Doing Christmas every year

42 years for me and the only thing I like about it is the end of the day!! As families have broken up we now have an all day running meal as the GC spend part of the day with their mums at times that never match up! One year we went out for Christmas Dinner as I had just had a replacement hip. Then they all came back to mine for tea as they were still hungry. Good job I anticipated it and got plenty in (online groceries!!)

It must have been the mid-eightes too when I took over the family Christmas as my mother wasn't up to it.

I love Christmas, so I am happy to continue as long as I am fit and well. Don't know how long I shall go on. I am still fit and well, but Dh isn't.

This year is the first time in 49 years that I've not been the hostess, although I was requested to do some baking.

Next year I'll host just one meal on any day from 24th-26th.
(If I'm spared)

We'll open gifts and the family can then go home to their own celebrations.

We've been married 48 years next Spring and have done Christmas for all but about 6 of those years. I like the family get-together but it is very tiring - it's so expensive too. If it weren't for the fact that my very elderly Mum comes to us for Christmas, I would like to have a trip away just for a change. But she would be so disappointed and I would feel so guilty.

In my 70s now and I am passing the mantle of Christmas dinner over to one or other of my children next year for the first time in 50 years.

I think I’ll invite them for Boxing Day instead. Much simpler.

I thought I'd got away with it as DD cooked Christmas dinner but yesterday I cooked a family meal for the rellies and another today.

Too many Christmas Dinners....I would like to hand it on I must say.There are good reasons to keep on doing it though.
To make it easier I now do a turkey crown.

I'm 60, been married for 39 years, have always had Christmas day at home, but I've never cooked a Christmas dinner yet - my husband has always done it, but then I do all the cards, presents, wrapping, decorations etc.

35 years. This year 10 adults and 3 littlies. We allocate things to bring and all chip in and help. Bit chaotic but works well. Hosted by DD1 this year as 1st Christmas in new house. Was funny as DH likes to "help" me but was shooed away by DSIL Mum as her DH has never cooked, washed up etc and she doesn't like men in the kitchen! He had to entertain littlies 6, 2 ½ and 20 months. Of course babies dotted in and out kitchen looking for Mamma, Gra Gra and Granma. My brother on other hand has wonderful lazy Christmas going to neighbours for champagne, walk on beach, excellent meal with wife and 2 grown children. He has twice in all this time had my DM and even then I had to drive her half way to meet him! 100 miles! However he has been up, organised a family meal and paid for his half, driven her round Christmas lights, stayed 1 night with his family, gone to sales, complained about her cleaner whom she likes and gone home! However frustrating I would not have it any other way and there is nothing quite like a littlie cuddled in asleep on you at the end of "tanta" coming.

We (DS, DD and me) do it turn and turn about, so every three years. But on their years I still make the mince pies, sausage rolls, pudding and cakes!

I passed the baton to DD2 this year. They'd just moved house though so she asked me to do the gammon, mince pies, sausage rolls, brandy butter and pigs in blankets

So, not quite a complete handover,

Good for you. How did you achieve that? Seriously, I need help here.

Seriously, I think ladies who are fed up with doing it need to say so. I always said I could only do it with my husband's help. He can't anymore so I have resigned!

We've been married 59 years and I've done every Christmas except this one.
I hate it!

The thing is, it's all very well going to someone else for Christmas every year, but is there any thought given to the person doing all the shopping, prep and cooking ? It's alot of work AND alot of pressure. I think it only fair to take turns. As I get older I do find it more difficult, but wouldn't want to just land my adult children with it all.

I did my 40 odd year stint until 2017. I had a really bad back injury and just couldn't do (or reach, carry) so many things it was impossible. My eldest daughter took over then and, although I was only 64, she has continued. She's a much better cook than I ever was!

Your Christmases sound lovely lbc1955. I can look around my family and see how different members have chosen to spend Christmases over the year and it includes those who prefer quiet Christmases at home, to those who are a constant guest, to those who have moved between big family christmases and quiet ones, being the guest and hosting.

We alternate between Christmases with only our daughter with us, or, like this Christmas, having DS and family with us as well. They alternate between being our guests and hosting Christmas for her family. DD is always the guest, although, once, when she worked shifts and a Christmas day shift was always possible, we had contingency plans to move the Christmas day celebrations to her at short notice.

I do not think we compare Christmases. I know DS amd family do their Christmases as host very differently to us, but does it matter? For me, being fortunate to have a family who can gather and be happy at Christmas is all that matters, how we celebrate it is secondary

I've never hosted Christmas as I've always lived in a small house and it was just the two of us.
Sister/BIL live in larger houses and had children. They asked parents (no longer with us) to Christmas dinner every year and it became a habit for them to host. DH and I were quieter, less pushy and somehow made to feel (probably in our own heads) that we weren't quite up to the job. We didn't want to get into a competitive situation - "Who does it best?"
When both sets of parents were elderly they would have been more comfortable in their own homes but were too polite to refuse. It's a long day.
For a few years I lived too far away and I'm in the habit of being a guest. I try to be as agreeable and helpful as possible, always take a bottle of something and home-made biscuits as a prize for the annual quiz which I prepare.
Merry Christmas.

I am 63 yrs old and have only ever cooked one Christmas dinner! And I don't intend to start now! My younger sister now hosts the whole family so I'm just waiting for my son to collect me to take me there. I do help with the preparation though, this year my contribution has been cooking a ham joint, making meringues with cream and cooking the sausage meat stuffing.

I started doing Christmas in my twenties when my mother died. Nowadays I find that the whole thing with the extra shopping, putting up decorations, best china etc seems a marathon. It was easier when I had a husband to share the load. Last year I enjoyed it but this year I just feel tired. The problem is no-one else has space to do it and only son with a partner.

I think I've always done Christmas, except when I was pregnant with my first child and still working and having work done on our house, my husband took me away to a hotel to be waited on for about 3 days. If I didn't look too pregnant when I arrived, I certainly did when I left, food over load ?

When first married mum and I took turns to host. It was just the 4 of us.
Dad died the year before DD was born and I cooked for mum from then on until she died so every year for past 33 yrs.
DD isn't in a position to host so she, SiL and GC are here and good old mum is cooking again.

I’ve done Christmas Day for about 20 years now. My biggest was dinner for 12 but now pared down to a far more manageable 7.

Will be a bit of a strange (thrown together) one this year but better than what I thought it might’ve been .

I don't remember a time when I haven't cooked. My mother wasn't much of a cook so even when I lived with her I did the cooking.
Married at 25 and continued, even now the children are adults and we go to their houses sometimes I always cook.
Hubby helps with the veg, the family look after the little ones, it's just part of our get together.
Seven adults this year and four little ones, it usually goes to plan, we all eat and drink far too much but the day is a happy one.
I love our time together as we lives miles away from each other.

I usually do it with help from husband. This year our adult child is cooking and we are going to theirs. If we do Christmas, they usually do New Year's Day dinner or vice versa.Its ok, but I have to confess I was dreading cooking this year, didn't mind when I was younger. One year hubby and I had Christmas just the two of us. It was great just pleasing ourselves, for some reason I think our adult children felt guilty but there was no need. It's an awful lot of work though and I do appreciate anyone who cooks for us, be it Christmas dinner or another occasion. We have had varying family and friends over many years. Even if its been a bit of a disaster noone seems to mind. My husband is going to cook on New Year's Day this year, I will give him a hand.