The holidays are around the bend and you’ve got two sets of families. If you’re lucky (or should I say unlucky) and live in the neighborhood, then you can easily visit both . Otherwise you have to work out a schedule with the spouse.

I’ve been there and done that. We have a loose rotation of who to visit, while I’m more a creature of habit and I am used to visiting specific people depending on the holiday. I had that weird aunt that lived in boredom. No video games, no snacks, no toys. She had a 13″ telly with rabbit antenna ears. Awful.

Now a married man, Mary and I travel up and down the state visiting family members where you stay there just long enough to stuff down a bite or two, all the while checking the clock when you need to leave to get to the next family household.

This year is a little odd as my family’s host is away. So lunch is at the museum…the parents. I enjoy their company, it’s just that it’s always cold and everything is considered on display, as in do not touch. I’m surprised they don’t rope off areas of the house.

I’m guessing tradition trumps my wishes and we’ll spend Christmas at an aunt/uncle’s place. But wait, why not take over hosting responsibilities from the aging and welcome the next generation of traditions? This Christmas I’d like to celebrate it in our home. This will be our first Christmas together with the 16 of us: Oreo, Bear Bear, Koala, Baby Bear, Farrell, Mila, Lila, Teddy Ruxpin, Cinnamon, Pooh, Pooh, Doggy, Panda, Mary, Jagger (in mommy), and me. This way when we open gifts we can play with it right away. It’s such a tease to open the video game you’ve been wanting, only to be at your aunt’s house — the no fun zone.

But returning to my tradition coup d’état, having it in our home allows us to have both families together. No argument between you and the spouse where we need to be or how much fun it is at the other house. Problem solved. And most importantly, when you unwrap Gears of War 2, your XBOX 360 is in the next room.