Are these normal English Christmas traditions?

montycat_2

We have small tree presents and open them on Boxing Day when the whole family are together .

As to the other things your DH family does -ummmm ,just seems more hassle .

Traditions are wonderful but ,when they become inflexible ,it's time to ditch them !

embb

No it's not normal, it sounds like a lot of hard work if you ask me,I couldn't be faffed on like that

@ MissBehaving

tru

npsmama, your outlaws are insane

And, very rude and controlling :mad:

If it was me, I'd say I have my own traditions and will be sticking to those. One of those traditions being - we stay home for Christmas.

In fact, even if I wanted to buy something that's on the list, I'd get something else just to be awkward :rotfl:

What does the rest of the family think of all this?

ariba10

It might be normal in England but not in the rest of the UK.

rchddap1

Another vote for not normal. At least where my family are concerned anyway.

As far as we're concerned the only thing of importance is that the family is together at Christmas. Nothing else matters.

Have to admit that if I was told to only buy something from a list I'd also be very tempted to get something different to make a point.

moggins

Definitely not normal. How nosey of them to want to read your christmas cards!

I'm so glad I refuse to have anyone in the house on christmas day who doesn't live there, I'll have to make an exception for DD1 though as she only moved out in January and is still considering coming home at 6am on christmas day to bounce onto the bed with the rest of the kids. It will have to be a small bounce as she's now 3 months pregnant

bobsa1

Not normal in the least, on the abnormal scale they are pretty high up!

My in laws do use xmas cards as an indicator of how popular they are, ie we have x number of cards how many do you have?

but I find the whole thing bizarre. If you get a card from your postman, milkman, newspaper boy etc how can that be a sign of popularity.

My il's also have this thing about everyone sitting and watching whilst each present they have bought is Oohed and Aahed over and examined in detail, why!!! It's difficult to get that excited about the gifts I am bought by them eg a jumper with a large clown on!

finallydebtfree!!

definately NOT normal, I know people are beginning to foret the true meaning of christmas (me included :O) but they have missed it by a long shot!

I too have a list of who to write cards to but who cares who I recieve one from? there is a guy at work who only writes one to those he recieves from, must be a pain if you ask me, I like to write them all at once

Feel cheeky asking for a gift even when people ask what I want, I get far more satisfaction giving gifts than recieveing them

Hope you manage to enjoy your christmas!

elona

They sound insane, controlling and downright rude!!!!!

It is completley out of order to DEMAND what a present should be and is completley against the spirit of the season which is spending time with people that you love and exchanging a little surprise that you hope that they will like.

I would be strongly tempted to start my own tradition of staying in my own home with my own husband and children for Christmas and getting them a flock of chickens for Oxfam or a goat so that someone who really is in need benefits.

I forgot to say that they are greedy and blackmailing too!

Remind me not to go into diplomacy lol!;)

wendym

There is something about bonkersness that Christmas somehow multiplies by 10.

If you have the energy, it would be no bad thing to ease away from some of the rituals. They will get really tiresome. Is there any possibility that you could spend Christmas Day at home next year, perhaps inviting them for Boxing Day?

Then you could introduce some of your own traditions, if necessary complete inventions.