Family and holidays

[hensleyll]

Yes Thats How It Is At My Parents They Buy For Everyone Even Though I Think `1m The Only That Buys For Them Except My Older Sister Who Sends Something From Miss.Both My Bros Live With My Mom But They Dont Even Make Her A Card It Dont Matter If They Only Work Part Time

[6265AT99]

so one holiday down spent with inlaws,promised the big one to my mom and dad,gonna have 20 people there ,no gifts for them hope they understand

I understand completely.  I used to spend my holidays split between in-laws and my family so I know the feeling well.  As for the gifts, well in this horrible state we are all in these days (no jobs, etc.) it's kinda hard to scrape up money for gifts other than the most important gift of all - giving of yourself.  I've always felt that buying a gift cannot compare to something you give from your heart.  A good way to do that is just make a homemade gift - maybe a small decorative glass vase filled with potpurri or some pinecones and such that you have spray painted gold, silver, red, or any other color of the season and filled the vase.  Wrap it in some pretty cellophane, stick a bow on it and you're good to go!!!!  Creativity is a gift from the heart!!!!  Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

[jkhanson]

Our family has gotten so big and spread out that the one "central" location is my Mom and Dad's place.  Having the house overflowing with people is way, way too much stress on my Mom even when all the food is brought in by all of us.  People have to travel and the weather is unpredictable....one year we ended up in the ditch during a snowstorm.

We "solved" the stress of Christmas gatherings by NOT getting together in December as a big family.  We now have a SUMMER Reunion in the City Park at the shelter house.  We rent it out for the next year and everyone tries to make it to that ONE family gathering.  We cater the meat and then we all bring potluck for the rest of the meal.

It works out Great for our family. 

Mom and Dad get to sit back and visit with each of us and watch the kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids enjoy each other.

[cloudsoup]

we spend christmas day with my fiance's family.
he has a huge extended fam, so we usually just make
candy/cookies/baked goods for them. something that
we can make big batches of. you don't have to spend
a lot of money to give! 

[kmantay]

o how i love being around my family for the holidays......it brings my family closer and closer each time

[carty1]

What a blessing your family is 92 God is good.

[bleyd]

Sometimes we have 2 Christmas family get-togethers....One with my hubby's family (3 people) at lunch and one with my family (about 20) at dinner. It's fun to spend time with both.    Just eat too much sometimes.

[penguinito]

all I need is my hubby on holiday...haaay..

[lynnc35]

Yeah, I could see where that would tend to get a little  espensive

[hensleyll]

My Mom Gets Down Right Mad And Depressed If We Dont Come,But Thanks for suggestions i have pant and a yard full of pine cones and lots of vases i didnt sell in yardsales this year

[hensleyll]

wow sorry for typo forgot the i in paint

[Ittai]

i agree...family is more important..

[loulizlee]

I realized as I got older how important family is, with or without gifts. I also realized that we have only one life to live, and the more we can do to make holidays better for everyone, the happier our memories will be.

[vmcutshall]

We have a big extended family so I either bake them something or make a special frame out of paper, popsicle sticks, and scrap materials that I have around the house, for special pictures I have taken through the year or pictures from when they were children.

[hensleyll]

thinking about making them all aphoto album i have all the pics in family noone else ever takes pics