Anyone else really sad that the Fr Christmas days are over?

[gregs1974]

So Sad about it and can't explain why!
Any suggestions for teens and teens new traditions in a single parent household ?

We still do lots of the same stuff but added new traditions.

They now do the early morning Christmas eve trip to the market in town together to the lovely bakery and farm stall, then grab bacon butties before coming home. Then in the afternoon when I get home from work, me and DD will prep for Christmas Dinner, DS will cook that nights dinner and we have Christmas music and a glass of bucks fizz whilst we do it.

Best of all, me and DH work for a little while on Christmas morning and have to leave at 7.30 so we now get our revenge for the early years by starting Christmas Day with an air horn at 5.30am. Accompanied by shouts of Santa's been

My 17 year old daughter has agreed (after I gently asked) that I can stop doing Christmas stockings this year. Hoo bloody rah.
It was always stressful finding the tat to fill it with (and expensive).
I think she is as relieved as I am, for waste / eco reasons. And she will still have plenty of 'proper' presents to open.

My 11yo is now open about not believing (and admittedly has been cynical for a few years) and doesn't want to do any Christmassy activities. He can find Christmas events quite intense with his autism.
He's too young to leave at home to take DS2 (8)
Like last year, there's no festive build up (school events, carol services) and it's pants. Christmas has been reduced to wifework. Yey.

Step one buy a cat
Step two buy another cat because dcat is lonely
Step three spend Christmas picking up tree

Some Great ideas here thanks!

Actually with a 10 and 12 year old this might be my last year of leaving a mince pie out for the old fella.

No, I think the whole thing (or what it's become in modern times) is ridiculous. And more about the parents than their children.

@ssd

Whats fr ,am i being daft?

Father, usually used for priests.

I’m just glad this isn’t another thread mithering about Father Christmas vs Santa.

I do think the current Christmas "magic" has gone to another level in the past few years, parents getting het up about their kids believing or not. I think all the "magic" talk is actually sucking the fun out of Christmas 🤣.
Your children will still enjoy the games, the pressies, the food etc - just have fun.

My teens are happy to leave a mince pie out for fc
Me and dh eat it in front of the telly
And fc brings them a stocking
Nothing really changed, apart from the risks from getting caught delivering stocking presents and rumbled as fc are now zero!

We insisted on mince pie and stockings out until past uni days, all part of the ritual and homey feeling.

Christmas is lots of work. Why let an imaginary stranger take all the credit?

We also never did the FC is real thing so things are no different. It's always been fun. It still is with young teens. They love all the ritual and enjoy the myth without believing it.

You don't have to change much just because they know. You just make it family tradition, laugh about the "lies" as you tell them FC will be doing [whatever] in some different way because they are up too late nowadays and Rudolph refuses to fly past x o'clock. Look at them in a knowing wide eyed way and say "FC's doctor has ruled out sherry" when they ask why you're leaving FC [your favourite drink] instead of sherry. Tut and mutter about copy cat elves when they point out the wrapping paper for FC's presents is the same as the wrapping paper you used. Now they know you can have fun with it in a totally different way, it doesn't have to be the end.

No. But glad it's over, with late teens. We've never made a big deal re Father Christmas. No sneaking around. Only one small present, chocolate was from him. All other presents from us. Glad it's toned down though.

Still do it at 16! Why not?

Mine are 12 and 14 and still play along, we put out a mince pie and carrot snd follow the NORAD Santa tracker. I will never tell them he isn’t real, I don’t agree with having that conversation! Although I think DS googled and found out the truth at about 4 😀

Traditions change - I’ve been lone parent for years
When they were teens - we made it all about the prep - lead up to Xmas helping bake, decorate, shop, wrap etc
Now as adults it’s all about food and drink!
We host at each other’s houses, plan menu, go mad on cocktails
Other things that have kept us together are board games, online games eg escape rooms and jackbox tv and shared interests