How can I make the day different to a standard Sunday at home ?

[thebearschairs]

As per most of us, plans changed. I'm actually relieved but it will be just me and my two kids for Christmas Day. When Boris broke the news I had lovely ideas of how special the day could be for us all but since then, the days have been a struggle..

I really need ideas on how to make the day special without the structure of guests. Fragile MH so need it to be easy and low effort..

So far I've got...
Stockings
Special breakfast
Presents - will try and spread these over the day
Maybe a FaceTime with a family member
A game?
Possibly a walk but not sure I can face the resistance and grumbling about it all.

I've got visions of the kids either fighting and shouting whilst I'm trying to cook or glued to bloody Roblox. There's a place for a bit of screen time but not all day.

Anyone got inspiring thoughts on how to make it nice and memorable after this shite excuse of a year.?

Dress up instead of staying in PJs

Candles on table. Have kids help set table.

Read some sort of Christmas story aloud.

Christmas carols, listen and/or sing.

Outdoors or in.

Write thank-you notes.

Act out a story or play.

@GerardWay123

Dress smarter, slightly glamorous. If your DC's are young they can wear their party clothes.

I always do this every year. It's lovely. I dress the kids in nice party clothes and I wear something nice, comfy and glamorous. I also try to do a lot of food prep b4 xmas day so that I Dont spend a lot of time in the kitchen

@Clymene

I don't wish to be rude but it's a lot easier to create Christmas magic when there are two adults in the house.

^ you obviously haven't met my childs dad.

I have a 4yo and by and large it will be the same as we have been doing lots of walks, Christmas films, board games and hot chocolates anyway. However I know DS has some cracking presents to open so he will be happy as larry.

If Covid is under control next Christmas we are forking out for Centre Parcs with all the ILs and giving DS a magical Christmas.

Crackers! Watch the queen. Go to church (or watch on TV)

Hi OP,

I relate to your comment about the kids receiving the memo to get along - that can make the difference between a lovely day and a stressful day in our household.

There may not be enough time before this Christmas Day now, but I have bought a few cooperative board games for my DC (aged 7, 9 and 11) in the hope of creating some family harmony as they have to work as a team to win. There are quite a few out there but I have gone for Forbidden Island, Zombie Kidz and Cauldron Quest.

All the best and hope you have an enjoyable day.

I'm a veteran in getting through Christmas.

Low expectations. It doesn't have to be The Bestest Day Ever Ever Ever. Aim for a pleasant Sunday with some new toys. Or just aim to make it to Boxing Day with everyone in one piece.

Try and get out the house, fresh air will do you good and there are usually lots of cheery people out to say Merry Christmas to. If the walk's awful you'll appreciate being back at home

Hold back a present or two for the evening/next day when they get fed up.

It's OK if the kids have screen time, pizza makes a great Christmas dinner, do whatever makes you and your kids the happiest.

We open stockings in the morning and then presents after lunch. Have always done this and for us, it means the anticipation and "magic" of Christmas lasts a bit longer. It also gives a sense of structure to the day which I'm particularly grateful for this year as we're all isolating so can't even get out for our Christmas walk

I'm going to prepare as much as I can tomorrow so all I have to do is cook it on the day.

A walk would be nice - but kids may not want to be torn away from their toys!

Have you got any board games you could play after dinner?

Table present, film in the afternoon with a massive extravagant hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows and sprinkles and everything. Go for a walk after dark? Can feel quite exciting! It's difficult for sure, all the nice simple things that make xmas feel cosy and happy we've been doing for bloody months.

Whatever I’m doing I always have Christmas music/carols playing in the background (until someone switches the TV on and spoils it).

We do Xmas just us every year and it never feels like just another day.

Kids wake up full of excitement with bulging stockings, then gasp with joy at the presents under the tree.

Flurry of unwrapping, a fancy breakfast, we're doing frozen danishes and then hours of playing with the gifts and trying everything out.

A lovely Xmas lunch, Xmas movies, chocolate, an afternoon walk or scoot this year as she'll be trying out her new scooter.

Evening is leftovers and a baked Camembert with fresh baked crusty bread.

DD is only 6 so she'll be cream crackered by 6pm, ready for a story and early bed.

We stagger present opening here, stocking 1st thing, sacks next but DD’s take in turn to open (their choice as they say it makes it last longer)

Everyone dressed up and two eldest DD’s in charge of the blinis/appetisers and then more carols on/champagne opened while we open family presents under the tree

Always a table present and then later on a missed present on the patio/roof/behind the curtain. My youngest is 9 but all 3 DD’s agree the best bit about Christmas is the excitement and magic keeps coming throughout the day.

Our Christmas’s have obviously changed throughout the year with the girls getting older and I did worry if they would start to become less special but it really hasn’t they just evolved and I think it’s because we are all still magic believers.

Some more ideas here as two of my DC are not too dissimilar in age...

Candle light from the moment we wake up, the most delicious food, a blast of fresh air and PJ run over to the ponies (replace with park, ducks, Christmas light spotting) to see if Santa has delivered their stockings. This year my eldest 2 DD are doing the Christmas table (it’s a surprise) they have spent a few pennies buying stuff to make it look pretty but I imagine you could do this with most ages, cut out snowflakes, tinsel, Christmas tree branches etc, again my eldest does the posh nibbles to open family presents with and has downs since she was about 10 (they have definitely got better!!)

