With Christmas just around the corner, many people have given into the holiday fever. The holidays are an incredible time to be with close friends and family, but for some kids with divorced parents and blended families, they are a nightmare waiting to happen.

“I’d say the most difficult part of having a divorced family is trying not to favor one side of the family. It’s hard trying to respect all sides and the inconveniences that come with divorced parents,” said sophomore Logan Cimino.

Most parents worry about buying presents for family members, and kids focus on preparing surprised, gracious reactions to the gifts they will receive. For some kids with more complicated family situations, however, there is more to worry about than just a facial expression.

“One difficult thing about having divorced parents during the holidays is having to celebrate on different days with each side of the family, but the most difficult thing would be having clothes at two houses,” said sophomore Josh Groth. “Sometimes I want to wear one thing that’s at another house.”

Contrary to popular belief,“The most wonderful time of the year” can be a happy holiday season for some blended families, and not just of time filled with complications. While a multitude of children miss out on normal traditions other kids are fortunate to have; there are some positives to having a big blended family, such as the perks of more celebrations, gifts, food, and a plethora of traveling.

“I would say some positives of this is getting to celebrate the holidays more than once, getting to see more relatives on the holidays, and getting to travel since my family lives in many different places,” said Cimino.

While some kids have grown up with divorced parents and others have had to adapt to them, the problems in broken homes are common for the holidays. Not everyone who celebrates the holidays in a divorced family views it the same way. According to Parenting 24/7,  kids who have grown up with divorced and blended families are more understanding and accustomed to this more difficult, complicated time of year, due to the fact that they have grown up under these circumstances and know no other way. According to Robert A. Evans, Ph.D,  those who are new to the concept, however, can be a bit more resistant to news ideas and traditions considering they were raised in a home that’s more understanding of close family traditions.

“I was young when my parents divorced. I have seen a noticeable difference in the holidays spending time with two parts of the family, but the celebrations are similar, the ideas shared during the holidays are the same, and the beliefs of both families are the same,” said Cimino.  

Overall, looking at the different attitudes regarding divorced families during the holidays, it is easy to see that it is a more fun and content time of the year than many believe.