What to do on Christmas morning?

[cleanandclothed]

We are hosting Christmas for PIL and BIL. DS is 3. PIL will arrive Christmas Eve but BIL won't arrive till 1pm at the earliest. I am feeling super organised (have made and frozen stuffing, gravy and potatoes, and will make bread sauce in advance) so all I need to do in the morning is bung turkey in and then cook etcs in the last hour before lunch. So am now panicking about what to do in the morning after stocking and breakfast! Don't want to open too may presents because of BIL not being there, so what on earth can we do? (Live in London BTW).

Go for a walk? Perhaps wrap up a family game, and let that be the present you open before BIL arrives so you can all play? Or... Do what I do and hide in the garden with a Baileys and cigarettes

why cant he get there earlier? can your ds open his presents and save all yours till he turns up?

A walk is ideal - gets everyone out the house, a bit of fresh air, works up an appetite - DS not running round wanting presents (because out of sight, out of mind at that age!)

scentednappyhag love the baileys idea!

Agree with getting outside. Is there a big Christmas tree you could go and see? Some ducks that need festive feeding :)
Could be a long painful wait if you're all cooped up inside all day.

Go to church?

Ds is 3, won't there be mega building and putting together of toys that the men can do!! as others have said a walk be good, fresh air, build up an appetite and all that!

I don't want DS to open his presents - I am quite happy that they are left till the afternoon as that is normally what my family do (open say 3-4 in the morning and the rest in the afternoon). But normally the focus is the food preparation which I wanted to do in advance so that I don't get in a flap (my first time cooking the lunch). Might go to church - we will have been the evening before but could go again. Ideally it will snow and we can build a snowman, but that might be hoping for too much!

Snow would be fab!! I will keep my fingers crossed

Go to church, yes - I used to like Christmas morning services but then in latter years got embroiled in dinner preparations instead.
Snow would be grand though...
Or perhaps you could make something frivolous and lovely for later on? Chocolate rum truffles, for example...

you dont want every hour planned out though. you'll be amazed how many little things you'll still have to do on the day, even if its just doing your hair and make up and generally getting ready, binning wrapping paper, making beds, emptying dishwasher from night before, clearing up breakfast, laying table etc.

these are the kind of things that take up most of the morning for me on christmas day cause you want to do it at a leisurely pace and sit down every so often for a cuppa or drink even and watch the kids play.

but yes, once youre organised a little walk would be lovely. ive always had that idea but never got round to it, always got caught up on phone or wiping chocolate faces.

scentednappyhag - i sneak out the back for the odd ciggie too on xmas day! always with a drink too. i generally dont smoke but somehow see it as my treat at certain times in the week (sat night usually. old habits die hard)