avoiding anti climax day itself

[DeliveredByKiki]

The last few (5?) years we've either been at my parents or had them here for several weeks over the festive period (we live abroad) and this year they're saving some cash by flying on NYE instead.

DH and DC get off work and school the Friday before Christmas so we'll have loads of lovely chilled out family time and I'm doing away with traditions of the last few years mainly frankly insane activity advent calendar homemade with far too much stress involved I'd like to have certain lighting of Christmas trees to do and Candy Cane Lane etc but looking forward to it generally being pretty relaxed and getting to see friends and not having to cater to others so much.

But I don't want the day itself to be an anticlimax - wondering what you do if you're a small family with small children (our DC will be 7&4). We'll prob do our usual stockings and chocolates, then a yum breakfast. Normally we then do presents and then the big Christmas lunch around 2/3 but this is usually for the adults really and as DD and I are veggie (and she's a fussy fucker on top) I don't think the day will plan around it so much.

DH had his way we'd all mooch around on various screen devices which is rubbish I my book. We usually hit the beach at sunset but have been warned we'll have 3 months of rain and storms!

Thinking maybe instead of Christmas Eve hamper we just do pj's for the DC and hot chocolate and then either go to the cinema or snuggle up for a Christmas movie on the day itself. Maybe get them presents that we can do as a family like a board game or some puzzles or crafty shit? Put the feelers out with friends but everyone either isn't here or has family staying

What are you all doing?

[Musidora]

If your lead-up to Christmas is going to be more relaxed this year then the day itself seems less likely to be anticlimactic (I find that usually happens if the lead-up is overdone). Christmas Day can just be another relaxing day, there's no need to put loads of pressure on it.

The day you describe with a walk (depending on weather) and movie sounds lovely. Board games/crafts for presents, that you can all do together on the day, are definitely the way forward. Can you ban personal screens altogether or would your DH rebel??

If you haven't got loads of people to cater for, would it be possible to do a different kind of meal for Christmas dinner that you and DD are more likely to enjoy? Or at least you might be able to spend a bit more time making a vegetarian Christmas main that is really special.

[BiddyPop]

We tend to have a busy day even when it's just us 3. After a nice breakfast, we head out to church (not terribly religious but Christmas services are nice to get to).

Admittedly, we do have a few calls to make after that, for drinks and nibbles. We also try to walk the local pier if the weather allows.

When we get back, we turn on the dinner and light the fire, and open presents while that cooks. We have board games or a good movie if we have a lull, but usually find that because we are going at a relaxed pace, there are no great empty blocks of time to fill.

After dinner, we do turn on the tv, for a seasonal special, before sending DD off up to bed for a good rest before her birthday.

During the day, we do have either nice radio or a good spotify playlist going in the background. And let DD roam free, no timetable. It is actually very relaxing and the only anticlimax time I tend to find is the evening when there is NOTHING on the tv worth watching. But nowadays we have Netflix....

[originalusernamefail]

Watching this thread with interest. I work for the NHS so am usually working on the day or finish a night shift at 8am that morning. However this year I'll be on Mat leave (38 weeks pg though). I'm already a little bit excited about being home for Xmas but worried about working myself up so much it turns into a damp squib.

[girlywhirly]

I like what you have suggested. As a child, my Christmas days were pretty much like that. Dad sometimes had to work on the day (NHS) or part of it. Playing with my gifts was a large part of the day covered.

Dispensing with a complicated advent calendar is a good idea, I don't see what's wrong with a bit of chocolate each day.

Sometimes if it was just us, DS, MIL and SIL I used to get a 'make your own crackers' kit and put a personalised gift and a chocolate in each for the dinner table. My cousin used to do a table gift each for her family, small things that used to sit under a knitted snowman on the dinner table and were used as an incentive for the DC to eat up as they were given out after lunch. They were looked forward to as much as the stockings had been! You could have a special small Santa sack or something to keep them in.

I second planning a lovely veggie main course and scale back the turkey dinner (if that is what you have) to include side dishes of things that DD will eat.

