What do you do on Christmas Day? It's my first one "alone"

[lizrta]

My first Christmas in 24 years that I won't be going to my parents' house for typical family celebrations and meal. We've never gone out for Christmas.

DS5 is staying at his dad's on Christmas Eve and will likely be there until the late morning/early afternoon so I'll be on my own. I then want to do something with DS - perhaps go out?

Apart from Christmas dinners, is there anything to do outside of the house on Christmas Day?!

I'd appreciate any ideas! I'm a real Christmas lover and gutted it'll be a big change this year. I want to make it extra special for DS.

Following as my first Christmas on my own too.

Won't you still have stockings? Can't you travel to your parents?

If it was me I would consider having stockings read for when DS gets home alongside a special box with a treat from Father Christmas and his elves. The box would contain a flask of hot chocolate (made an hour before DS gets home, marshmallows, take away cups with a few cookies and some oats/seeds with a letter to ask if you would like to wrap up warm and go give the ducks their Christmas lunch!

We did this one Christmas Eve morning from the DC’s elf… it was good fun and got us out when the DC were little.

Depending on where you live or whether you can drive/ have somewhere within a short driving distance I like a Christmas Day walk. Especially if cold but dry. Then you can come back for hot chocolate curled up on the sofa with a blanket.

Leisurely breakfast.

Present opening.

Christmas dinner.

Out for a walk (and we often feed the ducks too) or you could take flasks of hot chocolate in the car and drive somewhere with a nice view.

Home for PJs, snuggling on the sofa, Christmas films and eating chocolate.

Yes. Get something nice for breakfast too.

Why aren't you going to your parents?

Some lovely ideas - thank you so much!

My parents are getting a divorce and I've gone NC with my sister.

So spend the time with one of your parents.

Do you (or your ds) have any friends/ family/ class mates who will be in a similar situation who you could do something with - forest walk/ arts & crafts activities/ watch a movie with.

This year it is just me DH, DS and DD. We usually spend the day with MIL but she is going to BILs this year. My parents work all of xmas so we never see them on xmas day. We are relaxing in the morning then having a big cheeseboard for lunch. In the afternoon we are going to go for a walk with friends then to the local pub for a drink (lots of pubs are open on xmas day).

We don’t do traditional style Christmases as only the two of us, and my adult DC some years (this year he’s working so will see him before or after). I’m also not a fan of Christmas due to my childhood but always made it extra special for my child.

No plans for this year we might just do a relaxed afternoon tea so festive cakes, sandwiches etc to help ourselves too and hot soup and a baked potato for supper (all cooked the day before).

I was a lone parent so all my Christmases with my child were him and I, some years I worked and used to drop him off with relations where he would get food and presents and then I’d collect him and walk us home (not normal I know that’s my sort of family and they didn’t want to include me…..we are currently NC/LC). Another year my family wanted to see child Christmas Day, they had moved further away by then, so I only got the morning with him and had to drive him to their house made it clear I wasn’t welcome so I drove straight home again and was alone until 4 days later….that was one of the worst Christmases as an adult.

Last year my partner and I drove to the beach and had a mince pie, festive sandwich and a hot chocolate in the car. Best Christmas day lunch! Other years we’ve had a fried breakfast or snack things but nearly always try to either get to the beach or at least go for a walk where we live. Some years we’ve had a roast on the day, but not many as stuck in the kitchen then and not always time to go out.

One year we just went for a walk around the housing estate we lived on and OMG very noisy rows from so many houses so I guess a few divorces soon after, so we were glad to just be having a walk and a relaxed day and meal when we got in.

So think of all the things you want to do, nice treat foods, book, movie etc and do all of that by yourself on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day morning . Then a walk with your child, stockings, presents and something special together.

