Double Thanksgiving?

nancy324

nancy324

Cathlete
It seems like every year now, we go to my SIL's house (DH's sister) on Long Island on Thursday, and then go to my mother's house in New Jersey on Friday. I am finding that I just don't enjoy celebrating Thanksgiving twice. It's not that I don't enjoy seeing the family, because I do, but I'm tired of all the eating and I especially would love to have Friday to myself to go to the gym and workout because my office is closed that day and the gym is open. I would love to find a way to get this holiday back down to one day.

Does anyone else have a double Thanksgiving?

-Nancy
 
Hey Nancy, I know how you feel. When I was with my LIB we would have a double everything. But we made it a point to make both stops in one day (if it was at all possible). That way, we had the next day free. :D
 
Yep, we do. Double Christmas's, Thanksgivings and Easters. I just make sure that I exercise before everyone else is up and I eat smaller portions so that I don't blimp and I still get my workouts in. I don't get to see my family very often, and I see them all at one time even less so I don't mind lowering intensity and duration of my workouts for a few weekends of the year. Now, when we visit my in-laws............. that is a different story all together!!! :p

Missy
 
I don't have a double T-Day. We just alternate every year between spending it w/DH's family and my family.

Christmas is another story though...We hit 3 houses spanning 2 states and several hours of traveling in 1 1/2 days and are EXHAUSTED by the time we get home Christmas night! We do a Christmas Eve party with DH's family that never starts until atleast 6-7pm and runs until atleast midnight or 1am and then we get up EARLY Christmas morning and are off and running to open gifts with his family and then we continue on to NY state to see my sister! Fun but beyond tiring! This is the last year we are running like that though. Next year we are planning on staying home for atleast PART of the Christmas holiday...I can't wait!

Holidays can be hard to split up, I know. I have been arguing with DH for a couple of years now over how we can change Christmas to make it easier on us and yet be fair and see everyone....it's not always easy. UGH. x(
 
Hi Nancy! I don't have the double Thanksgiving anymore, but still have to do the double Christmas thing, ugh! Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas day with dh's family. I sure wish it could change too, now I always miss the Christmas Eve service at church which really bothers me. Good luck!! Sandy
 
Holidays have sure gotten to be a drag. We live about 3 hours away from my family and I'm always the one to make the trip because my siblings all have children and they don't want to be the ones to travel. They feel that I'm the one that moved away so I should be the one to come home. What we normally do is have Thanksgiving day with DH's parents, relax at home on Friday, then see my family on Saturday. I have to have Friday to rest otherwise it's just too much. We usually cook up a smaller version of TG dinner on the weekend and just try to relax and enjoy each other's company.

Christmas is the real nightmare. I go to see my family on Christmas eve, have dinner with them Christmas at noon then travel back towards my home to be with DH's family Christmas evening. I just hate it. I wouldn't do it anymore now that both my parents are gone except that I have a brother with a mental handicap and he really needs to have a family Christmas. If it weren't for him though, I'd just stay home!

Michele
 
Oh, it's crazy over here, too...Thanksgiving is at DH folks house, then the day after is at our house...I just throw something easy in like veggie lasagna or something...Could be worse, could be running both days!

We pretty much have Christmas down to a T these days! Christmas Eve morning is at home (open gifts the 3 of us), then to church by 3, back to DH's folks house to open gifts...Leave there about 10, back home, get DD to bed...Back up at 6, open stockings...DD dad is at the door between 7 and 8, 2 cups of coffee with him (he stays until his eyes start puffing up from the 2 cats) and off they go...The rest of the day is spent in JAMMIES!!! Jason and I spend Christmas Day that way EVERY year!
 
You could do the two-house-deal to get it over with, and do a full blown dinner at one house, and dessert at the other, or try to divide your eating up evenly so you're not too miserable. Trouble is, you may get the "Eat! You need to try my potatoes - I slaved in the kitchen all morning" lecture. I'd much rather get it over in one day, too. I'm very lucky since I have only one gathering to go to.

Just Do It! :)
 
We live too far apart to do double anything. This year we may be travelling from Philly to Atlanta (my brothers) for Thanksgiving. I'm a little worried as it's my side of the family and my brother makes DH crazy.

