Hi All
Ok here goes, the first thing I must make very very very clear is that we have to WORK all over christmas, without outing my self think of something a bit like a hotel, December is a very busy month for us work wise and it is total chaos in trying to keep dd entertained when she is not at school and let us all have some christmas fun
Next thing is that I absolutely LOVE christmas.
Ok we have one DD(6) and she loves christmas too, But couple of years have been a bit of a nightmare and I am thinking of changing somethings around this year.
Ok still not sure if I am going to do the christmas elf for december,
In the month of December we do the following.
Advent calender which each day gives dd a piece to decorate the advent tree, She gets two little gifts on the 6th December and the 24th
Santa sends DD a letter in reply to her letter,
22nd and 23rd we do Christmas craft bits, eg last year we made a christmas bag for the renideer food, we make paper chains, christmas laterns, Christmas decorations etc. This year I think we are making a santa stop here sign!
24th, in the morning Miss Claus sends DD a letter asking her to make reindeer food with a hamper and all the bits, and Rodoplh asks DD to make him and the other reindeer a runway. We normally make something for Santa to eat (last year it was a giner bread house) at some point during the day we get a video message from Santa for DD.
The eveing of the 24th We (Dh and I) give DD a christmas eve hamper, normally contains, christmas towel and flannel (bought in bulk a couple of years ago) Hot Chocolate and a Christmas Mug, Christmas Pjs, A christmas DVD and blanket, and the book A night befor Christmas and her Christmas Stocking and a small christmas soft toy. We have found this to a be sure fire way to calm her down, So she gets ready for bed, we all snuggle up under the blanket and watch DvD whilst drinking hot choc and then do the runway and the reindeer food, put stocking out and the food for santa etc and off to bed to read A night before Christmas.
So far so good, I think but if anyone has any suggestions to improve please tell me!
Ok christmas morning starts with me getting up and going to work at 4am, I am normally back up at the house by 7.30. DD will come downstairs in her PJ´s and dressing gown and we do her stocking, WHICH will contain Christmas Clothes and hair stuff (gets her dressed easily with no problems) and other little bits etc.
By 8:30am we (dh and I) have to go back to work, so DD has a extra thing from Santa, he leaves her a treasure hunt little presents scatered all over the house with clues to the next one, DD does this will Granny and normally buys us and hour to a hour and ahalf, We come back up for about 10ish and all have christmas breakfast (NOTE DD will have had a snacky breakfast if she wants one whilst she does her treasure hunt)
Now something around 11am we start opening presents, we tend to do this in stages (as we have to go back to work often through the day) This is where the problems start! We have very little family but lots of friends and DD gets very very hyper at opening presents, and if they are NOT intersting enough she gets upset. Ie someone bought her crafting bits which DD was not happy about as she needs help to do crafting stuff, etc (please NOTE we had great fun with them boxing day),
We don´t have a sit down christmas lunch as the nature of our work, so we tend to do a cold buffett. Last year we made the HUGE mistake of doing this as and when the grownups where hungry and not setting the table up / having it at a set time, result was DD got over excited and hungry!
This year I am thinking about setting the table up and having a proper buffett (everyone at the table etc at a fixed time) so hopefully that should break the day up? Would this work do you think???
I am also thinking about putting all the little presents DD gets from friends, DH and I, School friends etc into a lucky dip box, and Letting DD dip into on and off? Would this be a good idea?
What could I do with the larger presents? (I mean things from DVD´s to her 1 or 2 large presents) Id like to spilt them up during the day so that we all get to see her open them etc, and get to spend time with her playing with them but I can´t have a repeat of last year as both DH and My Dad get really ratty and frankly unpleasant (TO ME) when DD was hyper etc. All suggestions welcome please!!!!!!!
I would just like to say that Last year was the first time I got to see DD open her stocking etc. which made my christmas so much nicer! Also whilst I am very grateful to my parents for comming and spening christmas with us otherwise DD wouldn´t get a christmas at all, they are old and often don´t want to play with her / have a christmas nap etc whilst leaving DD to entertain her self when I´m working. DH can be difficult and has problems dealing with DD if she is not behaving perfectly (which is a whole different thread) not to mention being very very busy at work so I have a lot on my plate and I really really need some help working everything out for this year!
Thanks if you have gotten to the end of this.
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Help me plan christmas - I really need your input ladies I´m totally stuck with a unuasal problem!
43 replies
inneedofrain · 08/09/2013 13:27
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