This is my first Thanksgiving with Anthony.
Well, not the very first, but the first "real" one. This time last year we had been going out for like, 15 days, and, while we had known each other for a few months at that point, it still seemed a tiny smidge too early to be spending the holiday with each others families.
So, we did our own things, and just texted all day long instead. So it was pretty much like we were together, right?
This year, however, we are taking our first stab at tackling the holidays together, and splitting them up amongst each fam damily.
Anthony's family is easy. He has his immediate family, and then his mom's side. His dad's side lives in Florida. For Thanksgiving, they all head over to his maternal grandmother's house for the day. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
My family, on the other hand? That's where shit gets tricky.
For starters, my parents are recently divorced, and thus live in different places. Which, in order to see both my parents on a holiday, what used to be one stop shopping has now been spliced into two stops. If my dad's side is doing something, that takes place in one town, my mom's takes place in another. I'm assuming there will be a time where I have to choose between my parents. Looking forward to that one like I do a root canal appointment.
Dealing with just my parents' schedules would be one thing. But having to coordinate holiday gatherings between three different groups of people is much more stressful than I imagined. Basically, either someone is going to be left out, or the visits are going to be super short and rushed.
This year we are going to do early dinner with my mom. Spend a couple hours there, stop in quick to see my dad because he lives kinda sorta close by, and should be home around that time. After that we are going to head to Anthony's grandma's house for dessert with his peeps. Sounds like nothing, but there is quite a bit of driving involved, and I still feel a little selfish, as though I'm taking him from dinner with his family.
Blah. I don't know. This is just the beginning. Wait until we get to Christmas, the "real" holiday (to me) where I will want to be with my family and make sure he gets to see his, and make sure we get to see each other in the process.
They were smart to make Christmas a two day thing.
How do you split up the holiday time?
Linking up with the Follower to Friend blog hop today!
Splitting up holiday time is TOUGH! Esepcially when you have divorced parents. Which...well, I don't...but I'm can't imagine having to add in an extra stop.
ReplyDeleteWe eat at my parent's around 2 on Thanksgiving, and then eat again at Chris' mother's house around 6. We live right next door to my parent's, so the commute is BRUTAL. Or, not at all. Not even close. And his mom lives about five minutes away.
I will be eating and drinking a lot tomorrow, and I hope you do the same!
Oh girl, I'm so sorry. That is stressful! I've lucked out in this situation. My parents live 45 minutes away. My extended family is all in California, so obviously I won't be seeing them. James's family is in North Carolina, so he won't be seeing them, which thankfully he's totally fine with. So we just drive to my parent's house and stay with them. I would lose my mind if I had to go multiple places!
ReplyDeleteSince James' entire family is in California, we just go to my grandma's for Thanksgiving, so I'm sorry I can't give real advice. :( Just my support and sympathy because that sounds stressful as hell! Maybe so you don't feel so bad about doing dinner with your mom's family and only dessert with his, next year you can plan to reverse it? Dinner with his family and dessert with your mom's? You could just take turns every year - that's what my aunt and uncle do.
ReplyDeleteI know you'll probably say that always leaves your dad with just a visit in the middle but, didn't your dad not really do holiday stuff with you guys normally? So it wouldn't be that different to him? :-?