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Original poster

Staying at home at Christmas as a single parent

14 replies

Bemyclementine · 04/12/2022 17:00

My DM us ALL ABOUT CHRISTMAS. She lives it, and all occasions. All events revolve around her house, she a more the merrier sort. She makes a lot of effort and it's lovely. Me, and my 2 siblings are all single, me and dsis with children. We all go to the oarents for Christmas.

However, my dc have asked to stay at home, we essentially get up , open pressies, they play while I deal with animals, then we go dashing to parents, stay there, then drive home around 8pm. Dc like going to open presents but I do think they'd like a nice chilled day at home.

I worry it wouldn't be suitably festive or cheery.

DM wouldn't be happy. She tends to take things like this personally. Then again she is mid 70s , my friends have all had parents pass away. I dobt think she'd want to cone here. Actually I know she wouldn't. They all live in the sane area, I'm 40 minute drive away. Not far but far enough when it's always me making the journey.

Sooo- how to make it festive if we stay at home just 3 of us.

Or would you suck it up and go?

OP posts:
MintJulia · 04/12/2022 17:24

I'm a single mum of one 14yo and we usually do Christmas day at home.

We have special Christmas breakfast, I've lit the sitting room fire before he comes downstairs so we unwrap presents there.

An hour or two spent with his presents (installing computer stuff etc) and eating chocolate. Then he gets dressed, while I put lunch on low, and normally we go for a walk in the woods. This year he is having a new bike so we'll go cycling. I'll take a flask of hot chocolate and some warm mince pies with us.

Then back home, have some friends over for a pre-lunch glass of fizz. They go home, then lunch, Christmas film, he beats me at chess, video calls to family.

Yet more food. Then he retreats to bed with new books, and I tidy up with another bottle of fizz. 😊 Warm, full, fairly tipsy.

AnElegantChaos · 04/12/2022 17:30

@Bemyclementine Could you do something similar to @MintJulia ? Her Xmas day sounds so lovely. Create your own 'new' traditions with the kids. Perhaps see your fam on Boxing Day?

shivermetimbers77 · 04/12/2022 17:30

Its obviously up to you but in your situation I would prob go to your mum’s. Sounds like it’s really important to her and the kids could have a day at home on Boxing Day.. My response is probably coloured by the fact that my mum died a few years ago and I really miss Christmas at hers.

Interested in this thread?

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Events & celebrations Families
Soccermumamir · 04/12/2022 17:31

MintJulia · 04/12/2022 17:24

I'm a single mum of one 14yo and we usually do Christmas day at home.

We have special Christmas breakfast, I've lit the sitting room fire before he comes downstairs so we unwrap presents there.

An hour or two spent with his presents (installing computer stuff etc) and eating chocolate. Then he gets dressed, while I put lunch on low, and normally we go for a walk in the woods. This year he is having a new bike so we'll go cycling. I'll take a flask of hot chocolate and some warm mince pies with us.

Then back home, have some friends over for a pre-lunch glass of fizz. They go home, then lunch, Christmas film, he beats me at chess, video calls to family.

Yet more food. Then he retreats to bed with new books, and I tidy up with another bottle of fizz. 😊 Warm, full, fairly tipsy.

That sounds ideal 🙂

Soccermumamir · 04/12/2022 17:35

We have xmas at home. Me, OH, 2 boys and a cat 😆 MIL comes over after lunch and stays till around 6ish. She has lunch with her friend beforehand. I pick her up and drop her back off. I see my mum before Xmas day and we talk on the phone on the day. She likes to spend the day with her partner at home. I then see her again after Xmas day.

Boxing day we go no where and I love it 😁
We had big xmas' round my Nannas when I was little I like small xmas' now lol 😆

Tinywaffle · 04/12/2022 17:36

I’m a single parent to 2 DC ( primary) and have done .4 Christmases on my own.

Personally I do find it a little but quiet for me, but I do enjoy it and the DC seem to love it!

We get up, have pressies and then I do a special breakfast. Kids play with toys and we have a party food lunch ( which they prefer to a roast!). Some years we go out for a walk in the park - where there are often quite a lot of other cheery to say happy Christmas to - but often the kids ask to just stay in and in pjs all day which they see as a big treat.

I then do Xmas dinner in the evening ( as a treat to myself get most of it pre prepared and concentrate on stuff we all actually like) - I do it with candles and sparkly lights. We then often watch a film. Call family at some point.

Their dad often pops over in the afternoon ( we get on OK).

Because it’s just the 3 of us on the day I tend to do a few things in the run up with friends and family, and we usually see a close friends and kids on Xmas eve. It means we all sort of feel we’ve been sociable and the quiet day is then more enjoyable.

SpinningFloppa · 04/12/2022 17:36

I’m a single mum and we always stay home at Xmas but then I don’t like my family that much so would rather be at home

CottageEmo · 04/12/2022 17:37

I’m a single parent and I do what my DC ask me to do, not what a tantruming adult wants.

I was dragged all over the place on Christmas Day as a child, to be paraded in front of Grandparents who couldn’t give a fig about me the rest of the year.

MissMaple82 · 04/12/2022 17:53

Single mum here and I've always gone to my parents, but this year I've decided I want to just stay home, watch movies, play with my child and their toys then have a quiet low key Xmas dinner and I can't wait to just doy own thing I my own time. Whoever says Xmas needs to be a specific way. You do what you want for your family amd Christmas 🎄

MissMaple82 · 04/12/2022 17:54

Just re-read, and my post makes little sense, but you get the jist..

Original poster
Bemyclementine · 04/12/2022 18:07

Ah the quiet Christmas at home does sound lovely. They often go to their dad's boxing day so we can't do the quiet day then. I'm really torn, if my mum was younger I'd stay home.

OP posts:
PreparationPreparationPrep · 04/12/2022 18:15

MintJulia · 04/12/2022 17:24

I'm a single mum of one 14yo and we usually do Christmas day at home.

We have special Christmas breakfast, I've lit the sitting room fire before he comes downstairs so we unwrap presents there.

An hour or two spent with his presents (installing computer stuff etc) and eating chocolate. Then he gets dressed, while I put lunch on low, and normally we go for a walk in the woods. This year he is having a new bike so we'll go cycling. I'll take a flask of hot chocolate and some warm mince pies with us.

Then back home, have some friends over for a pre-lunch glass of fizz. They go home, then lunch, Christmas film, he beats me at chess, video calls to family.

Yet more food. Then he retreats to bed with new books, and I tidy up with another bottle of fizz. 😊 Warm, full, fairly tipsy.

This sounds lovely 😊

Original poster
Bemyclementine · 04/12/2022 18:27

It really does, doesn't it?

OP posts:
DariaMorgendorffer · 04/12/2022 18:51

MintJulia · 04/12/2022 17:24

I'm a single mum of one 14yo and we usually do Christmas day at home.

We have special Christmas breakfast, I've lit the sitting room fire before he comes downstairs so we unwrap presents there.

An hour or two spent with his presents (installing computer stuff etc) and eating chocolate. Then he gets dressed, while I put lunch on low, and normally we go for a walk in the woods. This year he is having a new bike so we'll go cycling. I'll take a flask of hot chocolate and some warm mince pies with us.

Then back home, have some friends over for a pre-lunch glass of fizz. They go home, then lunch, Christmas film, he beats me at chess, video calls to family.

Yet more food. Then he retreats to bed with new books, and I tidy up with another bottle of fizz. 😊 Warm, full, fairly tipsy.

Sounds blissful, and you sound like a great mum Smile

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