if you or your partner work on Christmas Day, how do you plan around it?

[GertrudePerkins]

just after ideas really. Dh is working Xmas day and Boxing Day for the first time this year. I'm not sure whether to move the whole shebang to Christmas Eve, or to do a scaled-down Christmas day. He's likely to be working well into the evening, and TBH my main concern is not tackling a huge mountain of washing up on my own. How do you do things?

[Humansatnav]

Ive only done Xmas morning or night , but we shifted the timings so it worked. My dc were 9 & 13 last time I worked Xmas.

[PureMorning]

We move Christmas day. Up until this year dp has always worked Christmas day (as does my dad)
Do it all on Christmas eve or do the meal and some prezzies and save some small gifts for Christmas day

[GertrudePerkins]

Not sure we can shift the timings very easily. He will be out of the house 2pm - midnight, but it's one of those things where he's likely to get called in earlier and/or stay later, according to the demands of the service.

I thought about having the big meal on Christmas eve - maybe one or two presents as well - and then a huge brunch with stockings and big presents on the day? DC are still of an age when they believe in FC, which complicates things rather. I think if they were older we'd move the whole thing entirely.

[lavendersun]

Tricky one Gertrude - we are often alone for Xmas, just my and my daughter.

We just go ahead with the day on the day as it is still magical for her (just not for me). I cook a small roast dinner type thing and we eat lots of other special things.

Mind you my husband doesn't even get to come home in the evening so its all or nothing here. We don't live close enough for him to come home when he is on call - grim, and don't live close enough to our families to visit as we have large animals that need looking after so we are marooned, alone.

We still have a lovely Xmas meal together when we can which may be Christmas eve or not depending on work but we leave everything else for Christmas day itself.

Depends on how many of you there are for Xmas day, if there were enough of you I would carry on regardless and then make something nice food wise for the evening, perhaps keeping a present back for everyone to open something when he is home.

[lavendersun]

Sorry I posted at the same time as you. I think your plan sounds lovely.

[GertrudePerkins]

thanks to all for the tips

I definitely agree it would be nice to do some present opening together, so we'll try to either do some early, or afterwards when DH is around.

[canyou]

We usually have dinner Christmas Eve go to midnight mass and arrive back to open the stocking Santa left and one or two other gifts, Christmas Day is spent opening gifts from family playing with toys and eating to many left overs This was my childhood as Dad was usually working, DP was usually working so I continued as it was when I was small.
Last year and this year DP was and will be away with the military so we will have Christmas in 2 weeks time.

[GertrudePerkins]

oh that's really hard, canyou. at least we'll carve out some family time somewhere over the Christmas period. Hope you have a lovely November celebration .

[Nearlyadoctor]

My husband nearly always works Christmas Day but thankfully this year is off on Boxing Day . DD is 7 and still believes so we have agreed to do her stocking and Father Christmas presents on Christmas Day but leave everyone else's and the tree presents until Boxing Day. She is actually really thrilled and thinks therefore she is nearly getting two Christmas days. Could you do the same or if your DH is working Boxing Day as we'll leave it until the Saturday? We will just chill and watch Christmas TV which often don't get the chance to do as the actual day can be so chaotic x

[GertrudePerkins]

I think I'm actually quite looking forward to a low-key afternoon and evening on Christmas Day. We'll go to the park for a walk - we have a huge one over the road and always like to stretch our legs there on Christmas Day. It seems really festive going out and seeing the lights, and then coming home for some mulled wine. The girls will get DVDs in their stockings and can watch those if the telly's shite, and I invariably get given lots of books and boxed chocolates, so will curl up by the fire. Boxing Day we'll visit MIL. I think maybe when DH is off on the Saturday we might go out for lunch somewhere, and then perhaps a show or ice skating.

[MrsLindor]

DH us working Christmas eve, Christmas day, boxing day, new years eve and new years day, all 12 hour shifts.

Christmas Eve we'll have a picky tea when he gets home with all his favourites, Christmas day lunchtime we'll all have leftovers plus the broccoli and stilton soup i usually do as a starter for christmas lunch (DH) will take his with him. We'll have Christmas dinner when he gets home. So a reverse of the usual.

If he was on an afters shift I'd do an extra special brunch, and then send him with a nice picnic tea to have at work. Me and dd would happily have lots if nice nibbles rather than a big roast so I'd do the big meal as another time.

[OodneedsanOod]

Dh is working this year for the first time. Hopefully home about 3-4 but leaving by 7. Caht move it due to some dc at their dads other days and others here believing in Santa.
Looks like we will move dinner and do stockings v early.
Then I'll do Santa presents and do family ones later on

[Whywouldyououtme]

We go ahead with dinner anyway here as dh works every second year. Sometimes I go to my parents which breaks the day up an bit.

[JazzTheDog]

I am working Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year for the first time, 12.5 hour shifts but with an hours commute each way.

We're planning to do a big Christmas Eve meal and have all our family presents then. Then on the day i'll wake the kids when I get up so they can have Santa presents before I leave for work. DH and the kids will have leftovers and treats to eat.

We always have a second big meal around the 30th when the step-kids come to stay so we'll be doing it all again anyway.

[AmandaTanen]

We just shift things around, DH is working night shift Christmas Eve and Christmas night, so he will be home to see DC open gifts and he will sleep while they play, we will eat dinner at 4pm so we can relax before he goes to work again.