well reading everyones posts so far made me think.

I have only been celebrating this holiday for 33 years with JAHH

when we first were dating and married everything was Christmas eve at the inlaws house after his brothers fish store closed( a busy day for them 7 fishes and everything)
The my oldest neice came along so we went there on Christmas eve.

by the time we had our son, my niece got so upset one year cause my son was not in his crib at home sleeping for Santa to come and bring his presents I knew the gig was up . (besides by that time I just wanted to be in my own home on Christmas eve)
SO now it had morphed into Christmas dinner all together at the oldest brothers house.
the kids come in and out (nieces and nephews from two marriages his and hers second marriages lol)
Us adults have dinner and fun.

As my sister in law who I love dearly said again last night.
As long as we are all together that's what counts.
So I promised her I already have lots of her favorite wine for her and coffee and all her favorite things she likes.
(Its all in a reusable tote basket that is decorated in shoes, her favorite. ANd the coffee is called Joe--dark and handsome , two things my bro in law is not lol)

when our son was little I made a big deal about decorating the tree and remembering each person who gave us each ornament as we put it up.
Ornaments are a big thing between me and my son. But I found out by accident by almost throwing them away to him it would not be xmas without these three felt mice that we bought together when he was three and we were very poor and bought them in the dollar store. They are falling apart , missing eyes but for some reason , they are a treasure to him and because of that , a treasure to me too.
sorry