Where to Stay for the Holidays?

 

One thing that always bothered me over the years with our family of 5 is where to stay for the holidays.

We would usually travel hours to see a family member, who insisted that EVERYONE stay at her house. No matter that there wasn't enough room....

She would tell me that my kids could sleep on the couch, or buy an air mattress and sleep on the floor. 

How is that a fun thing for the holidays? I will have kids that are sleep deprived and cranky from trying not to roll off the couch. 

 And 5 of us are fighting to use the one guest bathroom. 

Was that a status thing for families? It was some sort of badge of honor to have children and grandchildren all under one roof? As many as you could squeeze in? One time, Family Member wanted 4 families (and their kids) to all stay at her house.

 While Family Member had the luxury of a large master bedroom, complete with a walk in closet and full sized bathroom with a jetted tub.......all to herself? 

Yet we were supposed to crowd in one small area and be miserable? 

Staying at a Hotel  

That family member has since passed away, so we can do whatever we want to for the holidays. 

This year, our family of 5 decided to do a short beach getaway. 

Just before our holiday trip, Son #1 let us know he was sick. He lives a few hours away from us and  hasn't been sick for 3 years! What bad timing! 

He wore a mask when he came home and during our holiday trip. He also decided to get his own hotel room so he wouldn't expose all of us to germs. 

With a family of 5 and 4 of us with asthma, any respiratory illness is bad news. 

We made it through the trip without the rest of us getting sick (a Christmas Miracle!) Seriously...

It made me wonder - why is it such a big deal to pay for a hotel room? Rather than stay with family?

Don't you a little time away from family? Son #1 didn't think it was so bad to have his own hotel room! 

I know money can be tight for a lot of people, so their only option is to crowed into a family home. 

But is there a price to having a little personal space and alone time?  

How do you all cope during the holidays? Or any other time you go to visit family?