Divorcing or divorced couples with children often have the dilemma of how to handle the issue of two parents, kids and the holidays. The court does not care about the needs of the parents. Rather, the focus is on the children and what is in the children's best interests.

There is only one Christmas morning and one Christmas Eve. So, some time-sharing schedules split the holiday time as follow:

Another methodology that courts use: the first half of Christmas vacation goes to the mother. The second half to the father. The following year, the mother will have the second half and the father the first half - alternating thereafter year after year. This takes into account NewYear's Eve as well, until the children return to school.

Thanksgiving holiday is usually alternating with say the mother having even years, and the father having odd years.

The bottom line is that divorcing or divorced parents can come up with their own holiday time-sharing arrangement by agreement of the parties or, if that is not possible, the court will decide based upon the best interests of the children, not the parents.