Alternative Christmas

[cicid]

Hubby, kids and Myself have been 'excluded' from the rest of my family's Christmas dinner. We are thinking of doing something totally different - like a picnic on the beach on Christmas Day. So .... does anyone have any suggestions or are we being silly / stubborn by not pushing for a family dinner ?!?

Picnic on the beach sounds amazing. You could all put forward suggestions about how you want Christmas to be! (What you want to eat for breakfast, what films you want to watch, games you want to play). I wouldn't push to be included in anything where I wasn't wanted.

last year we had an "our family" instead of "all the family" christmas.

We did put lots of plans in place to make sure the day wasn't dull for DD (i.e. that we didn't just end up JUST watching the telly). Beach wasn't an option for us (totally go for that!), but we brought a jigsaw, and for our lunch, we each cooked a course.

What if it's pissin down with rain?

Go to the pub or just do your own Christmas - why do you need anyone else anyway??

Barbecue on the beach? Camp fire with food on sticks? Like toast etc?

I would be delighted for other relatives to let me, partner and children have our own Christmas.

We often go to the beach on Christmas Day (we live down under) and then have a small family Christmas lunch and spend the day doing it much else.

It's the one day I don't feel guilty for not tidying/ cleaning/ doing anything other than enjoying my family and the sun.

Have a nice relaxed xmas day at home

We started Christmas at OUR house, on OUR own when dc where born. No tricky traditions to slither out of when the kids got interesting. It's the best! I spend the day with my total favourites.

There's obviously some (painful?) backstory at being excluded. The idea of alternative in itself isn't terrible, but is it a bit, "humf! We'll show them!" ?

If so, don't do it. It won't be fun and it won't feel good unless it is for yourselves.

Do whatever your family would enjoy the most. Personally I'd just do a normal christmas dinner at your house. Since having dd, we do Christmas at our home. My mum, and sometimes my brother, come though.

I'm guessing you live somewhere hot!

Except for baking gingerbread we have no fixed Christmas traditions, especially when it comes to food and location. It's family time and that's the most important thing. It's not even alternative, it's our Christmas. We enjoy it.

We go to the beach on Xmas day - in normal South Wales, not the New one. There's the festive swim on that day. Then we go for a walk before going home and putting our PJs back on for the day. Brilliant.

Issue is that my parents and brother are going to my other brother and sis in laws house for Christmas. Which is 3 miles away. There has been no mention of us joining them. I will admit to being hurt but such is life I guess. After lots some drinks last night husband suggested that we do something 'mad' this year for Christmas. Partly because he knew I was upset, partly because he wants us to have our own 'different' thing and lastly because his Dad passed away shortly after Christmas a few years ago and I think he finds it painful doing the sit down formal Christmas dinner. I am open to his idea of a 'picnic of really good stuff' on the beach. We live in Ireland so it's not gonna be tropical but I guess I am wondering if there is anything else 'alternative' that we could do !!

Volunteer with a charity? Climb a mountain? Camp in the garden?

A few years ago we climbed one of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks on Christmas Day and even though the weather was awful (a few people were turning back and we saw a waterfall being blown uphill it was that windy) we saw quite a few people while we were out, so it's not that an unusual thing to do.

We cooked and ate Christmas Dinner on Christmas eve and made turkey sandwiches and a hip flask of something alcoholic to have at the top and it was a great day. I think I might suggest it again to DP as we don't have any plans yet and I think most of the relatives are visiting others in other cities. We'll do hosting and visiting on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day night or Boxing Day.

Ok, if you're in Ireland, the Yorkshire 3 Peaks are probably out, but I'm sure you'll have a nice hill or coastal walk you can do near to where you are.

You haven't been excluded you've judt not been invited. There are many threads on here where MIL insists DD or DS invite siblings etc and that doesn't go down well. There are also threads where people are having to visit people against their will. Create and have your own lovely Christmas!

PS. We are off to Thailand for 12 days over Christmas🎄