Christmas?

Do you go over the top ?? We do with our kids but I think its time to take it easy

we haven't for the past two years b/c of the wedding, and it will take us a while to ramp up.

but with my family, opening gifts is an all day affair. everyone has piles of stuff and we all take turns. we start at 1130, break for brunch, go back to it, and are finished around 4.30 when we put on dinner, and then we eat a laaaate English style dinner around 9pm complete with flaming plum pudding around 11.

DH's family starts at like 8am and everyone opens everything at the same time and there's a flurry of paper being ripped off everything. They are done by 1030 or 11. VERY different!

no, and i never did.

to me, the holiday is religious first and foremost for me and DH and my immediate family. i do like exchanging with DH and we do a secret santa for the family, but that's it. i think the over indulgence is ridiculous. the money could be better spent helping those who need it. in fact, i usually buy gifts and bring them to the church who gives to families that need. when you see the Church asking you to buy socks or a sweater for someone, you realize the extravagant gifts are not necessary.

Me & my whole family goes completey overboard.
DH thinks we're all crazy.
On christmas we eat for the first 5 hrs & opens gifts the following 4 hrs - i think it's an italian thing or maybe we are a little crazy