6. Together - 4 years, Married - No | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Swoon

21 Couples Share Their Strategies For Splitting Up Holidays Between Families

Holidays can be stressful already, let alone adding a family to yours.

2737
https://www.facebook.com/100007639745824/posts/2180328132231824/
Facebook

In This Article:

The holidays are approaching and if you're anything like me, you like to plan ahead. Who you'll be visiting, what time you'll be visiting them, how long, the list goes on.

While I've been in the "dating game" since high school, the one thing that never gets easier is trying to merge families. I enjoy spending time with my family and my boyfriend's and vice versa for him. These are our first holidays together and trying to come up with a game plan isn't always easy. Do we split it up in one day? Do we spend time with his family on one day and mine the other? The possibilities are endless, making it that much harder.

But thankfully, these 21 couples, came to save the day.


1. Together - 4 Years, Married - No

"Typically I am working. This year though I'm off. We'll probably go to my sisters for thanksgiving dinner then meet with his family for traditional dessert later in the evening. His family's large so they usually do diners separately."

2. Together - 1 year, Married - No

"We visit his family for lunch and then later we do dinner with mine. We spend time with each side for as long as we can."

3. Together - 3 years, Married - No

"She sees her family, I see mine. Haven't really reached that moment in our relationship to where we want to bring each other to special events like that."

4. Together - 2 years, Married - No

"We spend the morning with his family and the evening with my family. Then this year we flipped the morning with mine the evening with his."

5. Together - 3 months, Married - No

"I won't be here for half of them, so low-key, I don't want to celebrate any of them. But when I was dating my ex of 1 1/2 years, we spent half the day with my family and half with his and we switched who got to see who's family first. So like Thanksgiving if we saw mine first, Christmas Eve we would see his first, etc. Except for Valentine's Day that was just us."

6. Together - 4 years, Married - No

"It's a two day event, on Christmas Eve we go to my church and have dinner with my family and do gifts. On Christmas morning we are with our own families, on Christmas afternoon and evening we spend time with his family."

7. Together - 16 years, Married - Yes (For 14 years)

"It's recently become A LOT easier as one set of parents moved to AZ. However, this has been a difficult nut to crack. In the early years we settled into a Christmas Eve his family/Christmas my family routine. Thanksgiving was meal with one half/desserts with the other half. When children were added to the equation, we held firm to not leaving home on Christmas. If they wanted to see us, they had to come to us (too much to pack up an infant and all their stuff, nap time, feedings, etc). Since kids, we've always hosted Christmas on Christmas Day for my family and planned a gathering with his family typically a week later. Easter has always been much less of a friction point (thankfully)."

8. Together - 18 years, Married - Yes

"Estranged from husbands immediate family, so just visit with mine."

9. Together - 2 years, Married - No

"Separately for dinner, together at dessert with my family."

10. Together - 32 years, Married - No

"Take turns for each holiday spending with each family."

11. Together - 2 1/2 years ,Married - No

"We try our best to have equal time with each family. Most of the time, we won't go to each others' family gatherings because our families overlap times. What we'll do is visit each other either early in the morning or late at night. That way, we can both spend time with each family but don't have to sacrifice time with our own relatives that may be in from out of town!"

12. Together - 4 years, Married - No

"Have holidays with our own families earlier in the day, visit each other's families later in the day after formal dinner."

13. Together - 5 years, Married- No

"Dependent on family member and holiday, some we go together, others we go apart."

14. Together - 7 months, Married - No

"We're basically going two separate ways for the holidays with our own family plans and work schedules. We'll probably do a private celebration with just us to exchange gifts and have some sort of holiday tradition but that'll probably be a couple weeks before or after the holidays themselves."

15. Together - 2 years, Married - Yes

"His Christmas day. On Boxing Day, we'll go to my side and have a big Christmas Boxing Day as well."

16. Together - 5 years, Married- No

"Usually spend Thanksgiving with his family and Christmas with mine just because my family does more for Christmas."

17. Together - 3 years, Married - No

"For Thanksgiving, we have a big lunch with his family and then Thanksgiving dinner with my family. As for the winter holidays, he's Catholic and I'm Jewish, so celebrating with both families is pretty easy! We celebrate Christmas with my boyfriend's family and Chanukah with my family."

18. Together - 2 years, Married - No

"Visit each of our families. One in the morning, the other in the evening. We stay longer at the house we have more fun at."

19. Together - 2 years, Married - No

"His place for Thanksgiving—his family cooks a whole meal, mine just orders in and watches movies. My place for Christmas—My mom decorates like crazy and gives a lot more presents."

20. Together - 8 months, Married - No

"He is Hispanic and they celebrate on Christmas Eve... we have his daughter and we go to his family and celebrate there for the 24th, then my parents on the 25th!"

21. I had 2 couples (1 together for 3 years and married, the other 7 years and not married

They both said they split between the families evenly.

Holidays are hard, you always want to make sure you spend time with all of your loved ones while you can. You don't want to leave anyone out, and that can be especially hard when there's more family involved. The best advice that I can give, is to do what makes both of you happy and what is least stressful for you. My boyfriend and I have agreed that we will spend the morning with my family, lunch with his, dinner with mine and dessert with his this year (I think for both Christmas and Thanksgiving). Then next year, we will do vice versa! Do what is going to make the holidays the best it can be for YOU guys.

Report this Content
10 Of The Best Shows To Binge Watch Over Winter Break

As the semester is coming to an end, most of us are going to have more free time on our hands. This calls for binge watching a new show on Netflix and really using this break to relax from the stress of school. Here are some of the best shows on Netflix that you should be watching.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

11 Gifs That Explain Your Lazy Weekend

Get ready for 2.5 days of doing absolutely nothing

529
netflix
Kayla Master

Admit it: everyone loves to have a lazy weekend every once in a while. Not too much work to do, comfy clothes, Netflix binge sessions: just a few of the perfect components of a relaxing weekend. While you may get to a point where you regret doing absolutely nothing with your weekend, you just got to pull through and finish out this weekend to prove that you can go 2.5 days without accomplishing a single thing.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

10 Truths About Being In A Sorority

(For Girls Who Are Interested In Greek Life)

2622
Sorority
Rebekah Lee

I remember my freshman year oh so well. I remember feeling terrified the night before orientation. The one thing that I dreaded the most was not the new people, the new environment, or even the academic pressure. I was dreading having to talk to sorority girls about Recruitment. I remember cutting off and avoiding any Rho Gamma/Panhellenic Officer that came my way during First Week. I looked at them like they had asked me to cut my arm off whenever they asked me if I wanted to rush. To be honest, I did not even know what rush was, but I knew that I did NOT want to be a part of it. To me, it was dumb. It was a waste of money. It was a waste of my time.

And guess what? I did not rush my freshman year. I spent the first half of my freshman year isolating myself from everyone on campus. I spent all of my time in the library, and then (since I was a commuter) went back home once my work was finished.

Keep Reading...Show less
10 Must Watch Shows During Winter Break
Netflix

Now that the semester is over, you are probably wondering what your purpose of life is beside writing essays and constantly studying. Breaks give you time for some rest and relaxation, and what better way to relax than cuddling with some hot cocoa and some Netflix. Here is a list compiled of shows that must make it into your binge watching sessions, with the website in which you can find it. Enjoy!

Keep Reading...Show less
Disney Princesses
The Odyssey
Tiana would no doubt be disappointed in the food our cafeteria has to offer.

And hopefully she would cook for everyone in her dorm.

She definitley would not take any 8:00 am classes because she would be up late baking and cleaning up the communal kitchen that are available in every dorm.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments