Well, Christmas day was pretty much the most boring day of the year for me growing up. My family does mot celebrate Christmas, school was closed, and everyone is with their families. For Chanukah we did not do a big deal celebration, we just lit the candles, when I was very little we received gifts and I can remember a couple of years when I was very little that extended family actually got together. The one holiday my extended family always came together for was Passover, and I do miss it, but that ended when I went away to college, and now my grandma has passed away, and she was the one who always hosted it. The good part about not growing up with the “magic” of Christmas, is I don’t feel depressed or dissappointed during the holidays like so many of my friends.
Now that I am married we usually spend Christmas with my husband’s family, and honestly it doesn’t matter much to me what time of year we see them. Not to mention it can cost me double to be with them on Christmas. I know that sounds awful. Usually, my husband has enough days off, that we can find a reasonable flight, but really, sometimes, we could see them twice for what thanksgiving or Christmas travel is once. The practical part of me thinks it is nice to be together more often, than on a particular day. Not to mention they are in FL, and honestly I would rather visit in freezing cold late January or February. But, practicality doesn’t always win out.