Christmas with just your family

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Does anyone do this? Christmas with just your immediate family as in just you, Dh, Dc, pets maybe? Is it nice or a bit lonely? Would you feel sad to do this?

That’s our plan this year and it’ll be lovely. Cooking what I want with no stress or pressure, chilling with the DC’s and watching crap on tv.
I spent years when I was married and before that travelling to relatives and it was so stressful. They’re all deceased now so I’m glad in a way that we did but I much prefer a smaller quieter Christmas.
Last year was stressful although I enjoyed the actual day, it went south badly after that so I’m absolutely not putting in lots of effort to please other people when they don’t appreciate it and criticise anyway.
This year is for the people that actually care and matter most.

Just me and my husband for the last 35 years. If we're not on holiday, we just keep it very low key. The thought of a huge gathering of relatives fills me with horror, tbh.

It’s just me and DH this year and I cannot wait. We do the extended clan Christmas every other year and DSC are at that and then the intervening year is just us and whoever we choose to invite. The best intervening years have been the two of us (and DDog). We have lovely lie in, eat special but non-Christmas food, walk the dog, watch a decent film, eat when we like, drink too much and doze on and off. It’s absolute bliss!

Yes, every year. Doesn’t feel sad or lonely at all! MIL will usually pop in around tea time for a turkey sandwich and a board game, but not always.

We usually see family on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day, but not sure we will be doing that this year as I’ll be recovering from surgery.

I’ve always protected the day so we can be relaxed and the kids can play with their presents. As a child I hated going to other peoples houses and found it stressful and confusing as I didn’t know the routine, expectations or they didn’t have my food or drink.

No, I'd love it myself.

It’s same stuff, different place for me but if we go to in-laws I get more breaks and get to go to Edinburgh alone and enjoy Hogmanay which I enjoy immensely but it is expensive since we need to book accommodations, buy groceries (more expensive strangely enough there than on our area, they’re in the NE, we’re in Oxfordshire), and bedtimes are a battle.

It’s exhausting either way for me and counting down the days that we’re back into routine.

We’re doing it this year for the first time - me, DH and our 18mo. I am apprehensive about it, I’m trying to make the best of it but it feels a bit sad. Much prefer a big family Christmas.

Yes, we normally do it. This year we have people coming over on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day. Will be a nice change.

I spend Christmas on my own now and I absolutely love it.

For those of you who think it’s sad and lonely, I think you have to make your own traditions and routines. When they are little some fun Christmas themed orchard toys Games and all the Julia Donaldson cartoons works well. At some point bundle up and get out for a decent walk, whether round your little area or to the park. Get in some special drinks and nibbles, save some easy Christmas crafts.

It’s all about how you frame it.

Agreed.

Christmas is a season to me. What you do on the big day is to relax after/before you do lots of other stuff with lots of other people.

Me and OH for Xmas day, been that way since COVID and because really of some complicated family circumstances. He loves it, I'm less keen. This year I may go to church mainly because I find it difficult to fill the day. We do see people before and after Xmas day but the day itself i find a bit challenging.

We've done it a few times, mostly when both children were younger (babies and toddlers) and loved it because no stress. I always prefer the atmosphere when we have a few friends over though, as it just feels more of an occasion. Happy with either though, pros and cons to both styles of days.

I've always done ever since I moved away from my home town 49 years ago. We always said anyone was welcome to join us and MIL came twice and my folks came twice but they prefer to holiday abroad.

It's the best!

This is us every year too.

Yeah pretty much always have. When I was a kid we had family only for Christmas. Now its me, DP and DD on Christmas Day and extended family only Boxing Day. It suits me: I can’t bear having to travel at Christmas time and just want to chill at home after a hard year. Its the most downtime I get in the year so I want to make the most of it.

Yes, always have.

My extended family all lived overseas so Christmas was always just me, mum and dad. Now it's just me, DH and the animals. I absolutely love it, but I'm autistic and the idea of a loud, busy Christmas makes me want to hide under a blanket for a week.

I love both kinds of Christmas, I love not having to worry about running round after everyone and can change in to pj’s as early as I want. On the other hand I love the noise and mayhem and getting tipsy with the family and in laws. Think this year will be a quiet one and I’m secretly happy that I do t have to deep clean the house two days b fore Christmas and stress over a massive food shop, but I know on the day I will miss the hosting and social element of it

We do this every year. Just me, DH and DS. It’s fantastic and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

We’re not into big extended family meetings ups so this suits us best. I can’t think of anything worse than spending the day with 20 relatives. I’d rather go to work than do that!

We've always done Christmas day with just me, DH and our two DC. And it's always been lovely. We see wider family between Christmas and New Year. We take turns with dh's siblings hosting a big buffet lunch with drinks a quiz and secret Santa for all the cousins, their partners and kids. Works really well and we all look forward to it.

That would make Christmas Day just another day.

Yep! It’s ideal really. We often see wider
family on boxing day

There are too mnay of us to get together these days

We've always had small Xmases. No extended family we would want to spend time with. But we always had great times. Met friends for drinks 12 to 2 then home.

We do it and love it. I really enjoy hosting and usually have a Christmas party for 20+ but Christmas Day is always just immediate family. DH and I, adult DC and DGC. I don’t find it sad, at all. I find it cosy, relaxing and stress free.