My MIL had all the intensity of many in that generation about holidays and whose house & all that. One year my parents joined us at the in laws, both for the. big Christmas Eve open house and the 20-30 person Christmas Day meal. DH & I likely spent the night and did mornng with them, too.
Afterwards I said something to my mother, that MIL acted like she’d won or something. I had noticed some unattractive preening in her having everyone at her house for 24th/25th.
My genius mother said, “Oh, she can win those two days, it’s fine. I get you all year.” Both were local to us, but his parents were a PITA for the nearly 40 years I knew them. My parents were the comfortable, easy, respite house. Blessings upon my mother for her wisdom.