What stresses you out the most during the holidays?

Kitty 34

Hums in her sleep
Joined
Feb 16, 2000
As my kids left the nest, got their own nests with spouses and a now a few grand kids thrown in the mix.........what stresses me out the most is finding the opportune time to spend with ALL of them together during the holidays especially when they are all 2 hours or more away from us and obviously have the other families to worry about, too.

Besides winter driving (snow and ice forecasts) what stresses you out most during the holidays? :santa:
 
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Picking out gifts for people I don't know well or situations like work gift giving. It stresses me out and I don't participate in secret Santa or the white elephant exchanges.
 


My DH wants to buy too many gifts for the grandkids and my kids tell him not too many. I feel like I am caught in the middle. Plus we have to wrap the gifts. I do not like to wrap gifts! :rolleyes:
 


All the running from DDs in college 9 hours north and all our family (our elder parents and siblings and their families) are 5-6 hours north.

So...Thanksgiving we drove up to family (5.5 hours)...then drove up to get DDs (3.5 hours from family) and bring them to family house for Thanksgiving. Then took DDs back to college and came home. =25 hours of driving over 1 week

Next...we drive back up to family on Dec 13 and then up to get DDs on Dec 14 and back down to family and then back home on Dec 15. =18 hours of driving over 3 days

Then...back up to family for Xmas on Dec 21 and back home on the 25th or 26th. =11 hours of driving over 5 days

Finally...back up to family on Jan 1 to get on cruise on Jan 3. Then up to drop DDs at college on Jan 12 and back home on Jan 13. =18 hours of driving over 2 weeks.

=72 hours of driving in less than 2 months. 4470 miles ish (if my math is correct) put on my car. And I detest...DETEST...long car rides (any car rides really). Did it last year and now again this year...2 more years to go (and if DDs stay there after college............).
 
1) Making my Christmas list for others. I don't need or want anything.
2) Getting a Christmas list from others. Especially from my wife. She loves to send links to things online, and not notice little things like the notice "Out of Stock until February 2021"
 
Driving 12 hours each way to spend 2 days with family.

Runner up would be shopping. I never know what to get anybody, plus I hate to shop in general. It doesn't help that it costs so much to buy for our large family.
 
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Like a pp, nothing. I love winter and Christmastime especially. Of course, I don’t do any hosting at my house so that may make a difference.

I’ve decided this year I’m not doing any decorating until my husband is home from the hospital. Not because he’s so into Christmas, it just doesn’t feel really jolly right now.
 
One of my favorite things about the holidays is spending time with the family, but it is also the most stressful. I need a lot of time alone, and that's in short supply during the Christmas break. Especially for the two or three days right at Christmas that family visits and the population of our household doubles. I'm a wreck by the time the last one leaves.
 
Like a pp, nothing. I love winter and Christmastime especially. Of course, I don’t do any hosting at my house so that may make a difference.

I’ve decided this year I’m not doing any decorating until my husband is home from the hospital. Not because he’s so into Christmas, it just doesn’t feel really jolly right now.

:hug: I'm displaced right now from my DH. Just buy some little decor.....it'll help; believe me. :goodvibes
 
DD has 3 sets of grandparents. She is the ONLY grandchild on all 3 sides. We cannot be everywhere at once, nor do we want to really. Every year, someone is going to be angry about the set up. Every year, one family gets Thanksgiving, and that family gets last pick of the circa Christmas dates. But as much as that seems "fair" to me, someone is always going to lay the guilt on (usually my parents, who claim that at least those other grandparents have other children to spend the holidays with). Anyway, that stresses me out more than anything. The sure knowledge that no matter what I do, it's always going to offend someone.
 
Nothing.....I am super organized so usually ready for it.
Just lots to do.
We left today for WDW, so all inside decorations had to be up, all presents bought and wrapped.
When we get back that leaves outside and cookies. That I can handle.
 
:hug: I'm displaced right now from my DH. Just buy some little decor.....it'll help; believe me. :goodvibes


You’re probably right. I don’t know if I’ll get around to putting up the tree because I have to move furniture and that’s my husband’s job but I do have a tote full of house decorations. If nothing else, I’ll put out my jingle bell wreath. It’s my favourite thing.
 

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