It's always good to get out for a short walk, we try to do this if the weather is OK, for half an hour at least. Then you can get back for your games and film.

[AnnPerkins]

You have a local cinema open on Christmas Day?

I wish we did. I hate Christmas Day afternoon, so does DH. We would love to go and see something, like a movie, show or pantomime, but none are open.

Ripleys Believe It Or Not in London is open on Christmas Day and DS was desperate to go in there at the weekend so we're keeping that as an option for this year.

[DeliveredByKiki]

We live in U.S. So some unusual things are open - good point musidora about if the lead up is more chilled then the day itself will be too. I'm actually really looking forward to the day not revolving around a big dinner so maybe we can come up with a good idea together and do all prep the day before (DS loves to cook so I could rope him in)) and bung something in the oven later in the day so after breakfast it's just nibbles and help yourself.

I think no screen will be highly unlikely but I'll be sitting DH down to have a talk about his screen usage over the holidays anyway, maybe if it's a bit more controlled then I won't be so bothered on the day itself. Def a walk if this predicted El Niño isn't happening.

Thanks all, feeling quite excited about it now! My parents fly in on 29th so then excitement and planning levels will ramp up anyway

[lunar1]

We tend to have a big cooked breakfast, then go for a long walk and swim. The boys who will be 4&7 get their stocking when they wake up and then we spread the presents out. We eat at about 4 ish and always have a bit of a family gift to do together in the evening. Last year it was a giant marble run, this year it will be a Lego train set I think. We will be on holiday with extended family again so will be figuring out the cooking between 3 unfamiliar ovens across 3 lodges.

[Glitteryarse]

We're going on holiday somewhere hot.

We spend a fortune every Xmas making sure every fucker else is having a good time. No one invites us to theirs because they are camped on our door step expecting to be fed. So this year we are pissing off!!

You can't get more relaxed than that!

[Musidora]

girlwhirly like the idea of a present held back until after lunch!

Good luck OP, your plans sound lovely

[DeliveredByKiki]

Actually a walk after a cooked breakfast is a good idea then I won't feel so hemmed in and have an argument trying to get everyone out later on. Home for presents and just nibbling throughout the day while they play, dinner at 4/5 and a family game (love the marble run idea!) followed by movie and bed....I'm stealing your Christmas Day lunar

[SwedeDreams]

Marking my place here as it will just be me, Mum and DS on Christmas day and we need something fun to do! A family game or puzzle to do sounds good, any recommendations? And what's a good film that we might all enjoy?

[NeverNic]

As kids we used to have a low key Christmas day and a 'traditional' Christmas day on boxing day. We'd have stockings then go downstairs for a posh breakfast at the dining room table before being allowed to see the tree. We'd then open a few presents, get dressed and play with our toys before we hit the road visiting grandparents, cousins and the pub for a drink before last orders! Dinner was always far later than they ever planned. There are photos of us eating dinner in our pj's! The proper turkey dinner and 'traditional' stuff - walks, most present opening, board games etc. never happened until boxing day.

[NeverNic]

Sorry just realised that what I didn't explain was that 'our' Christmas day on the 26th was just us. So my point was kind of that by spreading our celebrations out and taking the pressure off the 25th made it much more enjoyable

[BiddyPop]

I find that while having the Santa present first thing, keeping all the presents under the tree until afternoon (whether that's while dinner is cooking or after the festive lunch - depending on your family preferences) does make a difference in having something to look forward to.

And we found that having a new family game under the tree can be good to have something to do together afterwards.

And yes, fresh air at some stage is a very good thing. Otherwise you can go stir crazy just being cooped up all day.

[girlywhirly]

Actually, a friends mum used to save a Christmas tree present to be given on Boxing day, and the tree chocolates were shared out between the DC as well. She said it was a small antidote to the flat feeling after an exciting Christmas day.

[DeliveredByKiki]

Tree chocolates every day after Christmas is an ace idea!