Family Christmas Change Question

[Guest guest]

This will not be a question about DS, but I couldn't think of anyone else to ask so I hoped some here might have advice.I am divorced, my ex-wife and I share custody of our children 50-50. We also as many families that are in our situation do, we alternate holidays. My sister who was married the year before I got divorced also has a family Christmas and they alternate years. The years they go to her husbands family happen to be the years that I don't have the children. My sister lives about 20 miles from me.

I hope that sets it up enough. Now the dilemma. I have been asked for the last number of years if I could switch holidays with my ex-wife so that Christmas falls on the same weekend of them as the children. I understand this request and it is something I would like to do. I would love to have the whole family get together. To that end we try and schedule a weekend before the holidays and I have always traveled the last two years, once to my sister and this year to my parents, about 5 hours. Other than the children's birthdays I travel to every family gathering. Granted 30 minutes I don't call traveling, but it is every year. My schedule for holidays has been set for the 5 1/2 years I have been divorced. My sister's schedule was started AFTER I was divorced. I do agree with her that it would be impossible for her to change his whole family to their schedule.

Now the only way I think I can resolve this is to allow my Ex to have the children for two Christmas' in a row. I really don't want to do this really because they are currently 8 and 7. My oldest has DS. The youngest is getting to an age when Santa will no longer be real to her and the excitement will start wear off after that.

I should also include that my sister does not have children and despite living so close typically only sees them when I bring them down or at birthday time.I will admit that I am being selfish in not wanted to give up time that I feel is very special with my children and I am being pushed into doing something that I don't want to do. Am I just being overly selfish and not putting the family first?

Thanks,-- Chris