Christmas with teenagers!

[Lizziep03]

Hi everyone, new to here and really hoping I can get some ideas. Christmas last year was very tiring and stressful; would love to go away this year with partner and my teenage sons aged 16 and 18. They don't particularly want to spend all their time with us (especially over meals!). We had a holiday last year to the UAE which was bit of a disaster as all they did was spend the whole time on their phones and didn't talk to us at all. I was in tears several times. Any suggestions home or abroad where we would ALL be entertained would be hugely appreciated! A friend suggested Sensatori in Egypt which I am yet to look at.

Being the mother of teens (DS will be 16, DD will be 13.6 at Christmas) I can sympathise.
They are non-appreciative little beings.
My DS is one of these types who eat to prevent starvaion rather than sitting and enjoying a meal and chattering. DD will get involved in the whole affair and loves the Christmas Traditions and setting the table.

Last year , my DBro, DSiL,DM and DF came down for Christmas Eve to Boxing Day which was lovely, busy, lots of food and yattering. But a long journey for them.The DC gave up their rooms, quite happy to decamp to sofa and folding bed.

I don't "do" Christmas away from my house, so I wouldn't even contemplate Egypt or UAE for Christmas (Hot weather Christmas? )..

I think , ask your DC in good time what they would like to do. Make them give you ideas instead of you having to think of something and them having faces like and glued to their phones.

If I had to make a choice about where to go that isn't home?

In the UK, I'd love Christmas in York. I'd love to hire a house in the city centre, with a fire , get my food delivery online. Go to Bettys to buy a cake and pies.
Then on Christmas Eve (and it will snow in my dream) wander along the river and go to York Minster.

If I went away - New York . Never been there but they seem to do Christmas in the films in New York?

I am not going to plan a family day out this year sadly. My DS doesnt want to and is a total pain in the tonsils.
DD and I will have our trip to London to the ballet (our tradition)

Would your DSs go for Lapland? One last Christmas adventure before they get too old and sophisticated?
Husky sleds or those jetski things?
reindeer sleigh?
Outdoor hot-tub.
Even if they don't want to see Father Christmas, there's the Northern Lights.

I do have to say 70's suggestion of Lapland sounds amazing. Especially as there are a huge range of older things to be done.
Closer to home I have friends that go to centreparcs every year and swear by it.
We always stay at home, but last year we did the pub for Christmas dinner. That was a fab change and we are going back this year.

Skiing? We often go skiing at Christmas and it is the one thing my teenage DS will do without moaning .

Otherwise I would seriously re-consider trying to enforce 'happy family holidays' - I have more or less given up as trying to compromise with something DH, DS and I enjoy is almost impossible - not to mention incredibly expensive.

You will have years of holidays to enjoy when your DC leave home - that is what I am looking forward to.

We are going away next week for half term (cottage in this country) and I am dreading it already. .

You go away.
They stay at home with their phones

I gave up on family Christmases a couple of years ago.

I went to Florida when I was a teen - wpuld that be something you would consider? All day at theme parks (skip Disney apart from one of their waterparka) - they can go off together and have an agreed meeting time and place for lunch then the end of the day.

If you like a warm weather Xmas you could try Mexico. The AI resorts are big enough so that they could choose to eat when and where they want, there are active pools with organised stuff and quiet pools, the sea of course. Plenty of active excursions book able, zip lining, cenote diving, snorkelling and scuba trips.

We usually use the Gran Bahia Akumal.
It is a long flight, and I have to say flights are quite awkward this year from my airport unless you can do a full two weeks you're either flying Xmas Day or spending New Year in the sky.

Skiing is excellent. No one needs to wonder what to do. You put your skis on in the morning and take them off when the lifts close. Everyone is hungry by meal times and keen to talk over the runs they did.

I would definitely say skiing. Especially if it is a resort or close to one, with restaurants, nightlife etc for alternative entertainment if you want a day off from the slopes

Let them choose
Happy kids = happy parents