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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Is anyone still just doing Christmas just the two of you?

47 replies

Friedbanana · 03/12/2020 11:12

Think it’s lovely how so many people are now going to be able to spend Christmas with relatives! Wondered if anyone else is still planning on just staying home?
I felt kind of happy about staying at home when I thought it was the only option, however now I’m quite sad about wasting the opportunity to see my grandma, it may be her last Christmas as she’s very elderly. I really want to go spend it with my family (they are currently all living together in a 4 generation house) however DP has now decided he doesn’t want to drive christmas day and is really looking forward to spending it at home. So I’m wondering about going to see them another day, maybe boxing day (im able to self isolate from the 11th december so can be safe!)

Anyway- how can i fill the day and try and make sure I’m not sad about not seeing family, and is anyone else still going to spend christmas on their own despite lockdown lifting? I guess i’m feeling a bit of FOMO too- feel like everyone is really looking forward to these 5 days of freedom now (we’re in tier 3) and i’m just going to be wasting it..

OP posts:
Lovemusic33 · 03/12/2020 12:35

Just 3 of us (me and 2 teen DD’s), we will talk to family on the phone of video call but I’m not too bothered about not seeing people, we actually enjoy staying home on Christmas Day. I try and gift the teens things which we can do/play Christmas Day such as a good board game/card game or a big Lego set. We usually go for a walk if the weathers ok but mainly we just lounge around in PJ’s eating quality street. Boxing Day we usually go to the coast for fish and chips. We will catch up with grandma in a few months once she has had the covid vaccine, she’s 94 so it does worry me that we might not get to hug her again (though she’s pretty healthy right now).

Cavagirl · 03/12/2020 12:37

Yes! Both parents are being cautious and we've no DCs. There was a lovely thread about ideas a few weeks back which I've been trying to find....

popshops · 03/12/2020 12:42

Yes, just me and one dc. The grandparents won't use zoom or anything like it.

Pebbledashery · 03/12/2020 12:48

Slightly different.. But I'm a single mum and I'm spending Xmas with my 2 year old and honestly... I cannot wait. The past Christmas's with her father were all horrific and mostly ended up in me in tears and being shouted at after slaving away for hours to make a beautiful dinner.. My parents aren't around either.. So, I'm cherishing this year. I've bought matching pj's, a stocking, lots of presents for her and we'll go to Christmas day Mass in the morning and have pretty much a Sunday roast for tea and watch christmas films. In the evening I've bought myself a bottle of Schloer and I'm going to watch my favourite film of Trading Places. I don't know why but all of my friends seem to go "awwww" in a really sympathetic way as if they feel sorry for me it's just us 2..I've been invited over by two of my friends but honestly.. Compared to previous years.. I cannot wait to spend Xmas day with my little girl and I will cherish every moment.

icedaisy · 03/12/2020 12:49

Yes, today there is DH, DD and I. By Xmas say there will be a new baby. All being well.

MIL has chosen to bubble with other siblings.
My mum has done the same.

I have ordered a ridiculous amount from marks party food range. I have ordered a ham from butcher and fresh baguettes to collect Christmas Eve and slow cook ham. Wrapping is done. Next week is cheese and tasty snacks.

Other than that we are lighting the fire and shutting the door and snuggling in.

Cavagirl · 03/12/2020 12:55

Ahhh icedaisy that sounds perfect!!!

icedaisy · 03/12/2020 12:59

Thanks @Cavagirl

I was quite weepy last week at being debubbled but I'm actually quite looking forward to it now.

Dd is two and getting a wee tractor. We live on the farm so she can hopefully go to cow shed and zoom about while daddy feeds up and I feed baby.

Just going to focus on our little family and making it lovely.

OverTheRainbow88 · 03/12/2020 13:07

We are sticking as a family unit.

We have 2 young kids but are planning to have our Christmas dinner while they are napping... is that mean? Would be so much more peaceful and relaxing without them eating with us and all they would eat is the Yorkshire puddings and potato!

And when they wake they can have pizza for their lunch, which is their fav meal!!

Hohomerryxmas · 03/12/2020 14:03

Not the two os us but it'll just be the 4 of us (myself, DP and 2 DC) this Christmas for the first time. I share custody of DC with their DF and we alternate Christmas day. This will be my 5th christmas with DP and we got into a routine of me eating christmas dinner with my DM and DP ate with his DM (we spent christmas morning and evening together) and then we'd have christmas dinner together on boxing day. This year both of us have told our DMs we're staying put as if any of us have to self isolate then it'll just be a faff for everyone to change plans last minute and our DMs agree. DC haven't had a christmas dinner at our home since they were 3 and 2 and I'm looking forward to just stay at home and have a super relaxing day.

Sn0tnose · 03/12/2020 14:11

We were going to PiLs but for obvious reasons isn’t going to be possible this year, so it will be me & DH, which we’re both really excited about as we love our Christmases when it’s just us. We have the same ideas about what makes a perfect Christmas, we both pull our weight with cooking and tidying up and we spoil each other rotten. It’s a bloody lovely day.

Monkeybunkey · 03/12/2020 14:14

DP and I are having Christmas as just the two of us this year. I normally host for around 7 people and to be honest I'm looking forward to not being up at silly o'clock, having a fry-up for brunch in our PJs then doing whatever we want on Christmas Day!

