Celebrating Christmas on a day other than December 25th

[luvflorida]

We never have, but I think this year will be different.

I know people might celebrate Christmas while on vacation, or attend holiday parties and family get-togethers throughout the month of December. I'm talking about being at home and not doing anything differently on the 25th, and celebrating the holiday either before or after that date.

This year, in order to accommodate all family members, we are going to have our Christmas on the 26th. The 25th will be a day to relax, watch specials on tv, and cook and prepare the house for the following day.

Have you ever had your main celebration on a day other than the 25th?

 

[Pinkgurlshubby]

We have many many times. Due to the various careers we all chose, most of my family has always worked over the holidays. Usually December 27th was our Christmas.

 

[justhat]

We never have, but this year we will be. My husband is working overnight on Christmas and will leave the house around 6am so he'd miss the kids waking up to Santa's loot. He won't get home till about 8am on the 26th so he'd miss it if we did it then too (my son gets up at 6:30am, everyday). So this year we're celebrating on the 27th. My kids are little and have no idea what day it is anyway so it shouldn't matter yet.

 

[justhat]

Sorry, posted twice!

 

[luvflorida]

My kids are little and have no idea what day it is anyway so it shouldn't matter yet.

We're just the opposite here. Our kids are much older (youngest is 18) so it doesn't matter to them. And our first grandchild will only be 4 months old, so he won't know either.

 

[JanDave]

We haven't celebrated Christmas on 12/25 with our kids in years due to other parents/in-laws insisting on seeing them on the 25th and because our kids and us in Michigan all live about 1.5 hours from one another.

This year, we're celebrating on 12/21-22. We have booked 3 hotel rooms, taking the grandchildren to a hands-on science center, and then celebrating at the hotel, followed by swimming and fun. The kids and grandkids love this way of celebrating Christmas.

We have kids/grandkids in WV and we are with them for 3-4 days between Christmas and New Years.

Last year, on 12/24, we were swimming at the Y as part of our celebration.

Jan

 

[Becky2005]

Yes and no. We are always have DH's side over on Christmas Eve.

Then Christmas morning the kids would go nuts if there was no Christmas morning, so we just have our immediately family for that. No big meals or anything -- basically, I really don't care if they stay in the PJ's all day. So, we definitely have a Christmas celebration ON Christmas. It's usually done by 10 AM if not earlier.

This year we are having my family celebration on the 28th with my brother, his family & my parents. It's our turn to host, so we just did it that way since that way SIL can see her parents, etc...

We then have our BIG Christmas at all odd times, this year it's Jan. 3. It's my mom's side of the family. My dad's side doesn't really get together much with extended family because we are HUGE (my dad comes from a family of 6 and aren't all that close). I know my parents go over to my aunt's house (dad's sisters) on Christmas Eve.

 

[scrump]

Some of us normally work on Christmas, so unless it falls on a weekend, we normally get together the Saturday or Sunday after.

 

[C.Ann]

In the past we have celebrated Christmas on the Saturday or Sunday following Christmas so that my DD would not have to drag my DGD away from all of her new toys on Christmas Day.. Now I live with them part-time so I'm here for the actual holiday..

 

[mlynn]

My WHOLE family get together on the Saturday before Christmas to have Breakfast with Santa. It is about 100 people (aunts uncles cousins) Then Christmas eve we all get together again for the 7 fish dinner.

Chirstmas day it is just my family (parents, 4siblings and there hus/wifes and 14 kids) at my brothers house.

Then on the 26 we all (100)get together again with all our leftovers But I stopped doing this one when I had kdis because it get to be to much for the kdis.

Then on News Years eve my cousin does another big family party. But I stopped this one because I don't like my kids being around alot of drinking(My husband has been sober 2 years now and I don't drink so my kids don't need to see drinking) So we take them to the Pocono's in Pa for some relaxing and snow fun.

 

[HappyDisneyMemories]

Not exactly what you are talking about but we have celebrated early when we were going to be away from home on vacation Dec. 25th. Our children were teens when we did this twice but we were so surprised how much it actually seemed like Christmas day two weeks early - so much so that the next day I was ready for after Christmas sales and it seemed weird to still see people shopping and talking about the holidays because to us it seemed like it had already taken place! I know we're weird!

 

[crz4mm2]

We have had family celebrations on other dates.
DH's family used to have our celebration on the sunday before all the time. His sister's kids used to have to go to their Dad's on Christmas, so we got together on the Sunday before as our "family" get together.
I think maybe my family may do that this year on the Sunday after Christmas. It is just tooooo busy to try and do all the family get togethers on the same day!

 

[golfgal]

We get together with DH's family the Saturday before Christmas. It is a lot of fun and the kids REALLY look forward to that day--they start planning for it in July. We have our own celebration on the 24th/25th. If we had it to do all over again, we would have done our Christmas shopping on the 26th and celebrated on the 28th or so--before kids knew what day it really was. We would have saved a bundle on Christmas toys for the kids .

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Every year. The 25th is the day for just family.

My family is Christmas Eve and DH's family's is after Christmas.

 

[minniecarousel]

I think it's important to be flexible when trying to coordinate many different work schedules and travel arrangements.

That said, I really like celebrating on the 25th!

 

[Imzadi]

I think the intent is more important than the actual date on the calendar. Unless, of course, you were planning on attending Christmas mass together.

Jesus wasn't born on Dec 25th anyway. I think his real birth was more like in March. It was later decided to celebrate it in Dec because the pagans celebrated the winter solstice around that time. So, if technically, the date is wrong already, one or two days different from that aren't really going to matter.

 

[Pinnie]

This year we are celebrating Christmas on Dec 13. We live in the Detroit area and our sons, DIL and new baby granddaughter live in Kalamazoo, across the state. Both DSs have jobs that require them to work on Christmas, so this is what works for us. It's crazy getting all the stuff done (I am cooking for 39 that day) but then I get to relax and enjoy Christmas with my DH and head to the casino for the holidays!

pinnie

 

[shortbun]

We exchange gifts with family members on other than the 25th. Christmas Day, we celebrate as a small family, go to church and enjoy each other. Family time is precious, what better time to celebrate than Christmas Day at home?