I plan to use covid as extensively as I possibly can to avoid anything I dont want to do!   Lol.

For Thanksgiving my MIL in flying in. SS20, my 2 bios, my brother and his new wife will be with us as well.

For Christmas my SS16 will be in town (if he gets on the plane this time), my brother, SIL, Sister, BIL will all be over our house along with my 2 bios and SS20. 

My mom is undergoing Chemo right now so that is the only reason that my parents won't be at both celebrations. We will be doing a big video conference with them and I am dropping off all the food to their house so they don't have to worry about cooking.

We are all careful and take as many procautions as we can. But if my mom's cancer has shown us anything it is that life is short and you should spend time with people you love. 

I guess the question is do you feel comfortable having everybody over? If you do then have them over and enjoy.

DH thinks we're going to Skidville (800 mile trip)  for Christmas, as we almost always do. My DD lives within a couple of hours of skids, so we see her too. Normally, I dread the trip. Add a pandemic, and I really don't want to go.

Skids and DD do take the virus seriously -- stay home, wear masks, etc. Still we've got to travel--public restrooms, hotel nights, etc.

So, I dunno what we'll end up doing. Ignoring for now. 

Most all our families live long flights away and the only ones who don't are a looooong drive in potentially bad weather and with COVID it's not possible as they are both high risk.

We don't have and skids over Thanksgiving ever so I take that entire week off. Xmas we'll only have YSD as OSD refuses to acknowledge our presence.  I hope DH wises up and sends no presents as a result....

We'll have a lovely romatic gourmet dinner to ourselves on Thanksgiving.

All my fiancé has are his kids and me left.  I've not seen my 80+ YO parents who are a long drive or a shortish flight away.  But after talking it over with my sister who is a pediatric nurse and my BIL who is a critical care nurse, we are waiting until the spring and hopefully the vaccine.  
 

So romantic Thanksgiving it is (as skids always go to BMs family, which is fine with us!)

From the looks and sound of things, COVID shutdowns will prevent the skids' annual journey here over winter break.  The silver lining for me has been almost a full year of peace, other than a short summer interruption.  I will actually enjoy my holidays this year.  And we have saved SO much money not having to travel back and forth to see them or fund all their travels to see us.  For all that I've given up (I so miss happy hours, live music, international travel, etc.), I now know with certainty that I'd trade it all for emotional and financial peace.  Things can't go back to the way the were before... 

So happy I disengaged from crazy nacissistic SD23. 

Going to have a small Friendsgiving in Napa at their timeshare with a kitchen.  This couple has been in our COVID circle, and I specifically told SO that his SD was not invited (lives nearby in SF).  SD did fish around for an invite but he said no room at the inn, and he is spending Thanksgiving day with me and friends and will seperate the day after to see SD. 

So SD will spend Thanksgiving with SO's sister (also nearby) as that was the only option SD had - no friends or other close family (SD does not speak to BM and siblings don't speak to SD).  I'm sure SD is disasppointed at not being able to spin more drama but we certainly won't miss it!

Christmas I am spending the week in Santa Fe with a close girlfriend (also been in my COVID circle, works from home, doesn't go out except with us).  I told SO he is free to host the toxic SD if he wants but I want SD gone by the time I return before New Year's.

I plan on holding my ground on not going to the inlaws. I hear enough stupid comments from my mom so I dont need it tenfold at his family's house. Last Xmas, gmil said DH shouldn't have had more children (our daughter) so his other kids could be there instead.  I dont want to hear anymore about this long drawn out court issue, about BM, and the nutty *ss skids, and what a shame it is they divorced.  And right now they are catering to a drug addict family member that burglarized there house a few months ago. So, no thank you.  The waitress at cracker barrel engages with me more socially than what I get at the inlaws so I'm down with having my holiday meal at CB.

But I won't be visiting family at Christmas for the first time in forever.  My partents are divorced so I normally see them on seperate days.  My dad has comprimised lungs from scarlet fever when he was a kid.  My mom has an autoimmune disease (that might be inheritable, what fun).  There is no way it is would be a good idea to hop on an international flight just to see them for a couple of hours each.

We'll do something over zoom.