Make christmas a special one this year

[Ladycrazy]

Last year we had a very rough Christmas I had a bad mental break down in November which seen me leaving a job I used to love. Then my son took sick on Christmas eve we thought it was a stomach bug then on boxing day rushed for surgery as his appendix had burst then spent just over a week in hospital and giving everything that is currently going on this year I want to have a special Christmas. Has anyone any ideas or traditions that they have that we could possibly start with my own wee family xxx

Although for teens, many of the ideas on this thread could be used on children of other ages. Hope you have a good Christmas.

Hi Ladycrazy, given that some people on here break out in hives if Christmas is mentioned before the date they deem it appropriate (certainly in September, lol), maybe you might want to pop into the Christmas forum, to find your Christmas friendly tribe at this time of year - and there might already be ideas there awaiting you!

(I'm sure your Christmas will be a special one - and anything has surely got to beat last years - wow you guys got put through the wringer!)

How old is your child? Where are you based?

Sounds like a tough time, you poor things. After a crappy year we are also thinking about how to make Cmas really special.

We love Christmas at Kew. It’s very well organised. I think tickets are almost sold out, so you may want to have a look sooner rather than later.

sorry to hear you've had such a hard time.

One thing I'm doing this year (as a one-off though, definitely not going to be a regular thing!) is putting together a kind of winter SOS box for DH and DS. So far I've got a couple of DVDs, slipper socks, some nice fairy lights for the living room (I know, I'm twee as fuck), and there will be some nice chocolate in there as well. DH has found lockdown hard, and I have a feeling DS will struggle if there's a second one. So if there is - or even if there isn't - as soon as we have our first miserable wintery weekend, I'm going to whip out my box (as 'twere ) and hopefully give them a bit of a boost.

I don't like Xmas eve boxes because it strikes me as a bit too much on top of everything else - but I hope they'll like this.

Also (since I seem to have killed your thread) we always go for a bit pub lunch on Christmas eve.

*big, not bit.

We always go out for dinner Christmas Eve and the panto Christmas eves eve.
Where is the Christmas forum - I can't find it.

A few National Trust places do lit up woodland walks which are quite nice. Esp if they have stalls selling chestnuts/mulled wine etc.
We like to get out to the coast or a nature reserve a couple of times between Christmas and new year, blow the cobwebs off and see all the over wintering Scandinavian geese.

If you can afford it get a Balsam Hill prelit tree. That's all the advice I can think of.

Thank you all so much. I love the idea of the SOS box. I have 2 kids ones 8 and the other is 10. Where can I find the Christmas forum

I feel your pain 😢 A few years ago, after a year of undiagnosed pain & “attacks”, my husband was admitted to hospital at 5am on Xmas morning with (what turned out to be) gall stones. Basically Christmas was cancelled - lunch for me was custard creams! Had to message my sister at 8am for her to take in parents for lunch! DH got home for 24 hours on 27th, rushed back in & stayed there until 3rd Jan having long op on New Years Day to remove gall bladder (he was & is fine!).
I LOVE Christmas so this was sad for us both but hey more importantly my DH was ok! However, the next year we made Xmas extra special - 2 Xmas in one!!
We had a weekend away visiting Beamish (a fave of ours) at Christmas, we had Xmas lunches & little treats, watched Xmas movies, visited Christmas markets etc.
I appreciate this year is not going to be the same but look out for anything Christmassy & embrace it, the National Trust woodland walks are beautiful & we have one booked this year.
What about a little crafting at the start of a December - making cards or gift tags? Make & decorate a Christmas cake /cookies. On Xmas eve wear silly Xmas jumpers have hot choc with the works & play games / watch Elf!
I’m sure other people will have better ideas but the most important thing is to chill, relax, enjoy time with the family & try not to dwell on Christmas past 🎄

There might be some bits n bobs on this thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas/4013984-Anyone-else-looking-forward-to-Christmas-even-more-than-usual-this-year

@Ladycrazy

Click on my link (the word thread) in the second post and it will take you to a long post with ideas.

My dc have an annual gingerbread house decorating competition. Buy identical gingerbread houses, lots of sweets and icing sugar and let them lose.

or here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas/3972057-Family-Christmas-eve-box

Baking always makes me feel festive as fuck, I highly recommend biscuits as they can’t be messed up - I say this with experience as I cannot bake but if you turn a gingerbread man upside down you have a reindeer. You’re welcome 😉