It's just me and my dds (14 and 16) and although we're having a nice enough day, I'm very conscious that it's extremely low key. I have no siblings and it's just my mum left and we are low contact so I won't see her over the festive period - that's by mutual agreement. Ex is also from quite a small family so though dds will see his side over the next few days, there are no cousins their own age and it will be pretty quiet again.
Obviously, this has always been the case so the dds don't know any different, but I feel bad and that they are missing out on huge family events that they have just never had. The day is just like any other holiday/weekend really, just with nicer food (that they're probably not fussed about, aside from the extra chocolate) and no possibility of me nagging over screens/homework etc! They are good company and, mixed in with doing their own thing in their rooms, they have/will watch films, play board games, come for walks, help with baking etc It's fine, but that's it...
I'm an introvert with a few close friends so there will be no parties/get togethers over the holiday at all for them, unless with their own friends, who, from experience, tend to be less available over this holiday period than the others. I suspect dd1 is happy with this as she's like me, but I'm sure a bigger and noisier family would be a better fit for dd2 really.
Anyway, just a pointless moan as I'm feeling a bit sad about it right now.