Split Holidays

My coworkers and I went out to lunch yesterday and talked about what we did for Thanksgiving and what our plans our for Christmas and New Years. I noticed that all of us are having to be in different places at the same time when it comes to Holidays. One couple alternate their parents every other year for Christmas and it's worked for them for a while now. The rest of us, we're still a little torn. One person decided that they will not go "home" this Christmas and she feels guilty about it. The other decided to go to her dad's for Thanksgiving so she doesn't have to go down there for Christmas. Vince and I for the past two years have always spent Christmas Eve at my moms then we drive to Kansas City Christmas morning and be there by dinner. Last year it took us over 13 hours to get there due to the winter storm and didn't get there til after 10 pm. That was a little unacceptable. So this year we've decided that he will drive up there a couple of days before Christmas with Rocky and Maddie and I will stay and spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at my mom's and we'll fly out to KC later that afternoon. This kinda bums me because is this something we have to look forward to when we're married and moved out of Texas? What happens when he and I live in a different state from our family? Do we split the holidays? Do we alternate? What happens when we have children and we prefer to spend Christmas at our own home? Would the grandparents come out to us then? I guess we can't please everyone. Something's gotta give. I guess we'll worry about that much later. For now I guess we'll see how this new system will work for us. **Sigh** When did the holidays become sooooo much stressful?