As Christmas time comes around each year we have to struggle with whose family to visit. Should it be the same as last year or should we trade off. Then when the children come it becomes more complicated as all the grandparents want to see the kids at Christmas time. For some families Christmas time becomes a burden rather than a blessing. Moms and dads fight over who to visit and who is more important. It begins to wear on the nuclear family year after year if this issue does not get resolved quickly.

A great way to resolve holiday time conflict is to have a central meeting home where everyone is welcome and everyone has a good time. Start with sleeping arrangements. This can be a simple as setting up air mattresses in all your extra bedrooms. Set up all the teenagers in a room with a TV so they can stay up at night and watch movies or videos. Set the grandparents up with the big beds and private bathrooms. This way they have enough space to get away from all the hustle and bustle of a large family gathering.

Take into consideration what to do with your relatives that have small children. Do these kids sleep in their own beds when traveling or would they be more comfortable snuggling with mom and dad. Sleeping bags are a great way to deal with grade school age children. Set the kids up with sleeping bags and pillows in the same room as mom and dad. This way the kids can feel secure and safe while getting to camp out on the floor.

Make sure your refrigerator is stocked full of food. Have plenty of milk, juice, bread, fruit, cheese, eggs and stackable on hand. With two extended families coming together in one house your kitchen will be open 24 hours a day. If you make everything in the kitchen very accessible your guests will be able to serve themselves whenever they get hungry. For big meals where everyone is eating at the same time consider setting up a buffet. This way the teenage kids can sit in front of the TV and eat while grandma, grandpa and the younger kids can sit at the table.

This also offers a time when moms and dads can take a break from the responsibilities of feeding the younger children. The kids like to have grandma and grandpa care for them and grandma and grandpa like taking care of the kids. Bringing two families together is a great way to fill your home with lots of love and happiness during the holidays.