Christmas Eve Vent

[DWhittles]

I'm SO FRUSTRATED RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!
Every Christmas eve we go to Mike's parents to celebrate and then come home so we can wake up Christmas morning here together.
Mike and I don't have a car and it's a 2 1/2 hour train ride each way to his folks. I'd asked my sister if she could give us a ride there and back on Christmas Eve because they are going to her boyfriend's parents house for Christmas eve. I thought they were coming back Christmas eve. It turns out they are spending the night and coming back Christmas day in time to come to our place for dinner.
That doesn't work for me or Mike at all. Renting a car is completely out of the question beacuse we would have to take it for 3 days andw e can't afford that. We would also have to put Humphrey in a kennel for 3 days and that doesn't work for us either financially.
So now it's looking like we are going to lug presents down on the train for 2 1/2 hours to visit his folks for 4 or 5 hours, then lug gifts back on the train for another 2 1/2 hour train ride.
NOT the way I want to spend my Christmas eve! Not to mention the fact that leaving poor Humphrey alone for 12 hours doesn't really sound fair or nice at all to me!

 

[OhMari]

wow, my family wouldn't know what to do without our gas guzzling vehicles.
Have your sister take and bring back your presents so you don't have to lug them on a train.

 

[SnowAngel]

I understand. My FIL wants us to drive 5 1/2 on x-mas eve and then drive back on X-mas!! Hmmm.. my girls hate long car rides. I agreed but said we will stay a couple of days rather than torturing the girls that way

 

[luvwinnie]

You are from Hoboken? I grew up in Union City!
I think I would rather stay over than go through all that! Sorry it's such a pain for you.

 

[DWhittles]

It's now looking more and more grim...I'm all for leaving the presents there and having my sister pick them up but I just checked the train schedule. The direct train from Hoboken to Point Pleasant NJ on Christmas eve stinks. The only train out leaves at 9:30am and arrives at 11:45am. We aren't eating dinner down there till 6:00pm and the last direct train back is at 7:48pm. The only other option we have is to take the train to and from Newark Penn Station. I don't mind going from Newark Penn, but going home on the PATH train from Newark at midnight just doesn't interest me in the least...
We can't stay over beacuse of the dog. I can't kennel him.
THIS STINKS!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[katerkat]

Why can't you kennel the dog? Is there no neighbor who can take care of him overnight? Walking a puppers wouldn't take too much out of someone's Christmas!

 

[luvwinnie]

Can you bring your dog?

 

[DWhittles]

I wish the dog were invited but 1. I can't bring a Basset Hound on the train and 2. I don't really know any of my neighbors that well to ask them to please walk him. Not to mention the fact that he's a bit of a primadonna and insists on going out in the middle of the night like around 2:00am and then again at 6:00am and if we got a ride with my sister we wouldn't be getting home till around 3:00 on Christmas Day.
I think we are just going to have to eliminate some folks from the gift list and just rent a car...

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It does get crazy on the holidays. Wish I could take your dog for you. Maybe a neighbor could let him out a couple of times while you're gone?

 

[katerkat]

If you get a ride from your sister, can't you bring the dog in the car?

 

[DebbieB]

It basically comes down to either not going on Christmas Eve or do what you have to do to get there. From your signature, it looks like you have an almost 1 year old baby and another one on the way. You could tell your in-laws that you are not up to it this year and visit another day when transportation is better.

 

[missypie]

How about visiting the inlaws on Sunday the 26th?

 

[danacara]

A one-year-old and a baby on the way with a ton of gifts and a train switch at Newark Penn Station ... I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Point Pleasant to Hoboken is a very easy trip via car, maybe an hour ten or so? Is there any way that Mike's parents can drive up and pick you up, appealing on their pregnant lady with tiny baby and no money who loves you holiday generosity? Even if you take the train home afterwards, you'll have fewer gifts then and a baby who's sleepy ... it'll be a lot easier then.

 

[Jennifer S]

Can the in=laws come to you?

 

[DWhittles]

The in laws are having a house full of people so coming to us is out of the question. My husband now wants to spend the night at his parents and kennel the dog, great, the kennel is booked solid and unless they have a cancelation I'll have a houndie stuck at home alone.
The dog isn't welcome at my in-laws beacuse both of them have asthma and my mother in law is a neat freak who can't imagine having a dog in the house or on her furniture.
The drive is an easy and enjoyable one if we can go that route. I'm appealing to my poor father (again, I can't tell you how many times he's bailed my husband and I out) to borrow his car.
Last year, I got away with the pregnancy thing, this year the entire celebration is about PJ and they have so many gifts for him that if they don't see him it will be my head

 

[2BOYMOM]

I'm sorry for your stressful situation. If I lived near you, I would keep your Basset Hound.

 

[DWhittles]

Oh and it now gets BETTER. I just talked to my sister who now can't make it to our family celebration at our house at Christmas if we hold it at 2:00. She can't make it anytime before 5:00 beacuse apparently they are going to spend the night at her boyfriend's parents house, wake up there Christmas day have breakfast or whatever and the go to his sister's house down in Egg Harbor which is a good 3 hours from Hoboken.
So, my sister and her boyfriend won't come to our house to celebrate and we now can't count on them for a ride home on Christmas day if we need them.
She said she won't change her plans with his family because they were made before we made our plans. Wouldn't it have been a good idea to check with ME first to see what the plans with our family were for Christmas day first?
I'm really starting to HATE Christmas

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I spent a year w/out a car and I know how annoying it can be.

Any chance the family could come to your place on Christmas? Or is there anyway your Sister could stop by your place and pick up the gifts on her way down?

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Everytime I see that picture of your sweet little baby in your sig I smile.

 

[Crankyshank]

I would just stay home, especially if you're going to see your family the next day. 2 and a half hours is a lot to ask someone to drive you in one evening