Divorced. Just me and the DC Xmas day. What can I do?

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New house too. I don't want to travel to family we only end up getting on each others nerves.

I'm not sure I want to spend the day cooking a roast. The DC love a Christmas dinner it just seems a bit of a waste of time and possible money for three of us. The youngest would only eat a v small amount.

Also. I think we all need a bit of a change. I love Christmas. Really love it. But since the separation 3 years ago and now divorce, Christmas is just another lonely day to get through. It seems to exacerbated it all. Very little family.

I've looked at some of the local pubs for going out for Christmas dinner and they are £85 a head! I wouldn't mind but the 4 year old would only eat a saucer full.

I am toying with going away in a hotel for a couple of days. But I think exh would kick off.

So. Any ideas to make Christmas fun for us? It would be just us three all day. I want to look forward to it again this year. Tia.

I'm not hugely religious, but if you're in a new area particularly a village then church could be great - give the day some structure and make a connection with the community. Then maybe have chicken instead of turkey if the dc only have small appetites - also cheaper. M&S for some easy accompaniments. In the afternoon plan a lovely walk and then come back to a nice family film and crack open the chocolate and wine. Honestly could be great - you just have to believe it

Iceland/Tesco/asda do little turkey joints. We use them regularly.

You could do a small roast dinner and it doesn’t need to cost much or take too much time.

Get out the tv Mags, organise what you are watching, play some games. I used to love staying home just the 4 of us and doing whatever.

Village church service Christmas morning to get everyone out and see people

Order everything from m&s it's bog easy and delicious

Gather lots of holly and ivy the week beforehand, lovely decoration and smell

Do a bling table but actually just a runner, fairy lights curling ribbon and glitter

Phone everyone on Christmas evening then all play a game

Re food - we have three courses but I serve the first as a late breakfast, then the main when I can be bothered and then pudding much later on.

SmashyCup, are you serious?! I don't think I've ever heard anything so ridiculous. Lots of people who work over Christmas actually choose to. If everyone decided that they wouldn't go out, a lot of people would be deprived of the double or triple time they're paid for working on the day. It's not just the hospitality industry who works over Christmas, by the way. My DP is working all over Christmas and will be paid triple. He wants to work on Christmas day and I fully support that. We will do our own Christmas as we want, thank you very much.

OP, I echo lots of previous posts about M&S! (Although there are lots of other places that do lovely prepared food, too!) A small turkey crown if you like, or even some nice chicken breasts wrapped in bacon mean that you don't need to do a full bird.

Going away for Christmas sounds wonderful... No dishes to wash up and put away! I hope you find your special Christmas (I certainly envy your quiet Boxing Day!)

I used to take my kids to a Christmas Eve panto - it was always a matinee performance so we'd get out at about 4 pm. We'd go to our local cathedral then and light candles for everyone we knew. Then back home we'd have a picnic tea in front of a film, then a bubble bath, new pyjamas and bed. They loved Christmas Eve.

Given your kids love a roast dinner, I'd do a Christmas lunch for them and have a buffet tea. I'd go to the park in the afternoon, just to get out of the house.

I think I would big up Christmas in terms of fairly lights, Christmas carols etc. They are at a lovely age for that. Then in the evening you can watch films yourself. MN is always pretty busy over Christmas - a lot of people have time on their hands.

I have young kids too op and this will be our second Christmas together on our own.

We will go to the Christmas evening chocolate service (super cool).
Stockings first thing in the morning all together in bed. I have one too as its the best bit. There may be some chambord in mine to have in hot chocolate.

We have a new family board game as a joint present and a roast chicken. Movie night in the evening with popcorn.

Beforehand we'll all be baking together for afternoon tea which they love.
Depending on who's around we may see friends in the afternoon. Can't wait.

Centre Parcs is ace at Christmas but £££

I came to say go to the panto!

We go to the panto on Christmas Eve, then go to the beach Christmas morning (always loads of folks there and a nice atmosphere) and go out for Christmas lunch. We are going to our local Italian this year which is only £40 per head.

Beach.. panto.. roast dinner... Christmas film in PJs would be my choice in your shoes (unless it's 5hrs to the beach obviously.. could swap that for woodland walk/ bike ride etc).

Thanks, everyone.
Been chatting to the DC (they will be 8 and 4.5 at Christmas) over a pub lunch and they love the idea of a panto Christmas Eve and out for dinner. The lights in the nearby town are always spectacular over the river too. So think it will be lovely.

Christmas day may involve church (I'm not religious and unfortunately it's the church I got married in so will have a think about this. Kids would love it though), the normal stockings in bed. Probably a m&s roast now! Walk round the village or maybe back into the town.

I'm now worried my parents will get the hump. But we all end up being ratty with each other and it's a two hour round trip from here.

