Split christmases - what traditions do you have for the year that you dont have the DC for the DC?

[BatBrainsPumpkinHead]

And how do they differ from when you have the dc for christmas.

We are starting to split christmas and as neither me or ex like to share and we can be in the same room without disaster we are doing this slowly. This year I have handed over responsibility for Ds' stocking. Ds and I are setting up a new tradition which is only ours. There is talk about a mini christmas with my family either before or after christmas day (still under discussion)

Do you have specific traditions for DC for the year you dont have them on christmas day

i dont have a christmas day without children. what i do have (this year is the first) is a christmas day with the boys (11 and 9) and the girls at their dads from christmas eve until 6pm on christmas day. they will be having christmas dinner at their dads, and we normally have ours quite late so will be having it earlier. the boys will open some of their presents in the morning, and save some for when the girls get back so they can all open some together.

My Christmas is split. Every other year I have them either for Christmas or New Year. Though they live with me full time, their dad lives three hours away. So if they are away for Christmas with him they tend to go around 23rd and come back around 28th.

If it is Christmas here without them, it is just 25th December and it is sausage and mash with Champagne. DH and I do our presents, and if my ILs are here we do their presents too.

When the DCs come back we have Christmas dinner. This year it will be on 30th.

So my tradition when I dont have the children is that I dont have turkey!! its just another day and I love it.

The children love it too. They really feel tehy havent missed out on anything either.

My parents will probably come along on 31st and this means for the children that Christmas ends up lasting a week. With presents spread out rather than a huge amount all one on day too.

I think that sounds more like what we will end up with BigBadMummy Although we hav agreed to share a few more yet. However, I am fed up of being stuck to ex's traditions and want some of my own. So we are working on it. Ds is fab.

The chidlren are always with me for Xmas, as my family are more traditional than X's. I would love him to have them for boxing day, but he always plays golf that day and will have them for a couple of days after that, to bring them home for New Year, cos the kids say they prefer New Year with me.

I love the few days to myself to recharge my batteries.

However, this year has gone pear shaped as my X has booked 3 weeks in Australia over Xmas with no consideration of what the children will be doing.

I love my children but a small break from them would have been lovely, just so we appreciate each other more.

No experience, but just wanted to express my sympathies for anyone who has to do this- it must be very difficult somedays, even if a little break from them is lovely. Thinking of you all