Working Christmas and Boxing day... ideas for making it magical

[sjd84]

I am likely to be working on Christmas and Boxing day for the first time this year. I love Christmas, for me it is the best time of the year and the months before it are all about making it perfect for my DS (4).

I'm after ideas to make it magical, give him presents to open and things to do with DH when I'm at work, but equally I don't want to miss out on too much!

Have Christmas Day early. At 4 he won't notice it's the wrong day.

I celebrate yule. Its our biggest celebration of the year. Its a bit like Christmas but on a different day and much nicer because we do presents days before anyone else we know.

Will you be out the whole day, eg 9-6 or can you do it early or when you get back from work?

Just one thought for you,can you do Christmas on the 24th or 27th?

I sometimes change birthdays/celebration days around to suit as DH may be away, works for us (me, DH, DS7 and DD4).

Or treasure hunt the presents- If you are able to be in touch from work you can clues on the phone etc.

Thanks for the ideas, could do Christmas on Christmas Eve, part of me doesn't like that idea but I know my DS will have no idea. Likely to be working a standard day so either 9-5 Or 8-4; so could squeeze in presents in the morning and when I get home.

I think my main worry is DS and DH having a rubbish day; my DH used to hate christmas for various reasons and he has started loving it again now.

You could encourage DH to use it as an excuse to lounge around in pjs watching telly and eating rubbish and just having a nice bit of DH and DS together time, if you can get him to take the 'pressure of expectations' off that may help him.

(And then have a nice Christmas day when you can be all together)

My H usually has to work for part of Christmas Day. He has to work pretty much all of Christmas Eve and Boxing day too.

We always make a really big deal of breakfast. We have crackers and all that jazz and although we're not always eating that much, it's at the table and all the Christmas crockery etc is out. It's fab and one of my favourite bits of the day now.

It's his birthday on Christmas day, to add insult to injury, and he always has to work at the night time so he is usually home for a few hours in the middle of the day. We decorate the house with balloons and banners for him and otherwise the kids are really happy just chilling and playing with their toys. I used to try to make a big deal out of activities etc but I've learned that they just want to enjoy their presents and have me play with them.

We always have our main Christmas meal to fit round H's work pattern but in your shoes you'd be able to have that at tea time when you came home. I'd make it nice and simple for yourself and go along the M&S stuff to bung in the oven so neither you or your DH needs to spend terribly long preparing food.

I also usually make sure we have cheese, pate/terrine and nice nibbly bits for the evening when H finishes work properly and the kids are in bed.