We made it to another holiday season. I love the holidays. The shows, the songs, the smells, I love Christmas lights they always bring out the amazed kid in me. I love it all except…The dreaded holiday visits. I know I’m not the only parent that has to plot out maps to figure out where we go first, who we are going to see, can we make it to everyone’s house in a blizzard. Two years ago the kids and I literally drove through a blizzard, it took us 2 hours to get to a place that normally takes 15 minutes. I’m so happy to spend time with family and friends, but do we have to fit all these visits into one day, Christmas break is two weeks, we have time, right?!

Between the arranging and re-arranging of house guest, brunch, dinner, opening gifts, playing with gifts the day is jammed packed. Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful for it all, but I’d appreciate my peoples even more if we were not guilted into coming to 12 houses, staying for 10 minutes, not long enough to take our coats off, we miss the whole visit. There’s no joy standing there coats on, making excuses as to why we can’t stay. I want to create memories not maps!

Solution to this! Hide in your house, don’t open the doors, pretend you’re not at home. Just kidding! Talk with your family, the ones you will be in the car with. You all decide as a group at least two locations you should go to. If you are married or dating, there should be one place to represent each family. Spend the morning in one location and the evening in another. This should give you enough time to hug, sing, eat, and be merry with the family.

The holidays should be about creating moments for you and your family and friends to share. Don’t let guilt take that from you. Besides if all else fails you can pack Christmas in a car and Angela Bassett-Waiting to Exhale it and try again next year (just joking).

What are your holiday plans? Where will you end up?