What does Christmas mean to you?

They'll do rude and offensive things all year, which makes me not want to invite them. My father in law has literally called our house and left a message on our machine so my kids could hear it saying he's going to kick us out of our house and that he doesn't care if we live on the streets. Last year he was fighting with my hubby over money, and in front of the kids said he didn't care if they got Christmas presents or not, and the only reason he needed the money was to buy a present for his wife. My mother in law is rather annoying as well, just in a different way. She'll come over totally unannounced and disrupt anything I'm doing. If I have the kids upstairs cleaning their room she'll call them outside, even if I don't want them out. If I tell them not to do something she'll tell them to go ahead and do it. But then she yells at them over other things like spinning in place or running around, which I don't yell at them for. And she always has to make comments about the way I do things. She stopped over once while I was cleaning and acted all surprised that I actually clean. She tried to tell me to make my left handed son use his right hand by tying the left behind his back. She just always has something to say and basically wants me to feel like I'm doing everything wrong. She's never accepted me. Sometimes I can grin and bear it, but I make it a quick eat and leave sort of thing. There have been some years though that they upset me shortly before Christmas and I wasn't over it by the time the holiday came, so I told them they were not invited.

Kats, you need to psych yourself up to have a good time regardless of who shows up. Don't let others ruin your holiday. Laughter is the best medicine - laugh off things that might be said that offends or hurts you. Don't let anyone come in and try to put a damper on your spirit! If they keep it up, tell them you aren't going to have that in your house and ask them to leave! Don't let them stress you out.

I know it would be nice for you to have part of your family for Christmas at least one time. We use to celebrate with my husband's family on Christmas Eve and then go to my parents on Christmas Day. That has drastically changed. His parents are gone, my Dad is deceased, and my Mother is 91. She isn't up to a big crowd at the house, having to worry about kids running through and a big mess to clean up. So a few of us go on Christmas, but our immediate family has our Christmas get-together here at our house.

I believe Christmas is what we make it. I can be happy just sitting at home in front of my gas logs, watching a Christmas movie. I can be happy just seeing my grandchildren come through my back door. They don't have to bring a thing but a hug and laughter.

Barb, since Christmas is about giving, I decided to give my kids the freedom from guilt of choosing one family over another. Christmas is in your heart, and we do a lot on Thanksgiving with our family, including sharing a devotional/memory book.

There is only 11 of our immediate family. Mother makes 12. I have 2 children, 6 grandchildren, a daughter/i/law, and us. We don't get together with my family anymore - too many kids in the bunch and they would come to Mother's just for what she gave out, and when she quit giving gifts or money, they quit coming. She said that was fine with her - she realized what they came for.