ANyone else not have family, what do you do?

[Hula Doola]

Always just the four of us on Xmas day, kids are now 10 and 9yrs. We have stockings in bed, then croissants for breakfasts, light the fire and then tree presents time. We take our time with this, have buffet type lunch then go out for a stomp, back home to play games, have dinner, and generally watch a family film snuggled up on sofa. So main difference to a normal day is the present opening and the amount of family time. I figure as long as you're enjoying your day it doesn't have to be as big or spectacular as the ads! Have been thinking about volunteering at homeless shelter in couple years when kids are older.

[Smilesonfaces]

We don’t do much on Christmas Day either. It is husband, adult son, teenage daughter and I. We open presents in a morning, eat chocolate, watch a film. We have our Christmas meal whenever we feel like it not at a set time and eat it in our PJ’s if we want to. We have no family to visit. I will visit my mum in the nursing home on Boxing Day.
Every year I try to get the family to book a Christmas holiday. I will get to do it one day !

Families do seem a pain... until they are not there anymore.

[ERICSMUM]

Originally Posted by Lemmonie

it just so bloomin expensive. Especially when we just booked next years Florida trip already!

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There’s your answer ! Spend a couple of hours planning your trip. You and DH open a bottle of wine and the kids can eat a tin of Quality Street.

Look on YouTube at the new rides, decide on something completely new to do (the coast, Discovery Cove, airboat ride, helicopter trip etc).

Look at different places to eat - check out menus.

Make up a spreadsheet to manage passports, api, Estas etc.

It will soon be time to serve the turkey.

Last year we all went to my sister and BIL’s and after our buffet tea played a charades type game on someone’s phone.

I cheated because I was sitting opposite a window, it was dark outside and I could see the answer reflected in the glass 🥰

[Kd0758]

We do have family nearby so we do always see them for a couple of hours on Christmas Day but we also have our own little traditions.

Every Christmas Eve we get each other a present which is always something to do together over the Christmas period. A film, game, puzzle etc.

On Christmas Eve we also spend time with my family and have a games night - I always order a little cheap trophy from the same seller on Amazon and they are sitting pride of place in the winners homes (we’ve never won!)

[Colette-S]

Originally Posted by ERICSMUM

There’s your answer ! Spend a couple of hours planning your trip. You and DH open a bottle of wine and the kids can eat a tin of Quality Street.

Look on YouTube at the new rides, decide on something completely new to do (the coast, Discovery Cove, airboat ride, helicopter trip etc).

Look at different places to eat - check out menus.

Make up a spreadsheet to manage passports, api, Estas etc.

It will soon be time to serve the turkey.

Last year we all went to my sister and BIL’s and after our buffet tea played a charades type game on someone’s phone.

I cheated because I was sitting opposite a window, it was dark outside and I could see the answer reflected in the glass 🥰

See more...

She has seen this confession Linda, you will be in a different chair this year

[skalexander]

I’ve got a big family on my mums side and we’ve done Christmas Day together for years. Last year we had Christmas with just me, hubby, my parents and my brother and it was BLISSFUL! I live the extended family but it gets so noisy when we’re all together, and I’m obviously getting old cos I find it stressful. My in-laws are divorced with new families and have never invited us for Christmas in the 8 years we’ve lived together, and before that hubby came to my family.

Embrace the day just the 4 of you - watch tv, go for a walk, play some board games, eat/drink/be merry.

[DisneyDaffodil]

Enjoy the time while the children are still at home. We don’t have any extended family that we celebrate Christmas with.

Our eldest son lives and works abroad so isn’t here at Xmas, our middle son lives 50 miles away but usually comes home for a day or two (but he couldn’t last year 😢 ) and our youngest is now starting uni so she is always here for Christmas (but we realise that this too could change in the close future depending on her career choices).

So we enjoy having a special day with the family. It’s low key, just present giving then huge Turkey dinner before lazing around eating chocolate and maybe playing a board game or watching a film together but some of our best memories come from the simple things