Christmas with just your family

We have always done this. Can’t really imagine it any other way to be honest.

Did for about 10 years after all grandparents had died. Four around the Christmas table, all pleasant.

We're taking the opportunity to have it just us this year. With one 2yo, it's nice to have a relaxed day together before he's aware of the day itself, and we spent the first two Christmases alternating with grandparents.

Much nicer at this age to have the usual routine plus a nice roast rather than host or travel or faff.

It's all I've ever done, growing up with a small family where the extended family are overseas.

Personally I think it's brilliant. Why would we be lonely? You are with people/pets you genuinely love and want to spend time with.

We do it every year and its great, we started when the DC were about 8 and 10 and we got fed up rushing around trying to make other people happy. We have had some lovely Christmases just the 4 of us
Last year we thought we would try something differnet so went to SIL's on Xmas Day, it was fine but we all agreed we would go back to it just being us 4 this year. We see family around that time but not Xmas Day

I had big Christmas’ growing up, but now, due to deaths and family estrangements we don’t really have any extended family anymore.

so Christmas is now just us and two young kids.

I would prefer it to be bigger with extended family but obviously that’s just not possible.

we do have a lot of friends and we get invites to join in other Christmas celebrations (fhe type of families that just invite anybody to join them) but the thought of tagging along on some other families Christmas when you are not a close part of it is utterly dismal. Our small Christmas for four is just fine.

We have done it a couple of times. We did it last year was just me, DH and 3 teens. Whilst it was fine and it just felt like any other rainy weekend where we stay in, have a roast, watch films and play board games. DH and the Boys thought it was fine but both DD and I said we much prefer it when we have other people to stay - more of a party atmosphere. It was also the first year that we have not had at least 1 child (either mine or staying with us) that belives in father christmas so we had none of those sorts of rituals.
We have MIL, SIL, BIL, Aunt in Law coming this year so again no believing children but I am going to make christmas cockatils etc and we always play lots of games etc.

I do this every year, I haven't spent Christmas with my mum since I became a mum, we've always spend Christmas with me, husband, DD and the cat and that's just how we like it. No running around after people wether thats hosting or driving around travelling. We see people before christmas.

Yes, just me DH, DM and DDog. It's quiet, but stress free!

We've done it sometimes, but often end up in a big extended family xmas instead now. I much prefer the quiet ones.

We did it for years. All family in another country, and we weren't able to travel because DH's job always involved working on Boxing Day. I have very fond memories of those years as cosy, stress-free, and having lots of funny little traditions involving going to get the tree, wind-up Santa figurine races etc.

This is us every year. Just me , DH and two DDs.
we don’t have extended families anymore so no Boxing Day meet ups or big New Year’s Eve family get together.

it’s actually quite nice but I do feel like we’re missing out on some of the magic.

But it is what it is, and Christmas is still very special in our house.

I don't feel sad or lonely doing this. I'd much prefer it to having a house full of people and wouldn't have a clue how to cater for more than 4.

As a child we only ever had me, sister, mum and dad so maybe that's rubbed off on me.

This year it will just be me and OH. We'll visit daughter and family earlier in the week but they don't have room for us to stay with them and we don't want to spend Christmas Eve and Night in a Premier Inn.

I like the idea but in reality it is a bit sad (we just did it in lockdown). We are a family that love being just us and Christmas day is often 18 people and pure mayhem. I just couldn't help thinking it was a bit quiet. There's plenty of days in the year for that.

We don’t have much in the way of extended family, so it’s always been the 4 of us at Christmas. While I would have loved to give them the big, messy, noisy family Christmas that’s just not possible. So it’s not sad, we have a lovely day!

We do it every year. As a family of introverts we actually prefer it and it's lovely.

We always try and do this, it's so nice and relaxed. Then we see various family in the days after, so it spreads out celebrations and presents.

We've done it a couple of times, just me, DH and 1 young DC. We loved it, it was very relaxed. I still cooked a full Christmas dinner but I didn't feel rushed the way I do when catering for other people. We floated through the day, eating, playing with toys, watching TV. Just lovely.

I wouldn't do it every year, because I also love Christmas with my family, and with my PIL, but it made a nice change and I would do it again.