If going to family that live near you for the holidays, how long do you stay?

[lecach]

Especially if your family lives within 30 minutes of your home, how long are you expected to stay? My MIL has repeatedly said "now dont get here too late". We're expected at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow and we will be expected to stay til 8:00 or so tomorrow night. Nine hours is a bit much to me. Especially since we're the only ones with a child and we have to get home, get him to bed, and set up for Santa.

We're not even eating til 4:00 and not opening presents til after we eat. And THEN even though we thought we'd have Christmas day just to ourselves they might come over to our house (since we said no to coming back to theirs) on Christmas afternoon. And "only stay a few hours". I'm just not a long visit kind of person. When I drive 1 1/2 hours to see my Dad I never stay more than an hour or two at the most. And when we go to my Mom's for Christmas at the beach even though we're staying with her, the family get togethers dont last longer than 2 or 3 hours at a time.

I was just wondering if I am the only one looking forward to a 9 hour visit

 

[locolala]

I would say 9 hours is more than a little excessive. We're driving an hour and a half to my uncle's house and won't be staying there for more than 2 or 3 hours. Then, we'll go to my FIL's house to stay the night and hang out Christmas day. Then we go home and sleep, lol.

 

[Angelhalo]

My parents and brother all live within 2 miles of us. They are all coming over tomorrow night and sleeping over. They'll probably be here all day and evening on Christmas. They may even spend the night again just to make it easier for my mom and I to get up and go shopping on Saturday!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Oh dear goodness, I could not stay all day and that late on Christmas Eve.

We had local relatives for the first time last year. We did not meet on Chrismas Eve as we had plans for Dinner on Christmas day. They stayed as long as they cared to.

I don't understand why you are expected 5 hours early. That is just plain ridiculous.

Our Christmas Eve plans include dinner out and mass, followed by some snacks and cookies and opening of a present then bad so Santa can work his magic. Coming home at almost 9pm after being out all day at someone's house is just unacceptable.

 

[Kimmumum]

We are driving 1 1/2 hours away. We will get there around noon and leave around 6. It is going to be the extended family so there will be over 60 people there.

 

[momx2]

We usually show up about an 1/2 hr. before the meal and then eat, open presents and hang out for awhile, but not 9 hrs. I'd say we are usually there 4 to 5 hrs. and then head home. My parents are coming over tomorrow night to eat with us. They will probably only be here around 2 hrs.

 

[momx2]

What do you guys do from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. when you eat dinner??? Just wondering?

 

[cruisnfamily]

Not tomorrow but Christmas Day. We'll get up, kids (14 & 17) will open their stuff and we'll immediately throw them in the car...probably around 8:30am or so and head off to grandma's(1 hour away) where we will be expected to stay until early evening. But really, we'll all be ready to head home by mid afternoon. So yes, we'll be doing about 9 hours on Christmas day so I feel your pain!

 

[C.Ann]

That's way too long - on Christmas Eve day - and especially with a child..

DD's IL's will be coming over here tomorrow night.. We'll eat, play some games, and chat for awhile - and then they will stay and stay and stay and stay.. Same thing when they come over Christmas morning to watch DGD open her gifts..

I will socialize and participate for a certain length of time - then excuse myself and get back to working on one of my winter projects I started today (since I can "reclaim" my scrapbook/craft room downstairs once all of the gifts are out of there.. Yay!!)..

The IL's come over here every single day (they only live 5 minutes away) and when you see them that often, there isn't really much left to "talk" about - you know?

If you're not eating at your MIL's till 4, I would say you can't get there before 2:30 or 3 - because it will interfere with your childs nap time..

Good luck!

 

[lecach]

What do you guys do from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. when you eat dinner??? Just wondering?

A whole lot of sitting around or stuff I dont like . The Wii will probaby be there (dont really care for it and dont enjoy playing with people that are "experts" on it). And they'll play a card game called Skat that I dont like. A football game will probably be on.

 

[momx2]

Not tomorrow but Christmas Day. We'll get up, kids (14 & 17) will open their stuff and we'll immediately throw them in the car...probably around 8:30am or so and head off to grandma's(1 hour away) where we will be expected to stay until early evening. But really, we'll all be ready to head home by mid afternoon. So yes, we'll be doing about 9 hours on Christmas day so I feel your pain!

After the first few Christmases I decided we would not be anywhere before noon on Christmas day. It allows us to enjoy the day more. My dad will drop by to see what Santa brings in the morning and stay for about 1/2 hr. then we go to his and my mom's house around noon and are home no later than 6 p.m.

