For all those who had a fabulous Christmas

Ihatelittlefriendsusan · 2025-12-26T10:43:25+00:00

Reading through some of the posts today about how awful people's day was yesterday has made me sad, but also incredibly thankful for our amazing day. I have had awful Christmas Days's in the past, so I get the stress and the snapping but the posts here today are another level. We had a fabulous day. For the first time in 12 years I haven't cooked which was weird but also meant I have been present and involved in the present opening etc without dashing off to check on meats or roasties. There were my parents, DH, myself, dd, exdp (dd's dad) his 2 other kids (dss & dsd) and my friend who has no other family than his 6 year old who was with his mum this year. Everyone had been given and had bought stunning thoughtful gifts. My dd never hugs anyone and yet she gave Everyone lovely cuddles and thank yous for her presents. My mum and dad did an amazing roast dinner, we all helped clear and the dishwasher did a sterling job at cleaning up! We had a truly lovely relaxed day. So come on, we always moan about the crap that happens so share your stories of the lovely things that happened yesterday!!!

Sahara123 · 26/12/2025 10:47

As I’ve said on another post, lovely peaceful day with two daughters, lovely presents picked by them, a snooze in front of the tv after my husband cooked the lunch ! Then today another daughter and her partner is coming over with their 4 week old baby, my first grandchild. So special all round.

Hagnumber4 · 26/12/2025 10:48

I feel like we nailed it this year. Autistic household here and we all can find Christmas overwhelming. We took it at our own pace and it was a wonderful and relaxing day. This is my best Christmas in memory

Original poster

Ihatelittlefriendsusan · 26/12/2025 10:50

@Sahara123 ohh enjoy the special memories with your grandchild!!!

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Original poster

Ihatelittlefriendsusan · 26/12/2025 10:51

Hagnumber4 · 26/12/2025 10:48

I feel like we nailed it this year. Autistic household here and we all can find Christmas overwhelming. We took it at our own pace and it was a wonderful and relaxing day. This is my best Christmas in memory

Amazing!!!

The only fixed time we had yesterday was arriving at mum's for dinner, but she only lives at the other side of the village I live in so we were there in under 3 minutes. The rest of the day had no time restraints and it made such a huge difference!

Glad you had an amazing day!

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Sahara123 · 26/12/2025 10:53

Ihatelittlefriendsusan · 26/12/2025 10:50

@Sahara123 ohh enjoy the special memories with your grandchild!!!

Thank you ! It’s been a long time coming for various reasons, I find myself quite weepy, it’s so lovely!!

mindutopia · 26/12/2025 10:54

Yes, had a lovely relaxed day. You get the life you create is the way I look at it. We had a chill one at home. MIL came for lunch on Christmas Eve and we opened presents with her. In the evening, we drove around to look at Christmas lights and picked up our traditional Christmas Eve takeaway.

Kids were in bed and asleep early! And everyone slept through (last year, dd, she’s 12 🙄 woke me up like every hour asking if it was time to get up and I could have strangled her!). Nice relaxing morning, lunch, it’s just us this year because I’ve had cancer and I’m not hosting anymore. Then we went for a walk and a wild swim and watched the sunset. Leftovers and chocolates and everyone to bed at a reasonable time.

It’s been a tough year (cancer). I don’t take anything for granted anymore, but I also don’t do shit that makes me miserable. So we had the Christmas we wanted to have.

Tintackedsea · 26/12/2025 10:54

Except for the oven packing in mid roasting the bird all was well and lovely. We got it going again though and dinner was just a bit later than planned. A merry Christmas! Today I’m eating cheese and reading my book. Hurrah!

MissMarplesGoddaughter · 26/12/2025 10:55

I had a lovely Christmas day with family at the coast yesterday, today I'm hosting more family and am looking forward to another day with lots of laughs and a happy time together.

Sahara123 · 26/12/2025 10:59

mindutopia · 26/12/2025 10:54

Yes, had a lovely relaxed day. You get the life you create is the way I look at it. We had a chill one at home. MIL came for lunch on Christmas Eve and we opened presents with her. In the evening, we drove around to look at Christmas lights and picked up our traditional Christmas Eve takeaway.

