Special Xmas day for when I'm working

[mrsdaz]

Hi all,

Im working Xmas day this year - I've never not been home Xmas morning. I'll be leaving at 6.30 so children will probably be up before I go.

Any ideas to make it special for them in a short time or for when I'm at work?

My husband works shifts so isn't always around. If he is working an early shift, we have a really lazy morning, make pancakes or treat breakfast and we do open gifts without him. However some gifts for him and been "wrongly" wrapped so when he takes a layer of paper off there is different paper with a label for the kids. So he gets to see some excitement of unwrapping gifts when he is home. We have the main meal when he is home. But can be lunch or dinner depending on shifts.

Speaking as a nurse who has worked often at Christmas - it is ideal if the day continues as usual without you. You don't want everyobe feeling like their Christmas is on pause until you get back. Ask your partner to take pictures or films of the dc opening their big present if you will miss that.

I do sometimes hold back a gift to open when I'm home, maybe a game to play (not theit main gift).

If I'm working christmas day I try and make christmas eve special in some way as a family day.

This is assuming your dc are old enough to know when christmas is - when mine were tiny we would just do the whole day on a different day that I wasn't working.

We work xmas day so our Christmas Day is usually held on the 23rd or 24th.

I thinkit depends on whether you are religious or not.

From about 3, our lot knew whether it was Christmas Eve or not.

Are you religious?

My DP is working Christmas Day so we're doing the whole thing on Christmas Eve. DS is only tiny though. My plan for Christmas Day is to veg in my Pj's, eat leftovers and play with DS.

How old are your children? There's a letter from Santa online somewhere that says that alternative delivery dates can be arranged for key workers. I think that's my plan for future years. Would they buy that?x

Can you maybe have another celebration together on Christmas eve or boxing day? It'll be something for you all to look forward to.