I'm normally great at organising stuff on run up to the big day. Dinner with santa and Christmas themed days out. Does anyone know of any good ones in the Warwickshire/Gloucestershire area? I've googled and gone around in circles (last year's are still up!). Also toying with a Lapland trip for the day....but haven't all got passports. Maybe better when youngest is a bit older next year. 🎅

Dont try to do too much.
Keep it simple and you will be much more relaxed and it will be more enjoyable.

Could you arrange something with your parents before Christmas, so that they have seen the DGC and won't feel they've missed them? Maybe you could run it past them soon so that they understand it's just to avoid the rattiness if you are all cooped up together, it's for that reason I suggest doing something together on neutral territory before Christmas.

M&S Christmas dinner, lounging around in pjs, eating rubbish, watching all the Christmas films and playing various games. That's how our day usually goes. Sometimes we go for a stroll.

I suppose lapland UK is a bit far?!
Sounds like a great plan and m and s all the way

Longleat is good at Christmas, the lights/ lantern sculptures are amazing. You can also go round the safari park before it gets dark and there is a great playground.

Snausage the vast majority of hospitality workers don't get a choice in the matter and are certainly not paid double or triple time. Essential services need to be open at Christmas but needlessly depriving other people of time with their families over Christmas is not something I would ever do personally, it's incredibly selfish.

Lapland UK....anyone been? I did something similar near bham a few years back. It got lots of negative reviews but DD and I loved it. Don't remember it being as expensive as Lapland UK though. Has anyone been? Just looking and with a hotel it will be about £500! But, it could be lovely. Thinking twilight to see all the lights etc...

Looked at reviews on here and it was v v mixed.

We didn't enjoy Lapland UK, but DS was only 3 and it was too soon. Could have been good with an older child. I don't think it would have been worth an overnight stay though.

If you had £500 to spend on a Lapland UK trip go to Winter Wonderland at Centre Parcs. Much better and you can go swimming in the outdoor pool in the dark. It's all lit up from underwater and gets all steamy- awesome!!

Problem is, centre parcs wouldn't fit in with school. Had a quick look (never been to centre parcs but it's on the list!) and it would be around £650 for the weekend. So better value for money, but I'm not sure rushing to get there Friday after school and leaving an day early would make it as good a value.

The overnight stay for the Lapland UK was because I was thinking of doing an evening tour in the dark. It's nearly 2 hrs away so doable to drive back but do I want to lol

It is expensive. And I'm sure I'll be annoyed by how expensive if we go. But we haven't had a holiday for 3 years and we deserve a treat. Will I be furious at the ridiculous waste of money?!

Lapland is better with a 5/6 year old imho. It is a long day and if they are too little they won't enjoy all of the things you do. My youngest was 5 and loved it and really really believed she'd met the real Santa 😊

With regard to Christmas Day, last year was the first year we had without twat exh and it was lovely. We did all the traditional stuff tree, full Xmas dinner, stockings etc but without the pressure or anxiety he used to cause so my DD's were allowed to stay in their pjs all day and do what they wanted. We chose films to watch together, played board games etc. It was fab 😄 first stress free Xmas for me and the DC's.

Sorry didn't realise you'd said Lapland UK. Think if you are going to do that save up and go for the real thing it is really worth it my DC still remember the ride on the sledge pulled by the huskies and the beautiful crisp snow. Just can't be replicated in the UK imho.

Right.

I'm going to book Lapland UK for us a few weeks before the big day. I have Xmas markets sorted too.

Christmas Eve panto and dinner out.

Christmas day walk after stockings and presents. Possibly church or pub! M&s roast! Lots of Xmas films.

Boxing day Netflix and wine for me!

I think I'll be annoyed by expense of Lapland UK for 4 hours. But my youngest is teeny tiny and I think the real Lapland will just be too cold and too much for one day. I may book early for next year though and save up.

You've all made me feel better about my quiet Christmas to be. Am I going to be able to keep these treats a secret!!!

wow, sounds good!

You will have a fab time, these are the things that the kids remember. It's different but it's a new normal bound to be stranger

Midnight mass the night before? Panto on Boxing Day?

Gifts throughout the day - maybe stockings am and big gifts post lunch to spread it out a bit.

Do you know any families in same position where you could all meet up?

Also we have been to the park some Christmas mornings and they are empty so you get it to yourself.

Also if near a city get up early and drive in at 7am with a flask of hot chocolate and it is empty and you get to take pics of just you in front of landmarks or crossongfmaius bridges pretending to be zombies. Or is that just me?

SmashyCup

a) some people like to work at Xmas, my niece loved waiting tables.
b) not everyone is Christian
c) not everyone celebrates Xmas
d) do you take the same view with other major holidays eg Easter, Hanukkah, Eid?

OP

Sounds fab, hope you all enjoy it.