skipping xmas

[wdwmom0f3]

Now that our children are older we are seriously considering going somewhere for Christmas this next year. I really want to go to Disney but my husband wants to go to the beach. The beach, really? It will be freezing. Anyway, I know several people who travel like that over the holidays and I think it looks like a lot of fun.

 

[believe]

We 'skipped' it for 2 years. We were home this year, but did set 'guidelines' to ensure we stayed away from the drama. My girls love going away and if you ask them what they would rather do, it is take a trip...doesn't matter that we take 'mini' trips 9 months out of the year.

We will be skipping next Christmas since my daughter will be turning 16, her bday is the day after. She will get to pick a location for a bday trip and that is where we will be

 

[goofyintoronto]

Its interesting reading all of the responses. As for myself, I'd love to take my son somewhere for xmas and just skip out on all the family drama. But its a bit tricky, because i'd have to coordinate with his dad. His dad gets him xmas eve, i get him xmas day. I guess it could work if i leave on xmas morning thou? hmmm. something to think about.

Are you serious! I took my family two weeks ago and I still have not heard the end of from my MIL. I am betting she saved up all the greif she had for the entire year and could not torture me because we were relaxing at the AKL pool on Christmas.

LOL! Oh dear. Poor you! But I bet the trip was worth it thou right?

 

[goofyintoronto]

That's what I was thinking.
Love that movie.
Hilarious take on a middle aged couple and how they might handle any big event.

Christms with the Cranks, much??



FREE FROSTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL! I loooove that movie! Thats exactly what I was thinking about when I posted this thread.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Its interesting reading all of the responses. As for myself, I'd love to take my son somewhere for xmas and just skip out on all the family drama. But its a bit tricky, because i'd have to coordinate with his dad. His dad gets him xmas eve, i get him xmas day. I guess it could work if i leave on xmas morning thou? hmmm. something to think about.


LOL! Oh dear. Poor you! But I bet the trip was worth it thou right?

Flying on Christmas day can be a good way to get an airfare deal

 

[goofyintoronto]

Flying on Christmas day can be a good way to get an airfare deal

Really? Good to know! I've never flown in December before, esp not around the xmas holidays. I should start planning now!

 

[FINFAN]

We wet to WDW once over Christmas, just us...not meeting family, adding in seeing family etc. We had an amazing time, and in hindsight realized it was one of our best, if not THE best Christmas holidays to date. We have done a variety, travel to family, local family, host family, go to family you would really rather not go to, stay at home ourselves (once) on actual Christmas Day and not have anyone over or go anywhere ...and we also had Christmas 3 years ago when my Dad passed away right at dusk. Personally? With all due respect to the reason of the Holiday, I almost resent that a "specific" calendar day has all that pressure on it. I mean, celebrate with those you love, or love to be with any days of the year. We have been blasted by my in-laws in the past that we ruined Christmas because we couldn't go...ok. so you only care if we are there for the Norman Rockwell photo on a specific date of the year?Importanc of seeing other family doesn't rate as high? With so much activity/commitments at Christmas, the actual quality of getting together can me muddled. I wish every year to be able to go away...partly because that is when DH can take 10 consecutive days off...but mostly becasue I feel my holiday spirit gets lost in the hubbub of it all. I ahve to say, even with the insane holiday crowds Christmas week at WDW, it was wonderful to enjoy the festive atmosphere while not tired from being the one who decorated it, not dreading the depressing days of undecorating, having the ability to do what we wanted on our terms, that time with my kids is forever etched in my heart. These days when we are all wired to be "on" all the time...getting away at an even more hectic time can be the best gift/celebration ever.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Really? Good to know! I've never flown in December before, esp not around the xmas holidays. I should start planning now!

I do recommend asking your son how he feels about going on vacation for Christmas. Not that kids should have final say--but you may want to know how he feels about it. Sometimes kids really love the traditions of where they go and what they do for the holidays--and sometimes what we perceive as a very stressful situation, they perceive as a whole lot of fun.

