family to see and as much as I complain about it, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love it.

Do you do pretty much the same thing every year or does it change from year to year?
As for who we see when, yes, it's the same thing every year. But where it's at is different. For the Christmas Eve get-together, we rotate between the 4 houses (my mom, sister, aunt and me). My Mom wants it every year but we all hate going there because her condo is so small. Thus, we rotate it.

My Dad's side of the family and Christmas breakfast is usually at my Dad's house. But they are sick of hosting it. LOL So Eric and I jumped on doing it. We are hosting Christmas Eve also, but it will be nice to not have to travel anywhere until Christmas night. And our travelling will be about an 8 min drive. Usually, we have to drive at least 35 mins to Christmas Eve and then home. Turn around and drive 35 mins in the opposite direction to Christmas morning. BLeah

Anyhoo - Christmas dinner is always at my MIL's. They go all out and anxiously await the kids arriving. :D

Do you have any hard and fast traditions that you adhere to in your family? Tell us about them.
Hmm, they're not hard and fast, but they're traditions, nonetheless. This year, we are going to start a new one and read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" on Christmas Eve before the kids go to sleep. The boys get an ornament each year. And christmas breakfast is always French Toast, bacon, sausage and juices.

[Desirae]

Tomorrow night we're going to a candlelit service and will then drive around a bit to look at the "pretty lights " (as Aidan calls them). When we get home the boys will have one present to open (their new PJs) and will get ready for bed. Christmas morning we'll have Jesus' birthday party and will then eat and open presents. After that we have lots of phone calls/ video IMs to make rounds with. Most of Christmas we'll just be hanging out and enjoying the day together.

[Christi]

What will you be doing? Tomorrow afternoon, we'll be going to the house that dh's parents keep here in the county to have Christmas with them and Chris' brother, his wife, and their two children. Depending on how cranky the kids are, either we will all go or just I will go to the Christmas Eve Candlelight service at 11 pm. Christmas morning we'll be here, and go sometime that afternoon to my sisters to gather with my parents, sisters, and their families.

Do you do pretty much the same thing every year or does it change from year to year? This stuff we do every year. In some years past, we have added in a trip to Chris' Mamaw's house on Christmas afternoon, but that was held yesterday (without me and Isaac, who was home with strep throat and scarletina)

Do you have any hard and fast traditions that you adhere to in your family? Tell us about them. It has been our tradition in the past few years for the adults to trade names on both sides of the family. This year, we decided not to do so on my side, and to give each other money toward the cruise we are going on in June instead. At the last minute, we decided to do a 'Chinese Auction' with a small gift in addition. I'm sure we'll go back to the other next year though, cause we've all agreed we hate not buying for each other!

[Lori]

This is our first Christmas at home, and we really don't have much plan. We're going to church tomorrow night, and then we're probably going to watch a Christmas movie at home then go to bed. Christmas Day we're just staying home and opening presents. The day after Christmas is Sean's birthday, so we're going to Outback and maybe doing some shopping. But mainly we're just hanging around.

[Shana]

What will you be doing? I have the kids on Christmas Eve this year, and Mike on Christmas Day. Brian and I are having our Christmas with the kids tomorrow... we just finished putting out their gifts and filling their stockings :D We will have a relaxing day at home with the 3 of them, then we will go to Christmas Eve services, out to dinner at P.F. Chang's, and then take them home to their dads :sigh

Do you do pretty much the same thing every year or does it change from year to year? This is the first year that we've had a home of our own, and the first year that we've been together, that the kids will be with BOTH of us (Brian and I). I am trying to keep most of the same traditions that we have always had with the kids, and incorporate one or 2 new ones. It's not easy, with a blended family -- but I think we're doing a pretty good job.

Do you have any hard and fast traditions that you adhere to in your family? Tell us about them. We always go to Christmas Eve services, followed by dinner at P.F. Chang's. And, we have an unbreakable rule (Mike and I as parents) that the kids do not go anywhere on Christmas Day, it is a day to relax as a family :)

Note: I know that a lot of you have probably been wondering about Rachel, and I have tried umpteen times to update on her, but something has always gotten in the way. Oy!! She is doing GREAT and on meds for depression and is so much brighter, happier, and acting like my sweet girl again :) I will try try try to update more later. Thank you for the prayers and support that you have given to all of us. It means, quite literally, the world.

[wendygrace]

What will you be doing? Christmas Eve is at my parent's. My mother and little sister are out of the country so thankfully, this year we should be home way before midnight. Christmas day we stay home and do nothing but open presents and sit in our pjs all day if all goes well.

Do you do pretty much the same thing every year or does it change from year to year? Its been this way for about four years now. My mother likes to celebrate on the Eve and it makes sense for us since dh's side of the family does something about two weeks prior and good for my sister since the do Xmas day with her in-laws.

Do you have any hard and fast traditions that you adhere to in your family? Tell us about them No, not really. We're still kinda developing things. I try and get a new ornament representing the year for each kid and one "family" one each year. Each kid gets a gift from the other. I think Mick's gonna start a new tradition of making waffles for breakfast (he's getting a waffle maker for xmas this year). But nothing's set in stone or anything.

[Kristi]

What will you be doing? WE are having a nice quiet Christmas at home. The morning will be just the kids and Tim and i opening presents. We will have a big breakfast and just hang out and then our friends are coming over for dinner and presents from us around 3. Tonight we will make cookies. watch a Christmas movie, Open presents from the family that have been mailed here and the gifts from us to the kids and the read The Night Before Christmas and tuck the kids into bed.

Do you do pretty much the same thing every year or does it change from year to year?MostlyI try to do pretty much the same thing. Last yr we were in NC for Christmas and we couldn't do any of these things and we hated it. We decided from now on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be spent in our own home.

Do you have any hard and fast traditions that you adhere to in your family? Tell us about them. A few, We always make cookies and read Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve. There are a few others but for some reason they are escaping me right now. LOL

[SabrinaJL]

What will you be doing? Tonight (Christmas Eve) it's just me and Krysten. DH has duty, which means he has to stay on the ship all night. He left at 6 am this morning and won't be home until about 8 am tomorrow. Krysten and I plan to make hot chocolate and watch sappy movies all day.

Christmas Day, we're not really doing anything either. We're going to wait and have our celebration when we get home to NM. We'll probably let Krysten open up a book and a cd. Then I think her dad is going to take her to see Alien vs. Predator. I'll probably stay home and knit.

Do you do pretty much the same thing every year or does it change from year to year? It definitely changes. Hard to do the same thing every year when DH isn't always home and when he is, he may or may not be able to get leave, etc...

Do you have any hard and fast traditions that you adhere to in your family? Tell us about them. Nope.