Another Christmas with the family 'problem'!!

Stephb1986_2

In the rudolph the red nose reindeer song??

7roland8

I will give you this senario instead, say the op does as the boy wants and stays at home, say something happens to the op's mum god forbid but say its does, surely the op may feel bad/guilty what ever you want to call it that she never spent christmas with her mum because she was dictated to by an 8yo.

Actually if I was the gran I would be happy for the family to stay at home for Christmas day if they wanted - and just visit me before or after - whenever suited them.
My two grown up sons are here for Xmas (one still lives here) but I would be happy fi they wanted to spend it elsewhere (with girlfriends etc) - what is the point of putting people under pressure to be all things to all people. I know how I feel about my boys and hope I know how they feel about me - so I don't 'need' them to be here on a certain day to 'prove' it.

ps - yes Father Christmas for me too - but I may have put Santa as its quicker to type! Christmas is such a magical time - if you let it be.

JB1971

When we were kids, Christmas morning was spent with a great auntie. Given the choice then, my preference would have been to stay at home and enjoy my presents etc. Now that I'm all grown up (and she is no longer with us) I have memories that I wouldn't swap for anything.
I'm so glad that my parents (mum really!) insisted that we went to see her and didn't bow down to us. (I had a lovely relationship with great auntie as an adult and still miss her. She even waited until after I was married to pass away - aged 98!)

DianneB

Wow, I think the OP has ducked below the parapet to avoid all the sniping. Bet she wishes she hadn't said anything now!!

7roland8

Yes I thought it had gone quiet?

Stephb1986_2

When i was a kid we had to visit our grandparents i have some lovely memories like the above poster sadly non of my grandparents are with us now, i'd still love to see them and miss them all the time.

Stephb1986_2

Sorry if i came across as being harsh, but all the time when im out i see kids dictating to adults it just gets on my wick. Sorry if i've offended anyone

Person_one

DianneB wrote: »

Wow, I think the OP has ducked below the parapet to avoid all the sniping. Bet she wishes she hadn't said anything now!!

As you posted this at half past midnight I think its far more likely she went to bed!

onlyroz

Christmas is a minefield, and people feel the need to keep as many people happy as possible. In this case, a plan has been arranged involving a whole family of people. Food, drink, decorations etc might have been bought, and other arrangements made (e.g. booking time off work, or plans for granny to visit other relatives on Christmas Eve etc etc).

And then a small boy pipes up saying that he wants to do something different.

Surely, under these circumstances, the best thing to do is to explain to the boy that arrangements have been made and that granny is expecting them, and Father Christmas has been told where they will be staying - and there will be plenty of time on Christmas day for the opening of and playing with presents, and time to visit Daddy as well.

What do you think should have happened? Should the boy have been consulted before speaking to granny? And then granny be told "sorry we won't be coming because little Johnny doesn't want to"?

POPPYOSCAR

Bumpmakesfour wrote: »

Oh for gawds sake!I really hope you don't have kids yet because that attitude stinks. Christmas is mainly for the kids surely?If my child was GENUINELY worried or upset about going somewhere on one of the most special nights of the year whilst they still "believe" then we wouldn't go!
My children do "do as they are told" but as their mum it is my call to decide what's best for their emotional wellbeing.If it came down to a choice between upsetting my child who at 8 cannot rationalise a situation..or my(grown up) mum I know who I'd choose.I'm making the absolute most of my childrens few short years with all the santa magic.
And anyway I don't think it's remotely unreasonable at 8 to want to wake up in your own bed on xmas day,accident or no accident!

I agree with this.

I think Christmas is a time for children and all my efforts at christmas have always been for the children and they have always come first.

My children have always wanted to be at home Christmas morning and even now they are teenagers they still want to be.They tell me how special Christmas is to them and how they still find it magical.(And coming from them I find that quite amazing!!) We still put out our tray for Santa!!

This does not mean I pander to their every whim, far from it, it is just how I personally view Christmas.