Any tips to making Christmas special for ds?

[LadyMaryQuiteContrary]

He's 14. We were planning on going to Norway but the funding for this has fallen through so it's not possible (don't ask). We were both ill last year and we've had a crappy year. I'm not looking for present ideas just things that will build memories. We can't leave the UK as we can't afford it.

Any ideas?

Thank you.

No idea about snow. Does it always snow in Scotland?

There is a Lapland Uk in Kent?

It must do, Pete. It's on the same bit of the Earth as Norway (just a 'few' miles away. New year in Edinburgh might be doable.

Kent's a tad far. We'll have a look though.

Can you spare £50? I'd give him the challenge of creating a secret special day for the two of you, maybe Christmas Eve, with the £50. That way he can do the planning and it'll be exciting and you can relive it all on Christmas Day talking about it. And he'll feel very grown up. Perhaps give him a list of options to help him come up with things and enlist a friend of yours he can approach for help with any logistics

So your list might have things like

Cinema
Lunch (Nandos, mcdonalds, pizza etc)
Ice skating
A walk with hot chocolate and cake
A boat trip
Go karting

Etc

But from the list and his own ideas he plans the day for you both. Does that all make sense?

Also if you can afford it you could have same budget and do one where it's your turn to surprise him and do it Boxing Day

Then just an idea but would volunteering on Christmas Day together at a shelter or something make it special?

Also I am not religious but would midnight mass together be nice, or a carol concert?

Hope you have a wonderful time. X

Don't forget, ladymary my Dparents didn't do anything special at Xmas, yet I have lovely memories. Mostly of chocolates, tv specials and my mum falling asleep at the christmas table after one too many on an empty stomach
Perhaps this is an option?

Tamworth Snowdome do tobogganing and "tubing" (Sliding down slope in huge inflatable tyre thing!" and they also have a "snowplay" area where you can have snowball fights! Any good?

If he likes science you could make snow:snow

Or this is in Scotland: Best Western

Sorry your plans have fallen through

Would you do dog sledding in the cairngorms? I'm on my phone so can't do a link but there is a web site.

Lapland UK looks like fun! We could come back via the Harry Potter Warner Bros place and go to the snowdome.

You're all coming up with some fab suggestions, I'm really grateful.

Oh, snow!!

Lady Mary,
So sorry your plans fell through and that you had a bad year. One year we had a Christmas from hell, caught in the midst of some really hideous fighting among relatives. The only thing that made it bearable was where we stayed. Near Ripon, in a Hoseasons chalet with a hot tub in the garden, overlooking a river. It snowed, and on Christmas morning we were drinking Champagne (hot choc for DC) in the hot tub, then pretended we were in Scandinavia and jumped out and rolled in the snow. It was fantastic.
Christmas Eve carols in Ripon Cathedral were beautiful and sledging in nearby Fountains Abbey Gardens on Christmas day was stunning too. It's due to be a cold winter, so maybe worth a look, as in the snow it was all so magical.

No, we're in the East Midlands.

We can't afford a lot. Ds's father owes us a lot of maintenance and I had to go to court to sort this out. He was supposed to pay it by now but he's being an arse and is going to leave it until the last minute before he breaches the order, which is after Christmas. I'm barely breaking even at the moment so this would have been huge for ds. We used to eat out/go places/have lots of fun but we've had to put things on the back seat until this was all sorted.

We usually go to the cinema, moldings.

I'll have a look, notagiraffe.

You could buy a snow machine for £50 (they have them at Maplins). Or hire one for less. You could cover your house or garden for christmas morning?

That sounds like a fab idea!

We like to go for a walk on Christmas day. We are lucky as we have woodland opposite our house so can just cross the road and it's like being in the countryside.

Even if it's not snowing, it's quite nice to be in the woods, it's peaceful and beautiful and we usually meet a couple of people doing the same thing and because it's Christmas they everyone seems to be extra friendly and cheerful.

I know it doesn't sound like much, but it's nice. Take a flask of hot chocolate with you.

www.harryshaw.co.uk/itineraries/1103-a-magical-day-disneyland-paris?currentpage=1&areafilter=

I know its around £100 but ...

I'm taking my dd with another company for an Xmas pressie, she'll be 15 :D

Ds can't walk very well (balance and pain issues from the dyspraxia).

Disneyland paris, hey? I'll look into it.