I've just been reading the thread about parents getting their knickers in a twist about where their offspring go for xmas day. I find it all astonishing every year, cees, not just this year.
This is what I wrote on that thread and removed before I posted, for fear of getting shouted at. The thread property rights activists are scary
The moral of the story seems to be Don't assume. Having said that I'm now thinking about what assumptions I make about who is going to be where on xmas day. I think I assume that my DDs who no longer live at home will get on with life by themselves and just let me know if they want to come here. I tend to assume they (especially DD1 with the GSs won't come here because she and her partner don't like the over-hyping of xmas either). I think I assume that that's what'll happen because that's what has happened so far. It applies at all times though, not just xmas.
I don't assume that they know that I don't mind in the least what they decide to do at xmas. I tell them that. I also tell them they're welcome anytime. I suspect that they don't assume but know from experience that I mean what I say. Saves a lot of twisted knickers.
In short we don't make xmas into a big deal or set ourselves up for disappointments by having preconceived ideas about what should or shouldn't happen, or even what we want or want not to happen. We just wing it. I can recommend the approach if it's peace of mind you're after
Eating jelly babies on the beach was a good year. I think I'll do smoked salmon and parma ham "petits scoffs" this year because then food phobic Minibags can eat what we eat (or vice versa, depending on your viewpoint).