Kids were in bed and asleep early! And everyone slept through (last year, dd, she’s 12 🙄 woke me up like every hour asking if it was time to get up and I could have strangled her!). Nice relaxing morning, lunch, it’s just us this year because I’ve had cancer and I’m not hosting anymore. Then we went for a walk and a wild swim and watched the sunset. Leftovers and chocolates and everyone to bed at a reasonable time.

It’s been a tough year (cancer). I don’t take anything for granted anymore, but I also don’t do shit that makes me miserable. So we had the Christmas we wanted to have.

I hope you continue doing well on your cancer journey. A couple of years ago my disabled daughter had major cancer surgery just before Christmas, it was hell. The following year we were all just thankful to be together. Nothing else actually mattered.
Wishing you peace and all the best x

caramac04 · 26/12/2025 11:01

No living parents but my 4 children, 3 partners and 3 grandchildren and DH had a lovely day. Thoughtful gifts exchanged, dgc well behaved and no arguing (tween and teens so growing up now), lovely dinner (if I say so myself) and we even played games at the table. DD cleared the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher which I was very grateful for.
Oh and the three additional dogs were just settled and calm all day as was my old dog (she sleeps a lot anyway).
I do love having them all round and am very grateful that they all want to be here and enjoy spending time with each other.

Punkerplus · 26/12/2025 11:06

I had a great day but I always do! We just have small family Christmas's so only those that we love and actually get on with we spend the day with. And today seeing some more extended family. Perfect days and everyone is happy.

I'll be honest, I don't understand people who have huge Christmases with family they don't like or even have much of a relationship with just for their day and everyone else's to be ruined. My sibling makes absolutely no effort with me, hasn't even met my kids and doesn't like Christmas. I'm at a loss as to why I should invite him to my house on Christmas just so he can turn up empty handed, whinge through the whole day, ignore my kids and generally ruin the whole day for everyone just because he's "family" and for some reason he shouldn't be left alone. No thanks!

Londontown12 · 26/12/2025 11:10

Always have a great Xmas !
No rushing around buying any gifts adult children always have money or. Holiday abroad paid for !
Braved supermarket for some nice food nothing over the top !
Christmas day we eaten out with adult kids and partners and mother in law came back to ours nibbles drank wine chilled played Scrabble and had lots of laughs simple and easy !!!
Boxing day everyone at our eating pizzas !!
Simple and daughter bought a hamper for everyone to share and today she has contributed home made sausage rolls and cake son has decided he wants to do his own thing and that's cool with me !

Alasandalack · 26/12/2025 11:13

Lovely peaceful Christmas, to my surprise. Horrific bereavement this year and was utterly dreading it, but DH and DD pulled out all the stops. Even sourced some Christmas treats for my allergy which was just the sweetest thing for them to do. Tired now but feeling better than I have for months.

Original poster

Ihatelittlefriendsusan · 26/12/2025 11:13

Punkerplus · 26/12/2025 11:06

I had a great day but I always do! We just have small family Christmas's so only those that we love and actually get on with we spend the day with. And today seeing some more extended family. Perfect days and everyone is happy.

I'll be honest, I don't understand people who have huge Christmases with family they don't like or even have much of a relationship with just for their day and everyone else's to be ruined. My sibling makes absolutely no effort with me, hasn't even met my kids and doesn't like Christmas. I'm at a loss as to why I should invite him to my house on Christmas just so he can turn up empty handed, whinge through the whole day, ignore my kids and generally ruin the whole day for everyone just because he's "family" and for some reason he shouldn't be left alone. No thanks!

My sister and I haven't spoken in over 6 years, so I absolutely get this!!

Since covid and ex losing his last parent our dd has always been worried about him being alone so when it was "my turn" for Christmas and he would have been alone, we always scheduled Christmas so that dd would be with him the same year as her siblings, she asked if daddy could have Christmas with us. We are still friends, there was no cheating or abuse etc involved in our split, we just grew apart. It seemed a small sacrifice but a huge lesson in the true meaning of Christmas for dd. So he came and we had my disabled neighbour here too. It was hilarious and one of the best days. And so we have done it ever since.

The dsc are adults now. And chose us over their mum (dss muttered something about the food being better as "everyone knows mum can't cook") so we must be getting somwthing right!

