Well, I think you are going to have to do a little give and take. Yes, that is what your Christmas is all about, but what about your husbands?

The first year we were married, we flew to my inlaws and had Christmas just as you described yours. I personally wasn't a fan...I was used to doing Christmas the way your dh does. But I felt, we were a family now and there had to be some give and take. Think of it as a gift to him.

That being said, I think there are many creative ways you can fit both traditions in to make you And your dh feel comfortable, and that doesn't always meaning combining each and every thing. Pick what is most important to you, and ask what is most important to him and you can make it work!

__________________
There's been a grave misunderstanding

when we got married my DH and i drove to his Mother on Thanksgiving then to the airport and fly to Texas ..
on Thanksgiving and eat dinner ..

Christmas was wild we had Christmas Eve with his Mother and Christmas we flew to Daddys house we did this for 2 years then we got the boys .... John was 15 month and James was 3 days old .. 2 weeks before Thanksgiving both parent came here so did Aunt Pat and Unlce Harold . we had Thanksgiving at the house and Christmas it was a family tradition .. CHristmas is at our house Thanksgiving at our house lots easier now everyone lives with in yelling distance. my new niece is Polish she making a creamed cabbage dish for Thanksgiving .. she loves Holidays she came last December the day before Christmas she had never seen such food she sitting in the rocker Dad gave my Mom when she had me she holding her daughter born 3 days back there in the nursery

Christmas is no fun without friends or family - just go.

__________________

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Phil:4:7

I grew up getting up on Christmast morning and flying through my gifts to spend the rest of the day on the road running from place to place. I hated it. I vowed that when I had kids I wouldn't put them through all of that. Now we do Christmas Eve at my mom's and usually spend the night there. That's where Santa comes. We get up on Christmas morning, open gifts and get dressed. Then all of the family comes to my mom's. That way we don't have to go anywhere and the kids get to enjoy their toys and we still get to spend the time with our extended family.

__________________

Well I grew up with divorced parents...meaning I opened my Christmas gifts and then spent the entire Christmas (and usually the days before and after) going from house to house. And then when I got older and stopped seeing my dad's side (personal reasons) my mom started the stay at home on Christmas tradition. And I really love it. I am spending time with my family that day...just not extended family too. I'm not asking my husband to not see his family on the holidays (I would never do that)...I'm asking it just to not be on Christmas...or at least until Christmas evening. I don't think that's a terrible thing to do..since we all live pretty close to each other....and we don't have to make those crazy long drives I keep hearing about.

Perhaps inviting the parent's over to see the kid's (well the one who's old enough to) open gifts Christmas day...or having a Christmas dinner instead of brunch suggested...might work?

Oh and my husband and I have been together for 3 years...the first year we celebrated the way he wanted to, second I was on strict bedrest so I missed most of it while he went, and this year I'm hopeing we can make it our own.

__________________

Can you have one set of Grandparents over for Christmas Eve and the other set over on Christmas Day? I remember us driving all around every year too but when we all had children my parents did the driving to visit us at our homes. Does it HAVE to be at their homes? I would think they'd understand and be willing to bend a little.

__________________
* Let it not be said that no one cared, that no one objected once it's realized that our liberties and wealth are in jeopardy.

~Ron Paul

"If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy."
- James Madison

That would be great except my hubby's parents are divorced too. So there are 4 sets of families to visit (his mom's, his dad's, his step-mom's, and my mom's...and occasionally other relatives too). And they don't get along so well together. Plus they have their entire extended family over at their houses (seperately). Otherwise I would love that idea! Hopefully some day it will be possible to have a holiday at our house with everyone.

__________________

My dh's family lives out of state, about 6 hours away and everyone can't always take time off around Christmas (my family is about an hour away). So, we do Christmas with his family the weekend before Christmas. Everyone can get off Friday or at least leave a bit early and then we spend the whole weekend together. It is fun and makes Christmas with my family less stressful. When we have kids we will probably go to my moms extended family on Christmas Eve and make a trip to my dads extended family the same night and then go to 10:30 church service with them. Then on Christmas morning stay at home and go to my mom and dads (with my siblings) for the rest of the day.

We tried the Christmas Eve thing by ourselves last year and it just wasn't as much fun.

Maybe try a weekend before or the weekend after with family members. OR just chug the kids everywhere so you don't feel guilty about not going or regret not seeing everyone. Sometimes it is worth it to make the effort to pack everything up and see everyone

I know in my family if let's just say for example my brother didn't want to leave his house on Christmas Day with his kids and wife>>>WE WOULD BE DEVESTATED (we all meet at my parents for a late brunch, presents and then dinner)!!! The kids love seeing their cousins, aunts/ uncles and grandparents on Christmas!!!!!! IMO Christmas is about being around EVERYONE you love when at all possible so the movement on Christmas can't/ won't be avoided for us. We're all doing our own thing before meeting but yep we get everything in with all families, everyone is happy to be included in the day and the hectic memories are great!

__________________
Santa gets all the credit but I swipe the card...

Rosie
Single mom of 2 boys~ DS#1 (17) & DS#2 (6)
Burn the good candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion...Today IS special.

We have had to do a lot of compromising for Christmas since we got married. It is a very busy time of the year as all holidays are for us. We do spend time with the extended family and have very little time for just us at home. For now, our only tradition as a family is opening the kids PJ's on Christmas Eve and waking up and doing Santa before the day gets busy. I hate that we are so busy, but I have to respect that both our family's want to spend time with us and see the kiddos. I am very thankful to have both sets of our parents and some of our grandparents around. We are truely blessed and will continue to enjoy them as long as we can.