We're doing the family Christmas in the spring, when people have been vaccinated and we can relax and enjoy the day together without worrying about whether someone will get ill as a result of it (there's a couple of vulnerable people in the family so we're not taking the risk in December). Plus I get to put the tree and decorations up again!

CoronaIsWatching · 03/12/2020 14:17

What I don't get is people who have been a stickler for the rules and following the lockdown to protect vulnerable suddenly want to throw all that out the window for the sake of a few days at xmas??

Personally I've never supported the lockdown but I will be staying away from my elderly parents at xmas for their sake and just having it in my flat with DP

Lovemusic33 · 03/12/2020 14:22

@CoronaIsWatching

What I don't get is people who have been a stickler for the rules and following the lockdown to protect vulnerable suddenly want to throw all that out the window for the sake of a few days at xmas??

Personally I've never supported the lockdown but I will be staying away from my elderly parents at xmas for their sake and just having it in my flat with DP

I don’t get this either. I haven’t stuck strictly to all the rules, have occasionally had my dad in the house etc.. but I have no plans of mixing with lots of people at Christmas. People seem to be forgetting that covid is very much still with us with over 650 deaths yesterday. I haven’t seen most of my family at all this year and I am looking forward to when we can (when the vaccine has been rolled out and it’s working).
WeAllHaveWings · 03/12/2020 14:33

We are spending it at home, dh, ds(16) and I. All my and dh's family are doing the same. We looking forward to it and will make it special.

Just because we can, doesn't mean we should, I do not understand anyone taking the risk with their loved ones, unless they are entirely on their own, when a vaccine is on the horizon.

Feelingpoorlysick · 03/12/2020 14:41

Just the 3 of us. Me, DH and DS (5). It'll be the first year I've ever not seen my family so I'm a little sad about it but hoping to just make the best of it. There are too many households to make it work so we are all just going to have a quiet one at home and hope to all get together when we can next year.

Cavagirl · 03/12/2020 16:32

Are people doing full Christmas lunch??
It'll be the first year ever it's just us 2, I keep veering between feeling a bit sad & also quite looking forward to just pleasing ourselves, although I really can't decide what I want to eat!!! Traditional or take the opportunity to do something else.... 🤔

SarBear1980 · 03/12/2020 16:42

Yes! 3 of us...we always go away skiing but this year our booked resort isn’t opening until the day we were to fly home - so slightly sad but excited we don’t have to host as rest of family have bubbles without us/already MIL had chosen SIL as support bubble. We will be having a huge feast, riding bikes/running and drinking Negronis by the fire pit!! I’m so excited it’s just us (6 year old child won’t be drinking Negroni but partial to Phizzy Pop by Percy Pig!!) I think it’s the best thing to keep it simple and with those that don’t cause any stress/expectations!!

CoronaIsWatching · 03/12/2020 16:43

We're just going to do a chicken or something and eat dinner whilst watching netflix. Bought load of booze, chocs, will go for a long walk on the day

Pebbledashery · 03/12/2020 16:52

I'll just be making a roast dinner with a roast chicken!! nothing over the top!

RazorstormUnicorn · 03/12/2020 17:18

It'll be me and DH at ours and probably my brother (we are his support bubble) and maybe another friend who isn't wanting see relatives when we are so close to a vaccine.

Whilst I'm really happy with a small number of us, I am struggling to think what to do to make it special. I usually spend much of the year gallivanting round the UK seeing family and going on holidays and it's a nice break to sit on the sofa and just chill for a couple of days. But of course this year all I've been doing is sitting and chilling!

Cavagirl · 03/12/2020 17:34

I usually spend much of the year gallivanting round the UK seeing family and going on holidays and it's a nice break to sit on the sofa and just chill for a couple of days. But of course this year all I've been doing is sitting and chilling!

Argh this is also my dilemma! DP is suggesting we go to a fancy hotel but I think I might just want to sit in my pants, drink fizz and eat chocolate in my own house... however I'm worried this won't feel like much of a novelty though and I'll be bored witless by Boxing Day. At this point we aren't really planning on seeing anyone over the period. Hmmmm.

Deelish75 · 03/12/2020 17:55

We’re not bubbling up with anyone. We’re in tier 3 and our numbers are still climbing at the moment. It’s going to be our two DC, DP and I for Christmas Day. It was just the four of us a couple of years ago and it was so relaxed so I’m looking forward to it again.

PIL live about 1.5hrs away from us and there are a few National Trust estates in between so we may meet up with them one day and follow the rule of six.

Easter weekend falls on DP’s birthday next year so depending on what the situation is like by then we’ll probably have a big family get together with his side. And we’ll probably get together with my side the following weekend (luckily the DC are off for the two weeks after Easter).

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 03/12/2020 18:31

We are staying home and not hosting. Just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should. Doesn’t seem worth the risk at this time.

We will have a lovely chilled day with good food, Netflix and games.

Doodlebug5 · 03/12/2020 20:55

We will be just two of us. I am going to load up the living room table with snacks and turkey and stuffing and pigs in blankets (the best parts of christmas dinner) and we are gonna eat and watch films and play games etc.

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