~* Ash *~
We're in Columbia, SC to spend Thanksgiving with Lu's family. Lu's parents have also planned a second reception for us, so we're excited for both Thursday and Friday afternoon. I'm especially excited because my parents are coming down on Friday with my aunt and uncle. :-)
However, the holidays aren't always the most wonderful time of the year for all couples. In fact, they can be downright stressful, or just weird, for most newlyweds. The hardest part: Where to spend it?
My parents grew up in the same city, and my sister and her husband are both from Maryland. Spending the holidays with both families used to be as easy as hopping in the car and driving from breakfast with one family to dinner with the other.
Most of my dating/married friends nowadays are like Lu and me. They grew up in different states than their partners. The holidays become more of a negotiation that generally falls along these lines:
1) "My family's closer, so let's just spend every Thanksgiving with them. Then we'll spend every Christmas with yours."
2) "We'll spend Thanksgiving with your family and Christmas with mine. Then next year, we'll switch."
3) "I love you, but I'd rather spend the holidays with my own family. See you on New Year's Eve!"
4) "Let's just go on a vacation, then we don't have to pick at all...."
The first year we knew each other, the holidays weren't even worth bringing up. By the end of the second year, we were dating pretty seriously. We ended up spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with our own families -- but videochatting with each other during the day, and we headed back to Ann Arbor to spend New Year's Eve together.
Last year, we spent Thanksgiving with my family and Christmas with Lu's family. We decided that would be our standard. Thanksgiving at my house, and Christmas at Lu's house. It was actually a pretty easy decision:
-- My family's closer to Michigan, so we usually end up driving to Maryland for long weekends a few times a year. Two full weeks with Lu's family over our two-week break balances out the 3-4 long weekends spent with mine.
-- Thanksgiving is more of a big deal at my house with lots of extended family sharing dinner at alternating relatives' homes.
-- Christmas is a big deal for Lu's family with his parents hosting dinner for 50+ family members each year.
This year, we've flipped it because Lu's parents are having a second reception for us over Thanksgiving, and my parents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on Christmas Eve. (Yes, the big 5-0! Amazing!!) However, next year, we'll be back to our routine.
Right now, this works for us. Although I'm sure that there will be some adjustments once we have babies involved.... Good thing we've got some time before we have to worry about that!
However, the holidays aren't always the most wonderful time of the year for all couples. In fact, they can be downright stressful, or just weird, for most newlyweds. The hardest part: Where to spend it?
My parents grew up in the same city, and my sister and her husband are both from Maryland. Spending the holidays with both families used to be as easy as hopping in the car and driving from breakfast with one family to dinner with the other.
Most of my dating/married friends nowadays are like Lu and me. They grew up in different states than their partners. The holidays become more of a negotiation that generally falls along these lines:
1) "My family's closer, so let's just spend every Thanksgiving with them. Then we'll spend every Christmas with yours."
2) "We'll spend Thanksgiving with your family and Christmas with mine. Then next year, we'll switch."
3) "I love you, but I'd rather spend the holidays with my own family. See you on New Year's Eve!"
4) "Let's just go on a vacation, then we don't have to pick at all...."
The first year we knew each other, the holidays weren't even worth bringing up. By the end of the second year, we were dating pretty seriously. We ended up spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with our own families -- but videochatting with each other during the day, and we headed back to Ann Arbor to spend New Year's Eve together.
Last year, we spent Thanksgiving with my family and Christmas with Lu's family. We decided that would be our standard. Thanksgiving at my house, and Christmas at Lu's house. It was actually a pretty easy decision:
-- My family's closer to Michigan, so we usually end up driving to Maryland for long weekends a few times a year. Two full weeks with Lu's family over our two-week break balances out the 3-4 long weekends spent with mine.
-- Thanksgiving is more of a big deal at my house with lots of extended family sharing dinner at alternating relatives' homes.
-- Christmas is a big deal for Lu's family with his parents hosting dinner for 50+ family members each year.
This year, we've flipped it because Lu's parents are having a second reception for us over Thanksgiving, and my parents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on Christmas Eve. (Yes, the big 5-0! Amazing!!) However, next year, we'll be back to our routine.
Right now, this works for us. Although I'm sure that there will be some adjustments once we have babies involved.... Good thing we've got some time before we have to worry about that!