If I were in your shoes, I’d have a leisurely pamper session and bath on Christmas Eve and then watch a cheesy Christmas film with mulled wine and mince pies and party food. I would then have a lie in on Christmas Day, brunch with Buck’s Fizz and a long country walk. Back in time for DS, get him to choose in advance what he wants for a special treat dinner (or will he be back in time for lunch?); no food or weird combos off limit. And crackers because I love them. Have presents ready for him and play with his toys. Then have food, maybe do something unusual like floor picnic or TV dinner in front of The Snowman.

Oof, that sounds tough all round OP. I can understand wanting to make the day special for DS, but you’ll still be spending the first part of it by yourself, so put just as much effort into making it special for you too.

Take the opportunity to indulge in whatever little things make you happy - a nice bubble bath with a glass of fizz and some carols on the radio, or a good book? Snuggling up under a blanket with a sausage bap and a Christmas movie? A walk in the fresh air with a flask of hot chocolate? New PJs? Anything really - just set the day up in advance to be a little bit different or special, otherwise you’ll spend it doing nothing but hanging around waiting for your son to get home, and that would be a waste of brilliant, guilt-free me-time!

When he does arrive, it’s an open book really. Time to start making your own little Christmas traditions, and I’m sure you’ll get loads of great suggestions for those here.

Where do you live OP? We drove into Central London one year on Christmas Day, it was really buzzing and loads of restaurants open. Nice to see all the lights. Probably similar in other big cities.

If the weather is ok I always enjoy a walk mid morning. Lots of people around, cute Christmas-coated dogs etc.

I eat the food I enjoy, when I enjoy it. So that’s a lightish lunch (something like prawns and salmon), and a nice dinner with pudding. Not necessarily a roast, because it’s not what I want. Some years it’s been quiche, or fish, or a baked Camembert.

In between I’ll read a book (hopefully a gift!) and watch films I love.

The secret for me is the walk in the morning, otherwise I get a bit of cabin fever. One year I remember really struggling to walk in the icy snow but it was a bit of an adventure.

That sounds like a great idea - never thought of that!

Go to church. Don't have to be religious. The people are really nice and welcoming. At my local church they have tea coffee and mince pies after the carol service on Christmas day.

It's a way not to be alone and everyone is welcome. It'd only be about an hour then a walk, etc.

Will just be me and DH. We'll have Christmas lunch then slob on the sofa watching TV! We've booked to go to Llandudno for 2 nights after Boxing Day and taking our dog, so lots of fresh air and walks. We get cabin fever over Christmas week so fancied a change. Its all very overrated. The lead up is nice though.

When my DD was little and at her dad's used to volunteer for Crisis at Christmas.

https://www.crisis.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer/volunteer-at-christmas/

I'm a big reader so if I was going to be alone on Christmas eve or morning I'd buy myself a surprise book to read. Our local indy bookshop has wrapped books with a sentence or 2 about the plot so you don't know what you're getting. Or I'd order in advance a box of books. Lots of places offer them now. So I'd have something of a surprise to open and read in peace by myself. I'd eat a whole tube of green pringles for brunch. Dc will be back before you know it.

I'm loving these ideas. I may be Home alone too this year so i want to make sure it still feels magical for me!

To be honest with a 5yo who will be excited and possibly tired by early afternoon, I would plan a very low-key day, but I’d still plan it. He may not want to go out or ‘do something’, and you don’t want a grumbly child, so I’d plan stockings and ‘second breakfast’ (pancakes/waffles), a movie, a game of charades of (say) Disney characters, board game/Uno, high tea, bath, and second movie. Not very exciting or outdoorsy, but better to stay close to home.

one year, I did a treasure hunt of gifts Santa had left, with clues in Santa’s handwriting, and a bonus super gift for A Very Very Good Boy, which had ‘fallen from the sleigh’ into a bush.

OK... this is going to sound like I am crazy (which I am not denying tbf)....

I like to go down to London and stay in a hotel and then book Xmas lunch at one of the hotels... and london is empty so you can park anywhere and walk around Central and enjoy the lights without the usual crowds. I feel like it's the best time to enjoy the city.