Are there any families out there who aren't having Christmas with loads of relatives?

[ClawHandsIfYouBelieveInFreaks]

We're going to be just us 4...me, DH and two DDs aged 10 and 6. I'm a bit worried about making it fun and special.

I've never had big family Christmasses even from childhood, so have never had a problem with small groups. Dad often had to work at some point on Christmas day (in nursing) and it was often just Mum and I for part of the day.

DH and I used to have his Dad over to stay, but when he died we just carried on with spending the day together, we discussed going away or eating out, but decided it wasn't for us. So we have our presents and a nice roast lunch, a walk for half an hour afterwards, watch TV in the afternoon and evening with a supper of cheese and biscuits and trifle. May have a snooze at some point! It's just a nice leisurely stress free day with the food and good wine that we want.

This year will be my first christmas without any DC/DGC around and I'm dreading it. Just me and DH, I will cook dinner, watch some tv, DH will fall asleep and I will sit here talking to myself until bedtime.

Always had Xmas just husband n I then just 3 of us when ds arrived he is now 4 and will be just 4 of us this yr as new baby due end Nov.

Xmas is what you make it and we prefer being by ourselves and not having to either rush round or beholden to others or equally host other people.

Three of us, two cats. We'll be playing Uno...

Us, every year! This year it will be me, DH, 3yo DS1 and possibly a new born DS2. We love it. We see family before and after, but Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are ours

We have never spent Christmas with any family. Just me, DH and two DCs and the cats. Our children have always had the full on Christmas though. Father Christmas leaving his snowy footprints on the hearth, leaving carrots out and mince pies, looking for Father Christmas and the reindeers in the night sky etc. Christmas Day has always been calm and just about us as a family. Enjoying each other and creating memories that last a lifetime. My children are grown up now and always remember all the things we did to create the magic of Christmas for them.

There will be just the 4 of us. We will be skiing in France interspersed with cludo and monopoly. Nice food, but no turkey.

Lovely change from the 15 people we entertained last year including one about to get divorced family and my excruciatingly dull SIL. Boys are sad they won't see their cousins.... We will have that joy next year.

Just the two of us and the dog.

We really enjoy it being just us. No pressures, everything exactly how we choose. We've developed our own little traditions over the years, it's perfect.

I would love to have children to share it with and the absence of them does make me very sad when I think about it but aside from that we're happy with how we spend Christmas.

Us four and my mother. I plan on having a mid-morning disco replete with 80s favourites and the children's best head-banging rock numbers. I hope to have an afternoon nap too, but we shall see.

The best Christmases are those where you tear up the rule book and just have fun.

We never go to relatives - 3 dc with additional needs make it impossible really. Some years my mum and siblings come to us but tbh it can get too hectic.

I like to let the dc lounge in their pjs and enjoy their presents. They are allowed to eat chocolate and relax without the stress of normal life! We have a lovely roast turkey that I prepare the night before and I don't have to worry if the dcs are too loud or make a mess. I love our Christmas' spent as a family at home .

Just realised I didn't answer your worry OP.

There's nothing a big gathering has that you can't have as your group of 4.

But you will miss out on the bickering, the passive agressive comments about overcooked sprouts and seething resentment when someone wants to watch Downton and everyone else wants Doctor Who.

I think the big jolly gathering that the ads portray isn't as common as they'd like us to think.

There's only me and DH but we do almost everything a larger family would. Lazy long lie in, then a 'posh' breakfast, usually poached eggs and salmon but whatever we fancy really. We do a stocking for each other and presents under the tree. The tree is a 6 foot real one and we make a day out it when we go to pick it. Christmas music playing all morning. We have a huge traditional dinner, except we get most of it ready prepared from M&S so zero stress. Crackers, decorated table, candles etc. Films in the evening with hot chocolate, popcorn and fancy biscuits. It's laid back and really lovely.

Basically what I'm trying to say is there's nothing at all that you will miss out on. Especially with two children at perfect ages to really enjoy it all. You'll have a brilliant time and wonder what you were worried about.

yes us too. I love busy xmasses but they are not be yet.

however I also love the lazyness of the day, plenty of toys to keep dc amused, and i do enjoy it. no pressure or stress to cook we never have a set time anyway.

i think many people have small families its just tv ads where they dont

Us!

We're going on holiday this Christmas. It'll just be the four of us surrounded by strangers.

It'll be just me and dd for a large part of Christmas this year as dh is working, we usually have to go to pil, looking forward to a more leisurely Christmas this year.

us it will be DH and Myself with our 4 children,

Sil has suddenly developed a continence and after 7 years of not caring wants mil for christmas..

I said fine we then get to have her for Boxinday and happily now dont have to go to SILs then (she is the most awful cook and their house is always cold)

I am now happily planning what to do for our boxinday meal.

We hardly have any family, so for a lot of years there has only been the 3 of us. I don't think we have done anything any differently to what people with large families around do (other than no rows or falling outs).

I look forward to the day we can spend it with just our DC. I didn't even grow up with Xmas as a thing but it is a big thing for my IL's and I've had to suffer it for the past 10+ years with us gradually becoming the one's to host every year, usually with me doing all the cooking. I loathe it. Of course my DC love it and I've done the whole Santa thing with them — their excitement is cheering.

Us! Every year! We have the luxury of living abroad though. It's been very liberating to keep the traditions we loved, get rid of the boring ones and create a few more along the way.

We eat late and just spend the day hanging out together. The dogs get walked, video games get played particularly competitively and crappy Xmas songs get played. And, presents exempted, it's cheap too.

Just me, DS and my mum. Having been recently been dumped, I have no partner to share it with but I'm sure it will be a nice, if not quiet, day.

Bumped for matb1 I spend waay too much time on here!