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Yes we do crackerjack. We're trying a new method this year, one holiday at a restaurant for whoever is here (no big home cooked Christmas Eve meal this year) and the other holiday WE'RE leaving town.

When my son first got married, it was going to be one year with me here in Florida and the next year with Melissa's family where they all go to Pound, Va and have a big family get-together.
So far, the kids have only come here once for Christmas, when Melissa was pregnant. Now that there's 3 of them, coming here, airline tickets are too expensive, so I don't get them for Christmas.
It's a bummer, but then I do get to spend Christmas with my sister and her husband and our nephew, Ed. And then the next day, we celebrate my sister's and my birthday all together, so that's always a fun time. Since 1996, when I moved to Florida, I gave my sister a birthday present in a very pretty box. She kept the box and my birthday present was in it the next year, So we've been packing each other's present in that same box since 1996. This year, she has the box.
So, even if you don't get to celebrate Christmas with your kids, you can still have a wonderful Christmas as long as you have family and friends! And the Christmas spirit. :-)

That's very nice Debbie, especially about your birthday gift box. Where does your son live?
What do you do about Thanksgiving? How do you spend your Thanksgiving with? I have a married daughter and a grandson, and a single son. We spend Christmas Eve together and on Christmas day my son comes to my house and my married daughter goes to her in-laws.

I'm in Florida and my son is in Maryland, right next to Annapolis. I see them about once a year.
Thanksgiving, I also spend with my sister and her family.
Who knows? Maybe next year I'll be celebrating Christmas with my son and his family or celebrating with a new love. LOL, nahhh

Easter is at home and just the two of us. Thanksgiving is usually at my daughter's inlaw's house, but this year we're staying home. Christmas Day is dinner at my daughter's house and everyone is invited. I have a son in NC and another daughter in TX. We haven't all been together for years, but I'm glad when they get invited to someone's home or have people over to their homes. I hate the thought of them being alone. We were going to try this year, but my granddaughter will be having surgery the day before Thanksgiving and then again in mid December, so they won't be traveling. Holidays just don't mean much to me anymore. It's more sad than joyous. I really miss having everyone close.

I know what you mean Val, but I like to have my family together at holidays. I never grow tired of it. Sorry to hear about your grandaughter having to have surgery. I hope things work out for her and you too.
The point I was trying to say in this messasge was the conflict a family has of not hurting the feelings of one family against the other (like who's house to go to; i.e., their mother's or in-laws). You know what I mean Val?

Since I live alone here in TN, I usually cook dinner for Thanksgiving and Christmas, for the past couple of years my nephew has been with me. Last year he was in the Middle East so I didn't bother cooking. A friend/client of mine who only lives down the street invited me for Thanksgiving and for Christmas I was alone but it was nice not to have to cook or entertain. This year he is stationed in Clarksville, TN which is only about 1 1/2 hours from where I live so I know he will be here for Thanksgiving and I have invited one of my clients who doesn't have family here and just lost her mother last April. I don't know if she'll come but I extended the invitation. Don't know what my nephew's plans are for Christmas but I have a friend/former co worker who doesn't have family in TN and just lost her mom so I invited her for Christmas dinner.

We had no problem once we married... it seems our families also merged! We would still hit both parents for Thanksgiving dinners; one at 1 PM and the other after football, maybe 5 or 6 PM. That was when I could still eat TWO big dinners! Christmas EVE was for both families, Christmas Day just a relaxing day, no big feast, as with New Years!

4 of us went out to dinner last night at a friends restaurant. He joined us for some wine after he closed and a conversation about Thanksgiving came up. He said he was going to close this year and feed some folks who may need a little help. I think we're going to help out with that, if my kids and grandkids (the ones who will be in town) want to join us fine. He's owned the restaurant for a very long time and it's in a good location for what he has in mind for Thanksgiving. The 4 of us will start a coat drive with the businesses we deal with and other friends we know that own businesses, and in our own neighborhoods. Then we'll give the coats, hats and scarves away at the restaurant on Thanksgiving.

These huge dinners are fun (I love to cook them) and I enjoy having family and friends around, but few in my family really appreciate the tradition much, or like various traditional fish dishes, and their usually pressured to get to their spouses family, friends they feel obligated to visit or my ex's house by a certain time. It sometimes looks as though it's almost a burden for them to pack up all the kids and stuff they bring and hurry, hurry, hurry.
I'm looking forward to the day, if it ever comes, the kids decide to start some tradition of their own and firmly say "we're doing it this year, be here at ____:___ o clock. or earlier if you want to help.

That's precisely why my youngest has Christmas at her house every year. The first couple of years they were married, it was hard for them to be here, at his mom's and and his grandparent's houses too. Now it's at her place and they are all invited. I don't mind, less mess and fuss for me. It's nice being the guest.