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

This is the first christmas that I am not living at home. I have to work tomorrow and I do not want to leave the cat alone so I am driving up Christmas morning and will stay until around 9PM. Breakfast and dinner are big things at my house and I am looking forward to lounging around with my brother and sister since we don't get to see each other very often. I will bring a book or two and hang on the couch with the family and the pets.

 

[momx2]

A whole lot of sitting around or stuff I dont like . The Wii will probaby be there (dont really care for it and dont enjoy playing with people that are "experts" on it). And they'll play a card game called Skat that I dont like. A football game will probably be on.

No way would I be there at 11 a.m. I would roll in around 2:30 or 3 and be done with it. It is your holiday too!

 

[Micca]

9 hours is about 6 1//2 hours too much.

 

[NikiM20]

Dd and I will be at my grandmas for 9ish on Christmas day and probably stay until 7 or so. We will just watch new movies then eat lunch then we all nap. We will eat dinner and go home. My grandparents raised me so this is pretty much my Sunday schedule, we extend it to holidays

 

[MELSMICE]

I think it depends on how well you get along with the family & how much you enjoy spending time with them.

We could spend hours & hours with my family & have fun doing what you described pretty much nothing as. We'd play games, talk, watch TV & just visit. DH's family is a different story. A few hours with them & we are all ready to hightail it back to our home for some peace & quiet - DH included!!!

 

[lecach]

I REALLY hope they dont insist on coming over Christmas day too after being there so long tomorrow. DH did tell them that we were looking forward to having the day to ourselves. They originally wanted us to come back over but DH told them no - that he has to work Christmas night and we were staying home.

DH doesnt really understand my objections though since his family has always liked long visits (HE doesnt but knows that they do). The day I gave birth to DS we had my MIL, FIL, SIL and BIL at the hospital at 8:00 a.m. that morning til later that night - around 6:00 or so. And then at our house at least every other day for weeks.

Honestly we would see them more often if the visits werent so darn long.

 

[Donnainnj]

9 hours is way to much, but I don't understand the ones saying 2 or 2 1/2 hours. I would feel bad about all the work that goes into a meal like that and you then just eat, open gifts and run. In that short time the person hosting gets no time to even sit down. I think 4 -5 hours is more doable. I ask my family to be here a couple of hours before we are due to have dinner. I know they are always at least a little late, (30 min+) and that gives time for all the appies I have. Then dinner, gifts, dessert and coffee.
Donna
Plus it takes a long time to open bacon, right?

 

[Kae]

We spend lots time with both familes. Tomorrow we go to my Aunts/Uncles at 4:30 eat & go to church at 7 & then back to their house after church. We will get home around 11. The Friday my parents are coming over for breakfast then DH's folk are coming over around 1, my parents will coming back around 4:30 for dinner it well be both sets of parents for dinner. Then saturday my older sister & her famliy come up & we will go to my parents around 2 & stay until at least 11.

We play wii, games & just hang out. Plus eat alot.

Kae

 

[ZachnElli]

Especially if your family lives within 30 minutes of your home, how long are you expected to stay? My MIL has repeatedly said "now dont get here too late". We're expected at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow and we will be expected to stay til 8:00 or so tomorrow night. Nine hours is a bit much to me. Especially since we're the only ones with a child and we have to get home, get him to bed, and set up for Santa.

We're not even eating til 4:00 and not opening presents til after we eat. And THEN even though we thought we'd have Christmas day just to ourselves they might come over to our house (since we said no to coming back to theirs) on Christmas afternoon. And "only stay a few hours". I'm just not a long visit kind of person. When I drive 1 1/2 hours to see my Dad I never stay more than an hour or two at the most. And when we go to my Mom's for Christmas at the beach even though we're staying with her, the family get togethers dont last longer than 2 or 3 hours at a time.

I was just wondering if I am the only one looking forward to a 9 hour visit

No, you are not alone!! When we go to my parents house we are there 3 hours or less. When we go to my in-laws we are there at least 8 hours! 8 very long, painful hours!! They have 2 huge dogs that WILL kick you off the couch (one is 120lbs, he will move you!) and they don't care. They also smoke like chimneys and I have such a hard time smelling all that smoke for so long. Other family members smoke too, so 6-10 people smoking and it's not like we can open a window! We are having a big snow storm so Christmas has already been postponed to Sunday.