Not this year

[CakeEater]

I'd think that after having done something like that for three years in a row, that you'd be planning to do so again.

[peaches]

Either way, I probably would have sent a note to someone in the family saying "DH and I won't be able to host the family Christmas gathering this year. Let us know if someone else is planning to host because we'd still love to join."

I like this. Only I might change the word "the" to "a" ("we won't be able to host a family Christmas party this year"). I say this because maybe there doesn't have to be one. "The" kind of implies that there does, but you won't be giving it.

[lowspark]

I agree with three years = tradition. But even if it had been only two years, I might have still given at least one or two people a heads up that it wasn't going to happen this year. Even if just to avoid the awkward conversation that, if not inevitable, was at least fairly likely to happen. And you know, just so no one was declining other invitations or holding off on finalizing their own plans or whatever, in anticipation of your invitiation.