Once Will and I became an Official, Serious Couple, we had to start dividing up who got to see us on the holidays.
We are lucky in that both sets of parents living within driving range (from us and from one another) so planning visits does not involve plane tickets. However, there’s only one Thanksgiving a year, and we have to decide at whose table we will be dining.
Thus far (as we’ve only been through two holiday seasons together), it’s been completely even. Last year was Thanksgiving with his family. This year will be the reverse.
Last year, we handled the Christmas split by each spending Christmas Eve with our parents and then later reconvening at the chosen dinner location (last year, my house; this year, his) on the 25th. We will do that again this year. I’ll wake up on Christmas Day in my childhood bedroom and later, Will will come to take me to his parents’ place for food. We don’t particularly mind being apart on Christmas Eve and figure this method will work until there are babies present.*
As Will is my first For-Real, Adult Relationship, this is the first time I’ve had to divvy up holiday access. I’m thus always curious how other couples do it. Obviously, people with families further afield can’t split up Christmas Eve and Day quite like we do.
If you are a Holiday-Splitter, what’s your M.O.? Do you alternate? Are there other holidays you split (e.g., Easter)? Have you yet convinced your two families to merge at festive occasions for convenience purposes?
*Note: Babies shan’t be joining us until an as-of-yet undetermined future Yuletide.