DD is 6 and every year has Christmas Dinner with ExH and his family on Christmas Day. I have her until 11.30am, I do santa then she’s sent off to her dads.
This year I got her back at 5pm Christmas Day but usually she’d be overnight on CD and Boxing Day and be back with me 27th and then we’d do family presents and Christmas Dinner. We have some silly traditions like playing a board game, eating popcorn for tea, seeing who can open the last present the slowest etc. We each pick a present for the cat as well (because why not?). I absolutely love our tradition of Christmas once she’s back from her dads.
I was talking to a family member about this who has their children every other year from 24th to 27th and every other year does Christmas from 27th to 1st Jan.
She told me my way is “not the same” she says it’s not the same for her on her years at new years and her children know and called it fake Christmas and as teenagers have mocked the fake Christmas as try hard. She says I should prepare myself for my DD mocking our “fake christmas” as she grows up.
For context my ExH was abusive and violent. He dragged me through court and wanted full residency with no visitation for me. I compromised on Christmas and made my own traditions, so that I could get more of what I wanted in court which was her to live with me and visit her father regularly (EOW Sat – Sun, 1 full week in the 6 weeks and a long weekend in every 2 week holiday except the Christmas holidays was what he got as well as Christmas Day from 11.30am until 11.30am on 27th). He has DD overnight at his parents not his so couldn’t have her overnight this year due to the restrictions. He’s been having her for a few hours on his Saturday.
Tell me it’ll be ok? Or not? Tell me the positives of a Christmas later than the others.