Panicking about fitting in Xmas activities with DC before they grow up.

[Viv0321]

I am Panicking about fitting in Xmas activities with DC before they grow up. Time is flying by and they are 7 years old.

I feel there is only a short amount of time to fit in things with DC before they grow up and feel that everything is ‘rushed’ to fit things in.

Things like:- Christmassy uk holidays where you stay in a lodge and there’s lots of Xmas activities for the DC. Lapland. Theme parks. Light trails. Different Santa experiences. Garden centres. Etc.

AIBU?

I've never heard of a Christmas garden center, what happens in one? Is it like a maze of plants/winter flowers with Santa and some reindeer sitting in the middle? It's blowing my mind. Screw the kids OP, take me to one!

Tilly Nothing quite so glam. But rather a normal garden centre which goes above and beyond in decorating, usually have a grotto with Father Christmas and sell lots of Christmas decorations and there's usually a nice cafe. Good for an easy day out.

I don't remember any of those things. I don't even remember what I got for Christmas.

When I think about my childhood (which was lovely and I am lucky) at Christmas time, I remember: standing at the kitchen table with my brother as we stamped out wise men shapes from leftover marzipan from the cake, the smell of Mr Sheen on the long, dark, dining table that children didn't usually eat at, the snap of frozen grass under my boots on our walk, the pine smell of the tree which was always a bit wonky and far too big, running my fingers over the needles and feeling the spiky-soft ridge of them as my dad wound lights around the branches, the candles at midnight mass and the rising descants, paper hats slipping down over my eyes every year until one year they didn't, holding my sisters gloved hand as we scrabbled down the frozen moor at my cousin's house, the spinning angels chiming for tea, mince pies at the church fete with stewed tea from a massive urn, carols and carols and carols.

I don't recall the plot of any panto, present from any person, or trips unless we went every year (like to my cousins). What I remember is what happened over and over - the rituals and the recitations of the season. I think to make memories for children you need to do simple things over and over, not create constant novelty.

Thank you

The things I remember most and really cherish are all the little memories - driving to my grandparents’ home on a road that was very bumpy (lots of little hills) for one small section, a mile or two, and my dad would drive a little faster so it felt like a mini-rollercoaster going over the hills.

Arriving at my grandparents and finding the little bowls of sweets that were out in the tv room and in the living room (always the same two bowls). That was a real treat because we weren’t really allowed sweets day to day.

Seeing the Christmas tree all beautiful and lovely, with the same decorations on it every year, so that I remembered them, but also got to rediscover them every year. It felt cosy and comfortable. Taking a little peek at the huge pile of gifts under the tree, to see if could spy any that were for me...

Watching the televised Disney show (traditionally shown every year on Christmas Eve - the main day of celebration - in all the Scandinavian countries) with my siblings.

Helping my grandmother to do the fancy napkins for the Christmas table by scrunching them up on a knitting needle - I was the eldest so that was my job.

My siblings, who were all quite a bit younger than me, would dig out the basket of toys that my grandmother kept at hers and would play while I sat and talked with the adults, having coffee with cream & biscuits.

Waiting with great anticipation til dinner was served, in the evening around seven or eight o’clock, because once dinner was over it would be time for opening presents!

We would hold hands in a circle and dance (walk, really) around the Christmas tree whilst singing hymns and carols, led by my grandfather. This is how it’s done in Denmark. Then the final song ‘Nu Er det Jul igen’ which got faster and faster in tempo until we were basically running round the house - for this song my grandfather would lead us all, still holding hands, right round the house until we finally ended up back at the tree.

Then, taking turns, one by one, to open a gift, which took quite a while since there were quite a few people and quite a few gifts. Everyone watched as each person opened their gift, going round in turns until they were all gone.

Then the younger children would play with their new toys whilst I again sat with the adults and enjoyed more coffee and more treats.

Then, around midnight, we would say our goodbyes, go down to the courtyard at the back of the house where the car was parked, from which we could look up to the kitchen window where we’d always see our grandparents standing and waving goodbye.

It was always perfect.