Ideas to keep Christmas exciting for my only child

[Grumpyoldblonde]

It is June and I am already getting worried about Christmas. My lovely daughter will be 12 and of course no longer believes in FC (sob.) For various reasons our family is smaller this year and so I am concerned our Christmas will be a boring wash-out for her. I am Christmas crazy, I love it but I am hoping for ideas to make new more grown up traditions. Up until now our festive periods have been extravagant blow-outs, over the top decorations, masses of gifts and food, reindeer food, sparkly reindeer foot prints on the carpet, unexpected bells jingling in the run up, you name it... now it feels like everything is going to fall flat. There are no same age cousins we can invite over and obviously her friends will be busy, plus I think our budget is likely to be smaller this year. Any ideas? TIA

I worried about this too as DD got older. We have no friends/family so it's just her, me and DH. I was worried that without FC etc the 'magic' would be gone from Christmas. I couldn't have been more wrong.

She's 18 now and Christmas is just as exciting and sparkly and wonderful as ever. We just carried on with all our usual traditions and introduced a few more as she got older (she now has a glass of champagne on Christmas morning, for example). Fact is, she's grown up loving Christmas, so she loves Christmas still. Simple as. There's still oodles of magic.

Oh and on Christmas Eve, just after she goes to bed, me and DH still shake 'sleigh bells' outside her bedroom door as we always used to when she was tiny. She still squeals with excitement

Don't stress, it will be lovely.

DD is 16 an only with just DH and I.
For the last four years I have made the run up very exciting with a fortnum and mason big wooden advent calender, I fill each day with a sweet treat so a sugar mouse, Lindt reindeer bunnies or a tiny box of chocolates and a lovely gift, nails inc polishes,a Mac mascara, Posh knickers, £20 note, a necklace, earings, tiny purfume bottles (some brands do mini sets which I open and divide) etc.
It takes all year to get the little gifts and in reality is one of DD's main presents.
She loves it and actually leaves the gifts in the open doors to rearrange like a dolls house when we chat in the evening.
Secretly I love it even more than her I think.

What lovely ideas, love the wooden advent calendar and glad to hear your older children still love Christmas. I am reassured and will keep lots of these ideas in my mind as I normally start planning in September once the schools have gone back. Thanks very much indeed!