Worried about dc growing up to fit in all the Christmas experiences

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Worried about dc growing up to fit in all the Christmas experiences. There’s only a certain amount of time you have, to take them to places like Lapland, Disneyland, Christmas lodges and holidays, days out. Does anyone else feel like this?

We’ve done Centre Parcs in December which is great for young children (and in term time was much cheaper). We’ve done Disneyland Paris when the dc were early teenagers. My dd did a Christmas train when she was 15! I don’t buy into all of the Christmas activities, there’s nothing wrong with keeping things simple and just having family time at home.

These Christmas experiences are relatively new and are not compulsory. At bottom, they’re ways of making money out of the general public. What matters is quality not quantity. Unless you want your DC’s Christmas experiences to be of a stressed mother and having to answer a lot of “isn’t this such fun?” questions.

No, would hate Disneyland, Lapland overpriced at Christmas, don’t know what a Christmas lodge is but I like to be home at Christmas, days out over the holiday yes.

This. DO NOT believe all the socials tell you.

I've just asked my DS what's his favourite thing about Christmas....

it's Christmas Day with friends and family.

His favourite memory is the year we had family from overseas visit.

His favourite tradition is the village Christmas light switch on.

Kids don't need expensive Christmas trips.

You don’t have to take them to all those places. I certainly never did and I don’t intend on taking my child to them all.

Wait till they are older for expensive activities. We did Euro Disney when kids were young. They don’t even remember it. DD did Iceland with school in Y7. Now she says she didn’t appreciate it and would love to go again as an adult. At 19 she’s very into travel, wonders of the world, other cultures.

I think older children would get more out of a trip to Lapland than young kids. Adults do these things for themselves so if you want to do it and can afford it great, have a family holiday in Lapland. But don't feel pressure to do any of it. Reality is children remember very little of the things they do when they are little, mine were between 5 and 10 when we went to Paris and all they remember is the Eiffel Tower.

My kids are teenagers. When I asked what their favourite things are they said 'the advent calendars'. I buy a traditional non-chocolate one each year and we also have an activity calendar which consists of little numbered envolopes I made out of old wrapping paper when DD1 was a toddler. Each envelope has an activity like 'watch a Christmas DVD' or 'make paperchains' or 'indoor snowball fight' or 'buy a gift for a less fortunate child' or 'write Christmas cards'. All low key Christmas prep activities, most at home. TBH they are more fun now they are capable of doing them by themselves.

Christmas doesn't suddenly become shit once they realise Father Christmas is a big fat lie.

Just enjoy it for what it is.

Children don’t need ‘experiences’. This is all for adults and their social media bragging.

No

Those sound like lovely experiences but simple things like visiting the lights at the garden centre, Santa at the local department store etc are just as much fun for kids.

If you all really want to do it and can afford to, then great, do it. But don't feel you should do it. We never do anything big like that for Christmas. For our DS we make a big deal out of decorating the tree, putting Christmas music on and watching a Christmas film on the 1st December. Then in the run up to Christmas we'll go to my husbands work kids party, the school Christmas fair, the school concert, watch more Christmas films, eat lots of chocolate, bake Christmas cookies/cakes, go to London to see the lights/department store displays and trees etc... It really doesn't have to be more complicated than that. That's all stuff that kids love to do and gets them feeling all Christmassy and doesn't cost a fortune . And my husband and I love it too - just because your kids will one day not believe doesn't mean it won't be any less fun. We're in our 40's and it's still fun because we don't put any pressure on ourselves to make it "magical". Just have fun with the kids!

Lapland, Disneyland, Christmas lodges, can’t imagine anything worse at Christmas. Fortunately they are not obligatory.

No never entered my head as I wouldn't be able to afford to do anything like that ever.

I think it’s the opposite - why waste big experiences when they are young?! Small children are literally excited about the school caretaker in a nylon Santa beard, a bag of chocolate coins and some pound shop tat. Why not save your money until they are grown up enough to get the most out of the experience!

We didn't do anyof that as kids and Christmas was always magical.

Things I remember fondly:
Making marzipan fruits with my dad.
Bringing the Christmas teddies down from the attic
A box of charity shop books under the tree
The smell of mulled wine.
Time with extended family.
Driving to nearby pretty village to see the lights
Christmas songs in supermarkets!
Christmas nativity at school and the decorations in the hall.
And lots more.

Hope that reassures you!

I’m in agreement with the thought that there is a short window of time between when the DC are old enough to anticipate and enjoy Christmas and when they still ‘believe’. 3-8/9ish. Those are the Christmases when I think keeping it simple at home is the best. It’s enough that it is Christmas!

if you do want to do the stuff, just pick what suits your family. Don’t try and do it ALL. You can be led by your kids on how best to make it magical for your family. I find often kids get stressed and overwhelmed at Christmas and on big days out where there are crowds it’s not really super fun for many kids.

I don’t think I have the slightest concern about not going to Disneyland at Christmas. Or the lodge holiday thing. No need.

(But… having said all that we did once go to Lapland and it was really really really special! 😆)

Carnage- what age would you say?

There are a lot of kids who experience deprivation at Christmas - not going on every possible 'experience' comes nowhere close to that. My dd has done none of those things, and while she might look back on her childhood and remember some crappy things that happened, not doing all of that will definitely not be on her radar.

Nope not a chance my idea of hell. We did a few Legoland. The two families who did Disney, Orlando were very disappointed.

My kids had no time for Disney characters. My children are older they remember Xmas in Copenhagen, Sweden and German markets 🤷‍♀️

They talk about their skiing holidays more

60s kid, little of your list existed. No pre Christmas holidays, Disneyland (the one and only in California may as well have been on Mars) Lapland, elf on a shelf, special breakfast on 1/12, Christmas Eve boxes. Odd visit to Santa when tiny.

Christmas was still brilliant and in any family the things that make it so are kind of unique and special to them. The thing I remember most fondly is waking to with the weight of one of Dad's old football stockings filled with the traditional orange/nuts/new pennies and chocolate on my feet and dashing downstairs to the presents under the tree.

Do some of your list if you think your kids will enjoy it but don't forget the small, repeated things.

Gently, I'd suggest you need to step away from social media and stop comparing yourself with others.

I think your activity advent calendar sounds lovely.

Never did any of that growing up and I still loved Christmas.
I remember making pictures with tinsel and glitter on paper plates with granny when I was 4 or 5 and it is still one the best memories I have at Christmas. Other memories are family games, anticipating Santa's arrival on Christmas eve. I did love the panto with school (our whole primary school went on buses in the dark... it was very exciting). I loved Christmas. Despite not doing all of the stuff that we pressure ourselves to do these days.
I took my little ones to a light show and to a Christmas experience last year which had Santa, reindeer etc, and they weren't too bothered. They were more excited about putting the tree up, whilst eating some chocolates and listening to Christmas music.
We won't be doing much this year... Some crafty things together at the table, Christmas biscuit baking, maybe some movies, just simple things at home.