How to survive today with all of your family. And yes, wine is involved.

Every year it’s the same.

My son asked to borrow my laptop the other day.

“What are you doing?” I asked

“Just writing a list of all our Christmas plans,” he answered, “There’s a lot. I need a list.”

He was right.

There is a lot.

There’s always a lot.

For as long as I can remember Christmas has been an absolute hectic blur of seeing as many relations in as little time as possible.

That said, I love it, at least looking back on the day.

You see, I am an absolute Christmas tragic and I insist we attend every Christmas event we possibly can. From work parties to actually seeing all the family. And I mean ALL.

For me, Christmas starts the Sunday before actual Christmas. We spend it with my dad.

Then comes Christmas Eve. Where basically everyone with any relation to my mum and her husband descend on to her house. There’s my family and I, Nan, and all of my siblings and their children. Not to mention my boys’ other grandma and the step-siblings and their partners. To say it is pure mayhem is the understatement of the year. The trick though is not to resort to drinking too much wine because the real chaos starts the next morning.

Ahhh…it wouldn’t be Christmas with the kids if they aren’t poking you in the eye when the sun rises (thank you daylight saving for making that much much earlier). Between opening presents and trying to get my kids to eat something without sugar, I attempt to wish my fiance a Merry Christmas.

Then it’s a game of Tetris. How many people and presents can fit into a car? A lot.

And it's even more fun with the bonus round of having everyone sit still and not sneakily open the presents with a 2 hour drive to the in-laws. The silver lining is that I get on with my in-laws - I know so many friends who don't. Couldn't imagine having to deal with that as well.

But wait, at 4pm the day isn't even close to being finished. There is Round 2 at my mum's with Christmas dinner (because Christmas Eve is technically not Christmas Day and we HAVE to see each other again.) So it's replay with the little cousins, all boys, running mayhem throughout mum's house.

Did I mention I've had lots of wine by this point?

Even when the clock strikes midnight on the busiest day of the year, the celebrations aren't even done. Boxing Day. Single people know this as the day for shopping. Families know this as getting together with every single person who could possibly have your DNA. And some strangers. Because why not.

So add those up and we have a total of 6. Yep, 6 gatherings.

But in saying all that, you know what? It may be hectic and crazy and we may drive here there and everywhere to fit it all in but at the end of the day (at least end of Boxing Day), I love it.

Whether it's ham or turkey or playing some backyard cricket, I love it.

And even though we all whinge (me included) and swear we will skip town next year,  we forget about all the effort we've just made because we get to spend it with people we love.

So as you rush around today don’t forget to enjoy it.

Enjoy the laughs, the love, the bad Christmas cracker jokes and absolutely enjoy a second helping of some delicious trifle. Or wine if that helps.

Merry Christmas.

Share what your Christmas day looks like in the comments below.

CLICK THROUGH the gallery for some terrible terrible Christmas cracker jokes.

Want more? Try:

Put this on your Christmas wish list and you’ll eat well all year.

“Dear Cranky Mummy. You aren’t invited this Christmas.”