Quieter Christmas than normal - How to make it Christmassy for a three year old

[Mallowmarshmallow]

We are going to have a slightly quieter Christmas than normal, at our house. Just us, ds (3), dd (1) and their beloved grandparents.

Any tips on how to make it as Christmassy as we can without other children around.

Grandparents are great and will happily play with them all day but then they see them often and would do that any day!

Mine are always without other children. My parents were the ones that said that Christmas is about the children. So it is basically a day where we play silly games and put them at the centre which tbh i don't normally do! I still take them up to bed at a reasonable time but they understand that adults need time off. Lots of baking on Christmas Eve, toys being put together by any adult not busy cooking on the day (my dads brother who has never had children tends to volunteer) and walks in the near by woods by another plus family films for when adults are relaxed after lunch! Boxing day tends to be at the sea which is near my mums. Last year there were 7 adults and 2 small children.

Christmas Eve boxes? Hate them myself, and have never had, but they seem popular nowadays!

Our local garden centre used to do magnificent Christmas displays which DD used to enjoy visiting. They also had reindeer, until they all escaped one year and were last seen running down the High Street ........

Watch a Christmas dvd together on Christmas Eve.

Walk on Christmas Day after lunch, maybe incorporating a suitable present such as new bike, dolls' pram etc.

I don't think you need to worry. My DS was an only child and Christmas was often with just his dad and me, him, DMIL, and DSIL. He enjoyed opening his stocking in front of everyone, then after breakfast opened presents. We had SIL's dog sometimes too which gave us an excuse to all go for a walk. It never occurred to DS that it wasn't 'fun' enough at any point, as he spent time up to Christmas Eve with all the DC in nursery.

Winter walk with flask of hot chocolate and mini marshmallows

Breakfast in bed

Light up floating lights in bath

Last year we had a 2 and 4 year old, and were at home most of the day and took them to grandparents late afternoon for the main meal. I did the table for lunch at noon up as if it were a Christmas meal, but fed them really plain food. We had baked camembert, they had cheese sarnies, but there was pretty crockery and Xmas crackers. Made it feel special. We also ended up going for a walk then coming home for a daytime bath, which was exciting for them (esp as they were given Thomas / Cinderella themed bubble bath). The older one told me this week that the best part of Xmas was decorating the tree, so let them be part of the build up.
Last year was my first Xmas as a non Christian, and it was exciting enough, decorations, nice food, games (hungry hippos for that age group), soundtrack, the smell of the tree and food. Ooh and real candles (assuming all the adults are sensible).
I never had other kids at Christmas, just my brother, and knowing that my cousins were considerably richer or poorer than us, it was probably a good thing that we weren't comparing presents!

My christmas is going to be even quieter with just me and ds (10) and dd (3).
Im planning after breakfast/presents/normalish lunch over, to go out a nice walk down the beach to break up the day (weather permitting) then usually my brothers and their wives come in with nieces and nephews for half hour on their way to my mums house.
We'll have christmas dinner around normal dinner time, dd goes to bed around 7ish and ds will disappear to his room with his new gadgets.
Im really looking forward to just focussing on the kids that day, lovely food and of course the christmas music!!

Thanks all, lots of lovely ideas