Buying yourself a present for Xmas day

[MrsHookey]

If you were a single parent with young kids, and are going to be alone, is it reasonable to buy yourself a gift for Christmas Day? What would you buy and how would you spend the day? First time alone.

definitely - one of the best things I have heard is a lady who is alone at Christmas (by choice and happy) every January- March she buys herself presents, wraps them as soon as she gets home and store them all year- then puts them under her tree and opens them all on Christmas morning- I love this idea!

For Christmas and birthday I take dd 9 & dd6 to a small independent shop, I like most things there. I give them a budget each letting the sales assistant know in advance, then I stand outside whilst they buy me some bits with my credit card. They of course feel very grown up and I get some surprising bits which I wouldn’t ordinarily buy myself.

Buy yourself something nice and make new Christmas memories with your dc!

I do! I have a Christmas Eve box too - usually some nice chocolate, gin and a good book or movie.
Have done this every year since I split from my husband

Thanks everyone. You are very kind. Going the whole shebang, Christmas eve box and stocking. With some nice food treats too! This is such a nice idea.

Looks like a am going to be spending this Christmas either with co-workers or in a government quarantine facility. Either way, I will be putting a epic food order of exciting things together and coupanging/ amazoning myself lots of presents.

Absolutely, totally, 100%, for sure, buy yourself at least one nice present to open on Xmas Day.

I have always bought myself a Christmas present as I have spent probably about 20+ of my 60+ Christmases on my own.

I tend to buy something that I can make, so yarn for a sweater, a leather satchel kit plus a book, a jigsaw and an untried bottle of gin.

I love being able to eat all the nice niibly bits without a big Christmas dinner and doing it alll in your own time on your terms.

Have a lay in, then treat myself to a lovely Christmas brunch. Go for a walk later, have a wonderful dinner and watch a nice Christmas movie. If you have a bath, have a nice long soak with some lovely bath oil.

As a gift I would buy myself a nice book, earrings or a pretty scarf.

I always treat myself to Rupert the bear annual.my husband always bought mine after he died 5 years ago and I now buy my own.

@CherryBlossomPink

I do! I have a Christmas Eve box too - usually some nice chocolate, gin and a good book or movie. Have done this every year since I split from my husband

I also do a christam eve one too but its not inherantly 'for me' as I share it with DH, usually has wine and nibbles in :)

Yes definitely, buy some bits now and wrap them, you might forget what’s In them and it would be a nice surprise.

I have! Fancy new slippers 👵🏻. I didn't even open the parcel, I gave them to DD and said to save them until she can wrap them and put them under the tree for me.

@MrsHookey when mine were younger they didn't like Christmas Dinner, so we ordered takeaway of their choice the night before and saved/reheated it for Christmas Dinner.

Definitely! I would treat myself to an advent calendar too. Nice foods- if the kids aren’t there then I would get some delicious grazing food. Have a massive film fest and go on a lovely long walk. Burn some candles. Just treat all your senses!

If the kids are there then do turkey if you want to and think of some nice traditions for you all. I love the Christmas box idea with movies, books that you bring out every year. Definitely treat yourself to whatever you’d like to eat and if funds allow then get yourself a fab present! Absolutely.

Yes definitely buy yourself a gift. I might buy myself some nice pampery bath stuff for when the kids are in bed and or a book/movie. Is there someone who could take the kids out to buy you a present too so you have a surprise?

I would love a new travel mug and some good quality fluffy slippers. Maybe I'm really boring

I'm married and frequently end up buying myself something from the cat as my husband is shit at presents.

I'd wait until boxing day if it was something expensive, as the sales will start online by Xmas day! But definitely have something nice under the tree. Plus lots of treats during the day.

I always buy myself a birthday present because gifts aren't really DH's strong point. It's one of the few things I do just for me at the moment so it's nice.

Definitely not unreasonable.
If I knew you I'd be happy to wrap them for you too.
How much depends on your finances but you could bulk out your pile with some necessities like nice coffee you might have bought for Xmas or a new toothbrush or whatever.

I would! We always buy something nice for ourselves or the house around Christmas. Even if we don't wait to open it on the actual day, it gives us something new to enjoy and makes Christmas just a little more fun and special.

You deserve to celebrate!

You could consider a Beauty Advent Calendar. Just for adults and make gloomy days a little brighter.

I’m a single parent and don’t have any family or friends who buy me (they all buy my kids though and I guess that’s the main thing).

I always buy myself things for Christmas. Why not? My mum does laugh at me for doing it, but I love it. It means I obviously get exactly what I want.

I’m not single but buy myself presents and a stocking. Good for the children to see their mother values and treats herself, and that everyone of all ages and generations deserve joy and delight!

I have always done that. Slipper or gin & chocolate, occasionally some jewellery. Now my ds is older he buys me something with his pocket money and wraps it, he gets extra pocket money in November for Christmas shopping so I suppose I still buy myself something haha

I always buy myself presents for Christmas. Whilst my parents will get me bits and pieces it's never something I really want or is a gift voucher etc. I'll casually mention how much I want certain things, (one year it was the Hamilton cd which we listened to on YouTube, so I bought myself the two Hamilton soundtracks and the accompanying book) and then one evening our Elf on the Shelf will deliver said presents and wrapping paper / gift bag depending on age of the child so that they can give it to me. My Dd was always so excited on Christmas morning to give me this surprise gift. Children love to give gift so it's a good way of teaching giving and sharing and you get something you actually want.

Also after the first year our Elf was promoted to supervising manager and has to disappear Mon-Fri to supervise the new elves!

For the day itself don't put any pressure on yourself and if you don't have the children with you it's not as awful as you might first think. When Dd is with her dad we just celebrate a few days after and do the whole thing again. Christmas day I'll get in lots of nice food and drink and relax or go to my parents and veg out on the sofa.
If it's me and Dd for Christmas we normallyy have sausage and bacon rolls for breakfast spend most of the day with my parents but if I was just cooking for the two of us I would probably get one of those prepared joints, even Iceland ones are alright to minimise stress and cooking, bung everything in the oven instead of rushing around although admittedly I'm not a cover and rarely do a roast just for the two of us.

Perhaps get your children to draw their ideal Christmas, is it stay in in their pls all day or visiting family or playing with toys, often the elements that they remember aren't the bits we think are so important.