Christmas or Thanksgiving...... Family disagreement

[pryncess527]

It varies by family, but yes, I agree Christmas is typically a bigger deal in the US

But, if your BIL does not want his family visiting at Christmas, I would not spend time trying to prove that the excuse he's using is a bad one. Even if that's true, I don't see what it accomplishes to force your MIL to admit that the excuse she's being fed is rubbish.

 

[mjkacmom]

I would not want to host overnight guests around Christmas, that's for sure!

 

[Liberty Belle]

Me and my MIL often disagree on this topic so I thought I would ask some Americans. My brother in law lives in the USA and is a bit of an **** to my IL's he never seems to want them to visit so will always make up random excuses (before anyone flames me, I just think this, never say it to them) on why they can't come for Christmas. His reasoning for why they can't come (he has been there for 15 years and they have never spent it there with him or their grandchild once) but they can come Thanksgiving is because the American's don't celebrate Christmas as much as Thanksgiving, TG is more family orientated etc but I think that is rubbish, my belief comes from when I was younger my dad used to have villas in Orlando so we would often be there for Christmas and I used to love it. The lights, the decorations, the whole shebang. America seems to celebrate it, evenings out, fun meeting Santa etc. Where over here we always seem to just do the minimum. No one really decorates, etc. Also if American's weren't that bothered at Christmas why make so many films etc. Whenever we discuss this she always makes out as if I am stupid and don't know anything. I will never throw this up in her face because I don't want to ruin the very little relationship they have I just want to know for my own sanity

Who is right.

Americans go crazy over Christmas! Lights on most houses, decorations up, almost every one has a tree, etc. Then there are several Christmas activities such as downtown tree lightings, live nativities, concerts, sing a longs, gift giving to charities, etc.

 

[bookgirl]

In my family we tend to get together for Thanksgiving on a large scale and Christmas may be just a few or just me and my parents (depending on what my Brother and his family do) for a quick get together to watch the twins open their presents and eat a meal. Granted my nephews are practically adults at this point so no Santa, but even when they were young since my brother and their mom are divorced we were pretty holiday flexible.

I do think in our family at least, Thanksgiving is the bigger family holiday. My brother hosts and it's our family and my SIL's extended family. So it can be up to about 15-20 people. It's a huge meal with multiples of some foods so that everyone has their 'favorite'.

 

[Minnesota!]

Commercially, Christmas is bigger.

However, Thanksgiving, IMO, is more about family-togetherness than Christmas is. Due to the over-commercialization of Christmas.