I'm done entertaining but I have a few more things to make. Today I'm making some hot pepper jelly for gifts and some sponge cake for my English trifleâ¦.my contribution to Christmas dinner. We're going to a friends house where she's gathering a bunch of straysâ¦â¦17 or 19, I can't remember. I'll also make some peppermint meringue cookies. I spent the entire weekend finishing up a monkey I was making for grandson born in September. I know it won't arrive for Christmas but I don't think a three month old will know the difference. Other than that, I have a few presents to wrap.

I generally let my husband make decisions regarding his kids but when it came to Christmas I put my foot down. He was calling the kids and they told us when they were free all on different nights. My husband asked what we should do. I said call them back and tell them we celebrate on Christmas Eve like always, if they can't come we will miss them. He did that and everyone came, no more complaints.

I did feel sorry for them and others who have 3 or 4 sets of parents to make happy, but we usually are the last on the list so Christmas Eve was ours whether they came or not.

Son's lady came by Saturday, and made some goodies.

My recipe we used was the Reindeer droppings which everyone loves.

Got that done and for her kids we made buckeyes and butterscotch haystacks.

Today I'm making fudge, and strawberry bread and out to WalMart before it gets too crazy there for extra stuff.

What little gifts I have are wrapped and out.l I just need to get the silver, crystal and china out.

Strawberry bread? I have some strawberries in the freezer I'm not sure what to do with.

Strawberry bread is so moist and delicious! Been making it since son was in the 3rd grade and he's 49 now :o)

EmmaR, I decided four years ago and announced it to the family. Christmas will be now and until I say otherwise be at our house the Saturday before Christmas. It really is the only day we can all seem to manage to be together. This way it does not interfere with what they want to do on Christmas Eve or Day. This year it was like some were doing a 'mutiny' on me~~made me grumpy, but I did not give in and they all showed up! Bratt's ;)

Between friends' events, work events, other family events, personal wishes, travel schedules, etc., I don't think it's considerate to give ultimatums to family members about when something will or won't be. You know there will be conflicts, why add unnecessary stress to the process?

We tend to ask around, try to find the common denominator, and we expressly say "we'll see you next time if this doesn't work for you". And we mean it. I think that approach is appreciated and rather than foster bad feelings, the invitees tend to favor our events because of our reasonable approach. You catch more flies with honey than with a stick.

Or you make people feel you are showing favoritism by choosing the day sister could make it and not the day they could! I think choosing a day away from the actual holiday and making it known and firm that is YOUR DAY is the most fair and most likely to get positive results. You are not competing with THE HOLIDAY. Everyone has the choice to pick your event or not, with plenty of warning. People who do not make you their priority--well as was said maybe next year. There are many many things that ask for our attention. Let them make their choices..you stand firm on yours!!