Places to go on Christmas Day?

[Mumtogremlins]

I love Christmas, especially Christmas Eve. But get a bit deflated after present opening and the day gets a bit boring. We don't see family so trying to think of something fun we could go out and do with the children to stop them climbing the walls, despite all the toys! We live near London but can't think of anything that might be open, apart from the beach. Any ideas?

www.usborne.com/catalogue/book/1~SB~SBHTT~4517/london-sticker-book.aspx

www.usborne.com/catalogue/book/1~ILB~ILG~750/book-of-london.aspx

I have to leave London at Christmas which is fine. But it does mean I can never tour london in such peace and quiet!

I want you to live my dream.

We always have a drive round to look at the Christmas lights (not on the day itself, but no reason why it couldn't be) keeps think it is fab, we fill the cars with duvets and hot water bottles and drive round with the windows down :-)

Kids think its fab, not keeps!

thats sound fab drmelons, so cosy! I'd LOVE that, but DH has a fear of open car windows at any time, it would be stressful for him .

We drive round looking at Christmas lights too, but with windows shuit. It's wonderful and we all look forward to it.

I always find it sad when people want things to be open/run on Christmas day - for everything that is, it means other people are not able to spend the time with their family... sorry...

I speak as someone who has worked it many times in the past and has resented the fact that I don't get to sit down to Christmas lunch, have the big present open with my kids etc...

it goes both ways though Made, there are also lots of lonely people at xmas and it would be nice for them, the elderly those who have lost family if they had somewhere to go, rather be marooned in their house feeling very alone.

If you are alone, or lonely, I dont think any other day of the year makes that feeling more in sharp relied.

I have also had to work past xmasses, and have been alone on a few.

It would be nice if there was a happy medium

What about patio heater and a pop up gazebo in your garden with battery fairy lights strung up inside on the metal frame. You could give them some kind of play script or let them make one up then they could practice and perform it in the gazebo? Bit complicated maybe when you have four kids to look after...or you could do the same but just let them watch a christmas movie on a laptop or something?

Pastelmacaroons - I was wondering if the evans tours I linked to might be for people who are lonely at christmas