Depending on which relatives...

You clearly love your relatives but after a few days of sleeping on the sofa so your cousin who you never see gets to sleep in your bed,your about ready to push them out the door.

i don't mind as long as its not a bunch of screaming kids. theirs or mine. also as long as they go home in a reasonable amount of time it can be a joyous occasion. they also have to entertain themselves. its not one of my fortes.

Gather, round children and I will tell a tale to freeze the very marrow of your bones, of the Dread Christmas of 1998, when the entire pack of irishgit inlaws descendent like ravening Visigoths upon the poor Harps house. Nine of them, there were, and each a bickering and a gorging and mixing coke with his Jamesons until the poor lad was beside himself. They were led by the Dread Queen Philomena, she of the mighty tonnage, and razor tongue, who asked, nay demanded the use of the irishgit marital bed to rest her bloated carcass. Sore tried he was, the poor wee Mick, and he sought solace with his aides, the Turkey that is Wild, and the Smooth Black Guinness, lo, and even the mighty Russian Stolichnaya, but to no avail... The hordes overcame him, and he was lost....

I actually, for the most part, wouldn't have a problem with this, but there are a couple of relatives that have totally different views and tastes than I do, so I think a couple of days would be my limit on this one.

Be careful here guys. December 26th, 1999...a date which will live in infamy... I came home late morning and heard my wife in the shower... Being the charmer that I am, I placed ice cubes and water into a giant squirt bottle. I stealthily made my way in, pulled the curtain back, and began squirting the cold water. There was only one problem...it was my gorgeous (now ex) sister in law standing there. She laughed, but later....my wife found no humor in the situation. Be careful when guests stay for the holidays!

More like staying at thiers. I find myself a lot more comfortable at my house where I know the actual water pressure in the bathroom.

thank goodness we do not have a  very big house. and most of our relatives live nearby. years ago we have hosted relatives for a couple nights. it is okay but glad when it is over. I am not one who really likes being a hostess to people staying at my house. i guess if it I have to I will. but only for a couple nights after that too much anxiety.

Since my wife and I live in an apartment, this isn't really an issue. But I will give it four stars for having to stay at relatives' houses. Visiting relatives when we're the only guests is OK, but around holidays I don't like it because the house is always jammed packed. Last Christmas I slept on the floor in the living room at my wife's (fiancee at that time) parents' house.  Too many people and not enough beds doesn't make for an enjoyable holiday for me.

I invite the ones I really like to stay and save the $ otherwise spent on Hotels. . .of course, they are the right kinds of guests and I am the right kind of host- fresh towels, clean bathroom, coffeemaker programmed for the morning, and danishes for breakfast.  What do my intelligent guests bring to the door?  Expensive beer or wine. . .people either know how to be a guest or they don't . . .

Not an issue for me yet:  there's at least one perk of having a one-bedroom apartment!

I don't have to worry about this, I live about five to seven hours north of anyone I'd ever give directions to my house... they'd have to drive a long way to cook me dinner... hehe.  I could always serve up some Christmas KFC.

"Oh look howard she's got her boobies.....and they are so perky!"