 

[pooksma]

My DH and I were just discussing this the other day. We always have family drama (on both sides). The best Christmas I've had lately was 2 yrs ago when we went on a cruise. We flew out Christmas Day!The peace and quiet was fantastic!

I think he's leaning toward a trip next Christmas since this one was extra nuts.

 

[MamaLema]

We wanted to skip Christmas this year...I started looking at airfares to fly somewhere warm. We are a family of 6 and the cost was for everywhere we were interested in going

We don't need to avoid family drama, we just want to be somewhere dancing on the beach on Christmas day instead of being snowed in here in Canada

 

[ilovemk76]

We love the whole Christmas season. We have traveled for Thanksgiving a number of times. It is a minor family gathering around or us. Christmas is not and we love all that we do for the holidays. In the far future, when those we celebrate with are no longer with us the. We might consider traveling over Christmas. We would still do all the decorating

 

[SideshowBob]

Great question.

While growing up and over history we never did take trip over the holidays and remember being surprised that it was the peak demand week of the entire year here at Disney ... so a heck of a lot of other people sure do travel!

 

[hucifer]

Hubby and I are considering taking a Christmas cruise this year to avoid drama. If we do, it will be the first Christmas in years that I won't dread!

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I'd love to skip Christmas. But I know it won't happen. I do it all - cooking, shopping, decorating, cleaning.

So I've decided after the stress of 2012 Christmas that I was going to be cutting back and telling my husband that he is in charge of certain things.

If he doesn't want to do it, then it's not going to get done. Inlaws invite themselves again and he says yes without telling me? No problem. He can do the extra shopping, cleaning and deal with them. While they were here and he was home, it was all about him anyway.

Maybe the whole family will step up to the plate and help but I'm pretty sure that won't happen until I prove to them that I'm serious.

I'm actually looking forward to Christmas next year now. Bwahahahaha.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

We really enjoyed Christmas at Disney in 2010. We didn't skip anything except the extended family time and present exchange among ourselves. Santa still came, and we still celebrated as a family. We decided to do that every other year, though when 2012 rolled around, our situation had changed and DD and I just took a trip before Christmas and still spent Christmas with my family.

 

[tzolkin]

I would love to do a Christmas trip, not to avoid drama, but to avoid presents. My kids would be thrilled with going on vacation over getting toys/etc. DH and I have talked about it several times.

My extended family would definitely be upset if we weren't around.

But my biggest issue is that I am too cheap. I would love to have a Disney Christmas, but I certainly don't want to pay the holiday hotel rates.

Great question.

While growing up and over history we never did take trip over the holidays and remember being surprised that it was the peak demand week of the entire year here at Disney ... so a heck of a lot of other people sure do travel!

Yup. I can't tell you how many people I have talked to who believe(d) that is the best week to go to Disney because "no one else is there".

Those who wound up planning a Christmas trip talk about how they will not go back because they can't imagine how insanely busy it must be normally. Can't convince them that it doesn't get much busier than that.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I do recommend asking your son how he feels about going on vacation for Christmas. Not that kids should have final say--but you may want to know how he feels about it. Sometimes kids really love the traditions of where they go and what they do for the holidays--and sometimes what we perceive as a very stressful situation, they perceive as a whole lot of fun.

Oh i've asked a while back, while day dreaming, and he seemed excited about being elsewhere for xmas
The question is, where do we go?

 

[runsandjumps]

I don't celebrate Christmas. I plan on going to Disney next holiday season. I like the decorations and stuff, not the presents, so it works great for me.

 

[MrsPete]

Christmas is only as stressful as you let it be. If you let yourself be sucked into family drama, buying out of obligation, or whatever . . . A change of location won't solve that problem. It'll just move the stress to another location.

I'm not saying don't travel for Christmas, just that if you're looking to relieve yourself of problems, this won't serve as a magic bullet.

 

[pigletgirl]

Nope, we'll never travel for Christmas unless it's meant to be together. Our DD will be 6-7 months old, and I know both sets of grandparents will want to see her, for her first Christmas.

We have drama in the family, but we set it aside to enjoy the holidays. You never know in life what will happen and I'd hate to have that "what if...."