Worried about child growing up, so trying to fit in Xmas activities

[Greenbutterlfy566]

My son is 7 and I’m acutely aware of how fast time is going.

I’m panicking about the Christmas activities and places to go to and things to see before he grows up. I want to get it ‘right’ I worry that I haven’t taken him to many places before he stops believing in Santa. I don’t want to make a mistake of missing amazing things that can only have the ‘magic’ through children’s eyes before it’s too late.

I mean things like big days out to theme parks and Christmas holidays etc.

Is anyone else like this?

Agreed that time and care are what children need. And obviously you care because you want to make it nice, so that's a good thing, but if you make yourself anxious in the process it becomes negative for you. It's nice to do nice things, but don't feel that you "have to" do anything.

It's funny what you remember anyway. One of my favourite Xmas memories is my mum spending a day cooking turkey and it was still semi-raw, at which point an auntie who'd had a few (on an empty stomach) wrestled the roasting tin out of her hands and told her to "cut its bloody legs aff or we'll no be eating till February". Which five year old me found absolutely hilarious and in fact was a solid cooking tip that has since served me well with similarly slow to cook birds.

It’s never crossed my mind to go to Bluestone/Centerparcs/Lapland/Dainrybat Christmas (not that we could anywhere near afford to anyway). To us, ‘proper Christmas’ is singing ‘Hark the Herald’ at a carol service, having a drive around to see everyone’s lights, making gingerbread men, making decorations and little things that become almost traditions.

We went to Luosto with Canterbury. Eye wateringly expensive but it was totally magical, very well organised and we had a fantastic time.
DS remembers it well 2 years later and it cemented his belief. He knows the ones in this country are Santa’s helpers but that one (real beard) in his beautiful house is the real one.

I do think it’s the traditions that make it though. DS is looking forward to his 1st December box next weekend, putting the tree up- he remembers his favourite decorations and likes to arrange them. He likes going to the Christingle and we have had friends for drinks afterwards which he loves. Things like that.

I went to Disney as a child. It was the worst Christmas ever.

It was like a Disney holiday had replaced Christmas. No frosty weather, no traditional cosy nights in front of films.

I would have much preferred Disney at any other time if the year.

Dd is 11 and no longer believes on Santa but she is soooooo excited for Christmas..chill....it is always magic.

Good point.

My dcs are teens. Every year they say they feel 'Christmassy'

We don't do anything special -

We chose a tree from our garden centre and they give us mulled wine. We then go home and get out all the decorations. Some of these decs we've had since before they were born so they greet them like old friends.

We watch a film together with chocolate - like Eld
Or their favourite is Nativity.

Last year we spent an afternoon in the Christmas department in John Lewis! Is was amazing (our local one always put on an amazing display). They loved this. They got to choose a new solicitation each.....but really it was the whole Christmassy vibe.

Our Christmas tradition is that we always see a film at a special cinema (with sofas and blankets) on Christmas Eve. This year it will be Star Wars.

Me and ds make chocolate log together.

There's nothing big and massive that we do. My dcs have long stopped believing in Santa but they love it nonetheless.

Solicitation!! = decoration 😳

I just think surely theme parks and holiday centres such as centre parcs, bluestone, Disney have their place? The kids always look super happy in photos.

Maybe they do have a place, I have never been to any- my dc are 8 and 11- but they are not necessarily a Christmas thing.

Of course everyone always looks happy in the photos, no one is going to promote photos of miserable looking people.

There’s enough demand on time and money at Christmas with local/village/school/Cubs events as it is, without trying to force in a Big Day Out or a weekend abroad!

Honestly, in my experience, your children will remember the most obscure things about Christmas/childhood and probably not any of the things you put any effort into.

My favourite childhood Christmas memory is playing tennis with a friend a few days before. Her dad was a cleaner and was cleaning a total mansion on the 23rd while we played on the tennis court. I remember the feeling of being so excited about Christmas and what a fun holidays we were having.

The grinch got it right with ‘Christmas is a feeling’.

This year instead of decorating a random tree, we thought we would discreetly find a little country road sign on one of those green triangles and put some baubles on that.

@Hepsibar - there are some woods near us where people decorate a little cost of trees, and tie their Christmas wishes to the branches.

DD is a teen now and we never did any big ticket experiences for Christmas. I was always put off by thought of vomiting bugs in those crowded places.especially the centre parcs swimming pool.

She loves Christmas and the things she remembers are having family round and all the funny incidents and things that went wrong. She liked watching films, going for wintry walks, visiting the Christmas tree place, ice skating.

Thanks

Had no money to speak of when DC were small. Christmas is what you make it. Your own little family traditions. It doesn't need to involve trips, or expensive things.

When your DC look back, they won't remember trips or expensive gifts. They'll remember things that made it special for you as a family. Even if that's only the killer bread sauce you make! (That's the only request I get from my DC, and they're more than adult now!).

I worry that todays' parents are sucked into an awful amount of consumerism. How on earth do they think the rest of us coped prior to the last 15 years or so? Seriously, it's what you make it.

Wanted to bump this up as closer to Christmas.

My happiest memories are waiting for dc to fall asleep and excitement of their stockings in the morning, everyone is allowed to eat chocolate for breakfast. Also making a little Christmas display along a cupboard top by the dining table, we used cotton wool for snow and small twigs from the garden sprinkled glitter and put tiny toys in the scene.

I’m a Christian and used to take DS to the crib service on Christmas Eve. Dc were encouraged to dress up, I made him a great wise man costume one year. He did attend church with me sometimes as well. When he was eight he decided he wanted to attend as Herod, it was his way of letting me know he didn’t want to attend church anymore. To this day I’m impressed by how he did it.

That sounds lovely

I don’t get the decorating random trees/road signs thing. It’s basically just littering, unless you go and take them off again later?

I agree with those saying that the memories don't have to be paid for. Anyone who has taken children on a trip, however special or expensive, will tell you that the thing they remember most is who was sick on the bus coming back!
Our school took a trip to France every year from the North West, when talking to the pupils after they talked most about watching Grease and Dirty Dancing on the long coach trip and being told off for dancing in the aisles.

Without a doubt my favourite Christmas memories as a child are helping my mum to make the Christmas cake, and having a hot chocolate with whipped cream whilst watching a Christmas movie. Oh and decorating the tree with carols on in the background.

Less is more! It’s all about quality time spent with family, not being tired, stressed and cold whilst waiting in line at an expensive over-hyped attraction!

Anyone think Legoland is overhyped for Christmas?

Anyone?

I’m still stressing. wondering wether to go to Legoland.