Guys, have any of you found that holidays are getting tougher as we get older ? We moved away from our hometown 5 years ago. My daughter & grandchildren live about 7 hours away in another state from our hometown. My son later moved to where I currently live & has gotten married. I am fortunate to have both of my parents, (92 & 82) which do live in our hometown. I still have brother/family there. So, we are scattered and away from home every holiday. I want to see my parents, wife wants to see grandchildren, son is with his wife's family usually in yet another state, my sister lives even in another state !! My parents can not travel at all, our families are getting smaller, so this is all a little stressful & a lot depressing. How do you guys deal with this ?
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Holidays are tough,,,
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split the holidays, and rotate the visits, so that one year you are both with your family and the next year you're with the wife's family.
between New Year's , birthdays, Easter, Christmas, and Thanksgiving, that should space it out enough so that you can get your visits in, and still remain connected.
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I agree with both the above posts and think that the only solution is to spread the visits over the various holidays, as pdudgeon suggests. We used to rush around, when we were younger, visiting different relatives and spending quite a lot of the Christmas break on the roads! 
So for me it has not got harder as I have aged, but I know what you mean about trying to fit in everyone.
I also agree about unrealistic expectations and I guess that a Walton-style get-together is seldom achieved with a large family. Some people struggle with the issues you have, others with the opposite problem finding the festive season sad because of bereavement or other losses. I've experienced both extremes and have found it best to remember that it is only three days, as Tull says. The media really want to sell us the perfect Christmas, but much of it is unattainable. However one thing which can be enjoyed anywhere in any circumstances - the celebration of the Lord God entering human history as a baby: it's awesome!
I hope you manage to sort it out and have a blessed Christmas!
So for me it has not got harder as I have aged, but I know what you mean about trying to fit in everyone.I also agree about unrealistic expectations and I guess that a Walton-style get-together is seldom achieved with a large family. Some people struggle with the issues you have, others with the opposite problem finding the festive season sad because of bereavement or other losses. I've experienced both extremes and have found it best to remember that it is only three days, as Tull says. The media really want to sell us the perfect Christmas, but much of it is unattainable. However one thing which can be enjoyed anywhere in any circumstances - the celebration of the Lord God entering human history as a baby: it's awesome!
I hope you manage to sort it out and have a blessed Christmas!
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My wife and were almost at the point of hating the holidays, our daughters want nothing to do with us, two of the four live hundreds of miles away. My family has all passed away, and my wife’s family is a mess, other than her brother.
We finally realized our focus was all wrong, thanksgiving is about counting our blessings and our greatest blessing is our church family, and the blessing God has poured out on us. With Christmas coming here again we have refocused on what we can do for others, and what Christ has done for us and mankind.
Maybe sometimes the tough times are there to help us refocus on what is truly important. Sure, the loses hurt, and sometimes there just isn’t enough comfort in words of encouragement.
I do understand your pain because I have four daughters, and nine grandchildren that want nothing to do with us, we have one grandson that has anything to do with us, and we raised him.
We finally realized our focus was all wrong, thanksgiving is about counting our blessings and our greatest blessing is our church family, and the blessing God has poured out on us. With Christmas coming here again we have refocused on what we can do for others, and what Christ has done for us and mankind.
Maybe sometimes the tough times are there to help us refocus on what is truly important. Sure, the loses hurt, and sometimes there just isn’t enough comfort in words of encouragement.
I do understand your pain because I have four daughters, and nine grandchildren that want nothing to do with us, we have one grandson that has anything to do with us, and we raised him.
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