Will it work doing Xmas on a diff day?

[The3FrenchHens]

Between dp and myself we have 6 dcs (only 2 under 18 and they are dp's and live with their mum). My dc have always insisted on waking up with me on Xmas day and then I take them to see their dad that evening and they spend Xmas evening and Boxing Day with him.

This year, their father has asked that he have them for Xmas eve/Xmas morning (he has a family member who is v ill and may not last another Xmas and the kids are v fond of her so they are doing a special meal) but he also has a plan for Boxing Day and as we now live further apart, it makes sense they stay there and come to us on the 27th. We have discussed this (they are all over 18) and everyone is happy with this.

Dp's dc (11 and 8) spend Xmas with their mother - they live closer to us so there's a chance we can see them on Boxing Day.

However I was thinking of basically doing another Xmas on the 28th for all the dcs when they can all be with us. Do you think that's a bit sad? I've never had a Xmas day without any of them and it's suddenly made me a bit wobbly. I love doing a proper Xmas but I still feel it's really for the dc rather than me and dp!

Haven’t had our Xmas day on 25th Dec for about 20 years. Sky hasn’t fallen in yet. Do what you want. There are no rules.

I think it will be lovely.

Thank you x

I know it sounds silly but I've never done it on a different day! I suppose as the dcs get older, this may become more normal! :)

Do it with some differences. These days a lot of people like a different favourite dinner to the traditional roast turkey anyway. So this means you can really do it your way, but at the same time make it really lovely and I am sure the dc will love it.

We have English Christmas on the 28th every year because I live abroad. It actually makes it more special!

Proper Christmas with everyone on the 28th

I sometimes do this as 2 of my DCs alternate xmas day at their dads. We'll have xmas day a couple of days before or after with grandparents. It's fine - just as special.

Thanks, that's a good idea. All the dc prefer chicken so I might do a big one for them instead

I don't know that you can make an 8 and 11 yo to wait for their main gifts, esp if you are going to see them on Boxing Day.

However for the older kids Yes do it whenever suits.
I knew a family with a small hotel who did Christmas on a Wednesday before Christmas.
Closed the restraunt to non-residents, and had their "Christmas" gifts, turkey, crackers, the lot!

We always travel to see my DPs and so we do "real" christmas with DH's family, and then another Christmas a few days later with mine. My family don't care in the least what day we do it on and two Christmases is better than one!

Definitely helps that my family don't do turkey for Christmas, we just did it a few weeks before for thanksgiving so Christmas is definitely ABT (anything but turkey).

With 4 family members working in nhs/police/military we’ve had several Christmas days not on 25th due to work and it’s been just as fab. Sounds lovely having it all together on 28th

When I was younger I quite often had two Christmas days - one with each parent. I loved it! Think it’s a great idea. Think of something nice for you and DP to do on actual Christmas Day too, so you don’t feel like you’re missing out.

Christmas is a made up day anyway - have it whenever.

Husband and I separate for it every year (we live abroad so when we go home at Xmas time we both want to see our own families) so we usually have our own day in our own flat before we travel home about a week before Xmas every year!

Do what works for you x

I like the idea of you doing Christmas with a few differences for everyone on the 28th.

And yes, start a new tradition for you and DH on Christmas Day. Some of our friends are in a similar situation and they go for a proper walk complete with a Christmas Picnic. They take a small bottle of fizz, flask of posh soup, smoked salmon sandwiches and mince pies etc. Having walked or cycled for a few hours they come home to a curry!

It'll be lovely! A couple if years ago my dh was working 12 hour shifts and he ended up getting shafted with working 19th-26th December, out if the house by 5:40, not back till 7pm sort of thing.

We also had a three week old so decided to do actual Christmas on the 28th and it worked fine and was nice. Much less stressful 😅

It'll be lovely. A long extended Christmas. And if you're savvy you can go get lots of reduced treats from Marks and Spencer's etc. Make it extra special.
Enjoy

Yes, it will be lovely. Shift working family growing up meant we did a few times. One year we had Christmas in March - it was surprisingly lovely!

We have ‘family christmas’ (Everyone’s adult now and moved away) on a weekend earlier in Dec when all siblings can make it back to the parental homestead - negotiations for which weekend it is start in about June each year .

DP and I are also having our own Xmas day on 26th, due to short straws drawn at work.

Perhaps you can start a new FrenchHen blended family tradition that 28th is your day all together (or similar).

We are having Xmas eve and Xmas day as usual although we are holding some presents back.

We are then having a repeat xmas eve in the 27th and xnas day again in the 38th for family members working xnas day in the NHS and family travelling from abroad.

Double the Xmas fun and you may be able to pick up some sale bargains.

My dad worked offshore so we used to sometimes have Christmas early/late for when he was home! We loved it

Yes!
We did this as kids ds (divorced parents) and both Christmases felt equally "real".

I think of Christmas aa being more than one day anyway... It's a 2 week period where many people are off work, the TV is full of Christmas shows, and everything feels special and festive.
Have Christmas in your house on a different day, have the Christmas meal and presents and traditions and the actual date makes no difference.
Lucky kids getting two Christmases!!

Yes we do this alternate years and have done so for a long time. It works really well and the dc love it.

My daughter goes to her dad for Xmas eve, day and boxing day alternate years so the years she is there we do a special Xmas celebration every 27th with my family. It's great and we've carried it on even on the years she's with me