The last thing I want to do is take my family on a trip that makes everyone miserable. I'm uber-flexible in the travel department. I'm fine with train/planes/automobiles or sleeping on the floor or getting a hotel. Unfortunately, the rest of my family hasn't inherited that gene.

We are still deciding. We have a couple of problems to iron out. Two being our two kitties who need care for four days while we are gone. I've never had a pet sitter before and don't know how to find one.
 
Reading your responses makes me realize how ungrateful I am. We don't do Hanukah/Christmas anymore now that the kids are older, so Thanksgiving is it. Also, I don't have to cook a thing. Just bring some bottles of wine and maybe some bread, and that's it. I can probably even squeeze the gym in on Friday morning. I suppose I should just be grateful that I get off so easy.

-Nancy
 
Nancy,

I HAVE THREE!!! My husband's parents are divorced, so we end up doing his dad and my parents on Thursday, then his mom on Friday. I HATE IT. Everyone is so offended if you don't eat while your there. And, if your me, the dessert table calls your name until you can't take it anymore. I'm one of those people that has to keep it out of sight to not eat it, so holidays are hard. BTW, we have 5 Christmas celebrations......

Kelly
 
I don't have a double Thanksgiving because my MIL cooks and invites my daddy and stepmother. My siblings do their own thing.

Christmas is another story. Christmas eve day early starts with breakfast at MIL, then a light lunch of homemade chicken salad, cheese ball, and other pickups, then open presents.

Then Christmas eve in the late afternoon/early evening at DH's aunt and uncle's house for pork tenderloin biscuits and other goodies.

Then midnight Christmas eve service at church, actually around 11:30.

Then to my daddy and stepmom's Christmas day with my siblings and step-siblings and their families. Then home to collapse!!!
 
I just hope that as I get older I keep in mind that I need to stay busy enough so I'm not engrossed in how much of whatever I cooked or baked people eat! Cheez! As for the desserts, if they don't eat it, it's leftovers for MY freezer!!!!!!
Just Do It! :)
 
No, but Rich and I do each of the holiday dinners (her ability to do a turkey cannot match his! In fact, shhh, she can't cook very well at all ;)) and I would love to just downplay it and not do it but my big sis is very fond of our "traditions" we have had since our kids were tiny so... :) I like to try new things and when I change the dressing recipe or try to add or subtract from our activities or meal plans or change them at all, she HATES it so I grin and bear it and have for the longest time and end up having a good time anyway. ;) One does not mess with ones big sister even one is taller. She used to boss me around terribly and still does. And if you ever need advice, she will give it to you, unsolicited too. :D

I find the holidays so very stressful because the meaningingful parts get lost in commercialism and it's so far from simple and being about giving instead of taking. My 16 year olds Christmas wish list is scary but she is willing to wait for her January birthday is she must. :) Thank heaven for online shopping. It's keeps me out of the noise and bustle and it's more eco friendly too. Save me from the Mall! :eek: Why is there Christmas stuff out already everywherre I go? Waaaa!
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif "Chick's rule!"

Tell me, what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? -Mary Oliver
 
When my DH and I first got together we did have 3 Thankgivings & 3 Christmas'. His mom passed away 2 years ago so is was down to 2 of each. His dad is remarried so they go to her mom's house for Thanksgiving so I usually have Thanksgiving at my house for my family. (although with a new baby, my mom is having it this year).

Christmas is a different story b/c my mom usually has a big dinner and so does DH's stepmom. She gets upset if we don't go to hers but she always has it at an inconvenient time for us - usually around 2:00pm and my mom has dinner at noon. I would really love to have Christmas breakfast here and invite DH's dad and stepmom since they only live 5 miles from us and then have dinner in the evening at my parents. Ahh, if only it would be that simple.

Christmas Eve my Granny has a little get together at her house. She is in her 80's and God bless her, she always orders hot wings and pizza from Dominos.:) She also opens a few cans of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup to go with the pizza/wings. Not sure of the significance is and nobody even eats it but hey she is in her 80's so we let her roll with it. LOL

And my DH's great aunt has Christmas dinner the Sunday before Christmas where everyone brings a covered dish and his Grandma has Christmas dinner the Saturday after Christmas.

I love the holidays and spending time with family but I'm so glad when January gets here. }(
 
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