Making boxing day our xmas day

[Temporaryanonymity]

For the first time my dcs will be with their father for xmas, and will be returning to me on boxing day. I don't want to re-do xmas day as i am sure they will be turkied out but I do want to do something special with them. They will be 11 and 8, and the youngest still believes feverently in father christmas and I don't particularly want to pretend that he came here too as he will be visiting his father's this year.

I suspect we will be taking it in turns to have them at christmas from here on in so it is an opportunity to make ourselves some new traditions. Definitely do not want it to be a competitive thing, but I am a bit stumped for ideas. Any thoughts?

Panto?

Why don't you want to pretend he came to you too? My parents did this and I LOVED seeing what he had taken for us to open the next day.

You could have a relaxed takeaway dinner, or something other than turkey if you still want a formal meal. Pants sounds good too.

*Panto. Don't buy pants.

Can you do something special to their bedrooms while they are away?

Father Christmas needs to visit their home too...surely that's the perk of parents separating?... open presents Boxing Day morning ,cook their favourite tea in the evening,spend the day eating chocolate and not getting dressed...personally I'd just do Xmas day on Boxing Day....I really can't see kids complaining about another Xmas day😁

Yeah, do it all again at your house. Your children only have a short while left to believe so go for it!

There's always a new film at the cinema on Boxing Day, maybe go to the cinema?

Do they like roast dinner? My children do and would love it again.

I'd do something extravagant and kid-like, like four course meal made of their favourite foods (sweets, ice cream, sweets and more sweets) or take-away, when every other family is going through left overs. Think like a kid on holidays. It's the little things (as ours reminded us that the best bit of our eye-watering your expensive summer holiday was eating whatever they wanted at the breakfast buffet).

Water-ingly

I may have to give up mumsnet, if my new phone doesn't stop stealth auto correcting me.

Do some of what you'd normally do on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and add some extras. A treasure trail with clues to find stocking fillers? A games day with daft stuff - twister, pie face and some board or card games they like?
Favourite things for lunch?
Walk up a mountain (weather permitting) with Chritmas cake and hot choc I a flask?

They'll probably just be delighted to be carrying on their Christmas holiday with you

Sod it and do the Christmas Day works again. Kids will love it!

Their dad will be getting to do Christmas Eve with them, which is all a big part. So I think it's ok for you to do part of Christmas. Have the gifts and tree all ready for them arriving, a letter from Father Christmas to say why he's been there. Christmas dinner, after Christmas dinner walk. Pj's and Christmas movie with chocolate.

Father Christmas needs to visit their home too

Well he us visiting their DF house according to the OP, which is their home also!

Thank you for your ideas. I like the idea of a four course meal with their favourites. I don't want father christmas to come here too because I don't want it to become a competition. There will be presents though, of course.

I have had an idea about buying winter wetsuits and going for a swim. They went in the sea in late november last year and loved it. It could be our regular boxing day thing every year. Last christmas day was fairly mild after all.