I read here recently that most people don’t have shower/bath on Christmas Day due to time! We love a special Christmas bath here with new bath bombs/bubble baths etc before we get dressed up and I always make sure there is candles in the bathroom and a fizz glass with some posh juice for them.

We are doing a family zoom quiz here, my sis runs a theatre school which has had to be online so is really good with different rooms, teams etc and think we are going to put girls on different devices in different rooms so we can all mix up, I’m really looking forward to it!!

We also like to play music type games, spot the intro musical edition which always turns into a show and singsong, the full Sound of Music/Wicked catalogue at 1am has been done more than once!!

We have never done TV on Christmas Day, too low key for all the excitement!! 😂 but I know my DD’s friend rent/buy a big and new release for Christmas Day and they really look forward to it.

@RugsEverywhere

I'm a veteran in getting through Christmas.

Low expectations. It doesn't have to be The Bestest Day Ever Ever Ever. Aim for a pleasant Sunday with some new toys. Or just aim to make it to Boxing Day with everyone in one piece.

Try and get out the house, fresh air will do you good and there are usually lots of cheery people out to say Merry Christmas to. If the walk's awful you'll appreciate being back at home

Hold back a present or two for the evening/next day when they get fed up.

It's OK if the kids have screen time, pizza makes a great Christmas dinner, do whatever makes you and your kids the happiest.

This is my plan – to not even try to make it The Bestest Day Ever Ever Ever! Because it won't be, as we're not celebrating with my parents and in-laws like we usually do. So we're going to have a very chilled out day opening presents and watching TV and eating lots of yummy food with absolutely no expectations or pressure for it to be amazing. And if DC wants to play Roblox in the morning while we're prepping the lunch, so be it.

We definitely have to get out of the house or some of us get narky (me and middle child). We have a dog so she needs two short walks. We have one through the woods, but the other one might appeal. Sounds appalling. We go to the nearby retail park on scooters/bikes because there are about two cars and it’s just nice and different to see it all closed! I let them go all over, you can see when cars are coming.

Other than that I’d say warn them in advance (day before) that you will be leaving the house and that screen time will be from xx time. Tie the two together, I’d say - let’s get out for a walk and then have Roblox when you’re back

Five minute disco at some point?
Depending on meal timings would they like to drive to look at Christmas lights? I asked on our local Facebook group for good streets to look at.
Encourage them to speak briefly to friends or relatives? Or use that at subtle negotiation if they don’t want to. Tell the older one you need to speak to grandma and they can either join in or play cards with the younger one for ten minutes.

Jigsaw on a table to the side so you can do bits of it throughout the day
To avoid grumbling on a walk do a scavenger hunt eg find 3 houses with door bows, 2 dogs out walking. Definitely try to get out as it breaks up the day.
Can you do just dance on ytube - not sure if they have Christmas songs.
Mock tails eg Shirley temples
Call family
Queens message
Some quiet time for everyone is still a good thing so I would build that in
Hope you have a great day

We’ve made a Queens Speech bingo card with topics she might cover, and have each made a bet as to how many of them we’ll get.

[quote FlorenceNightshade]@Clymene saying I don’t mean to be rude and then being incredibly rude isn’t exactly festive now is it!!!

There is no need for two adults to create Christmas magic. All it takes is one willing and able adult like the OP clearly is!![/quote]
Pointing out a fact isn't 'incredibly rude' is it? It's much harder to create a festive atmosphere when there's only one adult. It feel like a supportive thread turned into an Instagram story but maybe I'm just being a grinch.

I had not planned to be home alone with my children without a single present for me so I'm probably feeling a bit sorry for myself.

Growing up we just had a cosy day at home with nice food, christmas films and new toys - my parents didn't try to 'organise' the fun, and that's what we are do now with the DC. I think people who are disappointed in their christmas day when it's not the 'best day ever!' have too high expectations. OP it won't be like another Sunday as there will be presents! Hope you all have a lovely day and try not to put too much pressure on yourself :)

I’m planning on trying to say yes to as much as I can. Chocolate for breakfast? Go for it, pjs all day or some strange fancy dress, crack on
I also spoke to DS about keeping some of his presents for the afternoon and he suggested he opens all of Santa’s in the morning but anything else we save and make a treasure hunt for him in the afternoon so I’m going to do that

Oh that's a good idea @Fueledwithfairydustandgin

I have an autistic child who takes no joy in the element of surprise at Christmas/birthdays so he knows what his 'big' present is otherwise he can't sleep and becomes a bit hysterical the night before. But I could definitely save some things until later in the day. Will try and get them out for a walk with the dog too.

Yes to everything sounds good too

As it goes @Clymene I don't think it was very rude. It's how I feel at the moment. I am probably feeling sorry for myself too.

Thanks for all the great ideas and suggestions

Hope you have good days too

Thanks Let's hope we both have great days @thebearschairs and we'll be super proud of ourselves for our epic Christmasing skills

😊
Will report back. Would be good to hear how yours goes too 🎄