Ideas for adults on Christmas day?

[LostinLocation]

I am hosting christmas for the first time this year. It will be myself, DH, DD (who is 8 months) and my sister. I have done dinner before so I have no worries in that direction.

My sister is coming because she doesn't have her kids (still Santa age) this year and I think she will be a bit sad, or at least wistful, to be missing out on spending Christmas day with her own little ones. They are travelling a few hours away on Christmas eve to their Dad so there is no chance for her to see them on the day.

I really want to make this a bearable day for her and was wondering if anyone had any nice ideas? All I can think of at the moment is to invent a spectacularly strong sloe gin cocktail and get us all steadily drunk but I suspect that's probably not the best plan! Anyone else out there without their kids? What do you do to still have a good day?

Never been without the kids so can't imagine how hard that would be (un MN hugs to your sis) but have once had to put up with a really awful family Christmas with relatives who made it plain they didn't want us even though they'd invited us and we'd have preferred to stay put but went for sake of some older rellies.

We got through it by starting the day with smoked salmon and champagne cocktails, a long wintry walk and pretty candlelit church service.

You could also make sure you and her ex both have skype installed so she can skype them and also phone them on the day. You could also, maybe buy her DC an el-cheapo mobile and set it up to be fully charged and topped up with credit, with a message wrapped round it for them to phone her and surprise her on Christmas morning. You could ask ex DH to slip it in their stockings on Christmas morning. (If he;s obstructive, don't even tell him what it is, just say it's a stocking filler from you to your oldest DN.

Let her sleep late and bring her tea in bed. Plan a great DVD that her DC wouldn't want to watch. Something feelgood but grown up or girlie.

Drag out some music that you and she used to love when you were teens so it cheers her up and brings back memories not associated with her DC, perhaps.

My sis and I love getting together and playing really cheesy music everyone else hates.

You could even do her a reminiscence stocking with CDs/DVDs of stuff you loved as teens, sweets you used to love back then and photos of her and you framed. Stuff to make her focus on who else loves her and to remember other happy times in her life - to enjoy being with you rather than being sad to be apart from them IYSWIM.

Thanks racing, there are some great ideas there. I love the idea of teenage hits and movies. We could do a whole 80s/early 90s love in- the Breakfast Club and Now That's What I Call Music!

I am a bit tentative about encouraging the kids to make contact. I'd say she has agreed a phone call or something but her ex is very unpleasant and I might start World War III.

I can't really imagine how hard it is for people in this situation.

Start off her day with a luxurious bubble bath, with loads of magazines on the side for her to read :) Have waiting for her a super soft bath robe.

Once dressed in new lounge wear, have a delicious adult breakfast waiting for her: including Buck's Fizz (orange juice with champagne 2:1) :)

Until lunch is served, have many 15 and 18 rated movies waiting for her

Also although the instore sales start on boxing day, the online sales often start on Christmas day so remember to give her vouchers and a laptop/computer so she can get ahead of the sales shopping :)