How many Christmas events and days out are you doing with your children?

[Greenbutterlfy566]

How many Christmas events and days out are you doing with your children?

What types of things are you doing ?

I like to do one or two Christmassy outings in the run up to Christmas, then something over the holidays like a show - we don't have one thing set in stone, we try different events.

Local tree lighting (which was in Nov!) and market (free)

An indoor xmas lights thingy which was a bit rubbish.

also going to outdoor xmas lights thingy next weekend which will hopefully be better.

Sometimes we visit with Santa as part of these events, sometimes not. We don't do Mall santa photos my kids aren't bothered.

We sometimes go to a Panto but this year trying a xmas themed comedy show (kid friendly) instead.

Will go to a movie or two; prob Star Wars and Frozen 2.

We live in a cold snowy place and will do sledding, ice skating and maybe skiing if the conditions are good. :) - that is just normal winter stuff.

We have been to see a light switch on and had a Secret Santa breakfast with our friends and their kids so far. We are planning a Santa visit, trip to a festive market and a play session in the indoor ski place with a snow park - they give you hot chocs and stuff I think.

Also had a few Christmas arts and crafts days at home to make salt dough ornaments (and saving gingerbread decorating for when my parents arrive). I love this time of year.

Let’s see - he’s 4, I’m massively pregnant and we both work FT so below is possibly why I am over tired.

Christmas lights and shopping
Christmas lights in different town and dinner
Trip to pick Xmas tree + Santa + horse carriages
Charity Christmas fair
Trip to gymnastics club withbesr friend for Santa
Trip to bird zoo and aquarium world Xmas wonderland + grotto
Hyde park winter wonderland
Pantomime on ice
Rudolph Party at local music venue

None unless taking them to the pub on Christmas Eve counts, they are young adults. That said they will probably sweet talk me into taking them to the city centre shopping too

Visit to Father Christmas, trip to local Christmas market and crib/christingle service

Thought -wow that’s a lot!

Anyone else ill with colds?

We've got a winter wonderland day out coming up, that's with one of my youth groups and my DCs are tagging along too. We do it every few years.

There's the school stuff like nativities, Christmas fayre and they finish the term with a whole school church service. One DC has has a Christingle with scouting. There'll be an am-dram panto in January.

We'll also go to church over Christmas.

So one big extra, most of it fits with routine things anyway. Plus a birthday party days before Christmas.

Nice - shiny

We're doing lots this year. Don't know what I was thinking! We've been to look at ice sculptures, visited santa, nativity at church and to a light switch on already. This weekend is pantomime, then after school breaks up we're going to a winter wonderland thing and to see santa at an adventure farm place. I want to go to the christingle service at church on christmas eve too but no one else does. We've also been having festive film nights at home every weekend since the end of November. I think I may have had more fun than DS!

I've not booked anything special this year, after years of my family being ungrateful shits about the lengths I went to to make their Christmas 'magical'. They haven't really noticed any difference, it's been a lot less fraught, for everyone, and a lot cheaper.

Last week we had the school carol concert and we did the school Christmas Fayre. We also went into town to see the winter wonderland and lights, and had dinner out.

The kids are so tired from school, and to be honest I'm glad I'm not trying to flog the dead horse dragging us out to pantos/light shows/trains as usual. I do get twitchy seeing friends Facebook posts though!

1 Santa experience with friends
1 Santa experience with older DC
1 Christmas fayre
1 pants with GPs and cousins
1 winter wonderland and Xmas walk on Xmas eve

Thanks all

Pantomime with Brownies & Rainbows
Christmas Fair at School
Santa Run
Christmas Play at School
Christmas Disco at School
Carols at School
Garden Centre Visit to see F.C.
Christmas film screening at Church
Nutcracker Ballet Performance
The Bear Performance Christmas Eve

. . . too much!!!

12 days left

3.5 and 21-month-old DC so cheap and cheerful:

*Trip on local miniature railway to see FC (a tenner for all of us)
*Nursery Christmas shows and Christmas tea
*Our regular music group Christmas party
*Christmas play at local theatre for eldest (had vouchers so cost nothing!)
*Possibly crib service on Christmas Eve.

More for me to help keep them entertained tbh

Oh and we might go for a visit to a locally-famous Christmas lights-adorned street!

Mine are only little (4 and 2) we have been to a little Christmas market but it was during the day so lights weren't on, they made christmas decorations and took part in a few of the game stalls and got treats to eat though.

Where I live there is a pretty big christmas display with a steam train, grotto and lovely display all in one place and indoors so we will definitely go there, I am thinking on the 20th, and then possibly go once more without going into the grotto.

I think that's enough! Plus we will do some Christmas crafts next week and baking for Santa on Christmas eve. Was saying to my mum earlier if we do much more they are are going to be all Christmas'd out! :)

Christmas fair and panto.

Christmas church services.

Not much, autism tends to suck the joy out of Christmas.

A weekend in London (on our way now), we will do a Museum and a show.

New Star Wars film booked for Xmas Eve (but that’s ds Birthday treat).

Tbh I’m knackered and a bit ill, I’m losing my voice now.

Too much really but it's a mixture of things with GPs and school things for older DC so not much that we've actually arranged or paid for if that makes sense?

Trip to see Santa
School fayre (Santa was also there)
Cinema trip with school (DC1 only, paid by school)
School party (DC1 only, paid by school)
Santa at nursery (DC2 only)
Panto (DC1 only)
Elf musical (DC1 with GP)
Trip into town to see Xmas lights (free)
Kids party at local pub (free)

It's a lot of school things but the school are excellent at ensuring it doesn't cost the parents and that all kids are included. Explains why they're hyper all month though.

Thanks all

School stuff - DS is being assessed for autism which explains why Christmas activities have always ended up a bit shit around ours!

Father Christmas might be bringing the DC a voucher for ice skating.

Mum- good luck with the assessment