Holiday Stress

For me and my husband the holidays are nothing but stress.

I've talked about this before I'm sure.

Normally I get super sick around the holidays and not better until the new year starts. And it has nothing to do with the weather, colds, flus, or other bugs.

Its stress.

Both of our families are within 2 miles of the other. Its ridiculous to me to not see both of them when they are right there. Family is very important to Jace and I, and we always want to please both families.

Well, pleasing both families seems to be IMPOSSIBLE. And always leads to us being miserable. Jace actually made the statement that he HATES Christmas.

Thanksgiving is great, we've got that down to a science. We alternate years where we do dinner with the other family. On the "off" years, we do dessert with the other family. Perfect. Christmas however is quite another story. YIKES.

And now the holidays are upon us. And i'm half way through my pregnancy and get stressed even easier than normal. I REFUSE, dang it, to let my holidays (my first while pregnant too) get marred by stress. Refuse!

I know that in the next couple of years, our holiday plans will change anyway. I plan on having my own little family's Christmas morning at our home. And THEN going to go visit and see the grandparents. It will be time for us to establish our own family traditions. However, i'm pregnant this christmas and baby will only be 8 months next Christmas...so its gonna be a couple of years until I switch things up again.

 Until then,

How do you, who have family in the same state/city deal with this kind of situation? Are people in the families pretty flexible or "selfish" and want you all to themselves?