But I totally agree that it seems so many people end up with an awful day because they make awful choices to spend time with people they hate!

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Original poster

Ihatelittlefriendsusan · 26/12/2025 11:15

Alasandalack · 26/12/2025 11:13

Lovely peaceful Christmas, to my surprise. Horrific bereavement this year and was utterly dreading it, but DH and DD pulled out all the stops. Even sourced some Christmas treats for my allergy which was just the sweetest thing for them to do. Tired now but feeling better than I have for months.

Sorry for your loss! We were in a similar position last year after dh's 16yo died earlier in the year. I am songlad you managed a nice day!

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Duckchops · 26/12/2025 11:23

Same as you, have had horrific Christmases in the past. My ex ILs 😱

It's been lovely for nearly two decades now but I still really appreciate it. However, in honour of all the stories I've read on here, yesterday I got dressed. Somehow in other years I've never quite gotten around to it, but yesterday I made the effort 😆

Vargas · 26/12/2025 11:36

Feel very grateful for a lovely Christmas yesterday. My (not so) DM has spoilt it in the past but is now too old to do so. Other than her insisting on going home (driven by my DH) at an inconvenient time, we had a lovely day. No arguments or tears, loads of food and games and Christmas TV. I will never take it for granted.

Northcoastmama · 26/12/2025 11:39

We had a glorious happy day with four little ones five and under and my brother and sister and our husbands and wife. I grew up in a home where Christmas meant a drunk and volatile dad and an emotionally abusive mum and my sister and I were talking about how incredible grateful we are to have broken the cycle. Our children know nothing of that world and we never forget how lucky we are

FromageTime · 26/12/2025 11:43

We had a perfect day. Both sons home, we took them at their girlfriends out for cocktails and lunch on Christmas Eve. Then yesterday it was just the 4 of us. Got up late, lots of champagne, husband cooked the best Christmas dinner, opened presents in the evening, then ate copious amounts of cheese and played games until 1am.

It was so relaxed and lovely to not have a houseful for once.

EvangelinaMae · 26/12/2025 11:43

We had a lovely day, my husband had an accident the day before Christmas eve but he's ok, he's going to heal ok, so the traditional expectations could get to fuck, what matters was all good.

DarkEyedSailor · 26/12/2025 11:48

Child and I came to family, I don't have in-laws, I don't have to be with anyone I dislike, we all get on. We all help with the cooking and washing up, we all play Scrabble and charades, we all sit around eating chocolate and drinking off-brand Bailey's and it's lovely.

MagpieCastle · 26/12/2025 11:49

Grateful for a lovely relaxed one. Dh cooked most of the lovely dinner and dc helped clear up afterwards. Really enjoyed seeing them laughing and joking together. Played some family games, chatted and also had space to read our books or have a siesta in peace. Chilled, low key and lots of fun.

Pennyfan · 26/12/2025 11:52

Had a wonderful day. DH was away at his mum’s as she’s old and very frail so he wanted a one off Christmas with her and his family. My ds and ddil said they’d host-I supplied turkey and made a dessert, my dd cooked a wonderful breakfast and she drove to ds.My ds did all the cooking, marvellous meal and conversation, long walk in the local park, film and lots of chat. My ddil’s friend who is recently single and whose family are abroad also joined us. I felt very lucky to have such lovely kids. I was orphaned very young and spent plenty of Christmases alone and then divorced from the kids’dad-we used to do Christmas together so the kids didn’t have to split their time but now we are both remarried. This is the first time any of my kids have hosted and it did feel a bit weird-but was so proud of my ds and felt very spoilt.

theresbeautyinwindysun · 26/12/2025 11:52

While I’m glad you had a lovely Christmas it reads a bit unkindly saying dsc chose you over their mum, criticising her cooking and saying you must be doing something right! That’s not nice. After saying how inclusive you are with your ex.

harriethoyle · 26/12/2025 11:56

We had a dear friend staying with us who’s relationship is tricky atm and we had the MOST lovely day.

Dog walk in the morning, liberal champagne, DH did all of the cooking - fabulously, board games in the evening, great conversations, deep and shallow… just a truly lovely, relaxed day. One of the best I’ve ever had.