How to make Christmas more fun with two fed up teens?

[tinkywinkyshandbag]

Covid and all, this Christmas is shaping up to be pretty crap so far. DH had recently started a new job (hallelujah as he's been unemployed since Jan) but is now feeling stressed and physically under the weather. Oldest DD home from uni, also stressed, slight boyfriend issues. Younger DD has some ongoing mental health issues, which I am keeping a watchful eye on. I'm just fat and menopausal. Like most people it feels like we have nothing to look forward to, the girls can't do anything or see their friends, we obviously have nothing social going on, I was planning some family lunches out and things after Christmas itself but there is this looming likelihood of further lockdown, the weathers crap, it just all feels so blah. I think suggesting a games night or similar would go down like a lead balloon but otherwise I think we will all spend Christmas separately with the girls in their rooms, DH on his laptop and me on Mumsnet. How can I rescue it or should I just give up and let everyone be miserable in peace?

We have asked the kids to please spend Christmas day downstairs with us but DS will be isolating until after Christmas day. So the usual long family dog walks are out.

We might play the odd board game or three, watch some films, eat nice food and have a family dog walk when DS has finished his isolation but thats about it. Just want us all to have some down time, family time and get through it in one piece and as unscathed as possible.

Ahh that’s a shame all spaced out doing individual. When my daughter was Uni age she’d manage a good few hours downstairs with younger family members before disappearing - we’ve always been in to board games though so could always entice her to be sociable. Can you talk beforehand that you would appreciate maybe the afternoon together, even if everyone then drifts away?
Parlour games can be silly fun too, Google has lots of examples.

I have got teens and returned uni students here.
We have done a couple of games nights - bribing them with crisps/chocolate/takeway has helped their enthisiasm to join in and they have actually ended up good fun!
we all watched an online panto on Monday - they all claimed to be too old for it, but we actually had a great laugh!!
today we have a gingerbread house baking competition - theyre in 2 teams, challenged to create the best gingerbread house!
We normally go out for lunch on Christmas ever but doing takeaway instead tomorrow

weve got some new board games for Christmas too so will play those, and have bought an escape room game to play one evening.

Thankfully we are ok for money so have lots of nice food and snacks in and are just all hunkering down to try and make the best of it. I agree it isnt easy though and I still have waves of despondancy wash over me, but trying to make it fun for the dc.

My teens are quite excited for a buffet on xmas eve - I have bought a shedload of party food from M&S and we are going to watch a film together (usually we do cinema and dinner out but we don’t fancy it with all the masks etc)

Other things, massive xmas puzzle on the go in the living room, DS likes to come and do a bit of that. Christmas Day walk is on the cards weather permitting. Face masks and nails with DD (and DS if he will let me!) and some baking/cooking.

After gifts on xmas day I expect they will be glued to their new Switches but that’s ok with me, we all need a rest - be kind to yourselves, it’s been a tough year xx

Some good ideas here. Maybe just accept that they might do their own thing but schedule in time each day where you do something together? So film one day, board games the next, walk etc. What about starting to watch a box set together? Schedule in time each night for an episode. A jigsaw is a good idea, if you’ve got somewhere to leave it set up. They always get people together. This whole lockdown stuff means most people feel low. Sending Christmas cheer to you and yours. We’re all trying to keep our heads above water, so don’t put too much pressure on yourselves.

We were supposed to be going to Gibraltar on 27th but that got cancelled yesterday so in the same boat. It was inevitable but still we had hope! Now I feel it will be just getting fat in our own rooms. Will try a board games day, I've bought an old fashioned tumbler type bingo game so will play for random gifts I bought and havent used. Raclette for dinner one day. Try to get them out for walks. We are tier 2 but who knows what will happen.

Download/ pay for a box set you all quite fancy ?
Cocktails ( or mocktails) if you can get hold of lovely glasses and ingredients now.
Zoom call friends and family together
And really all the stressed ones should be out walking, doesn't matter if the weather is crap - wellies and raincoats !
How about a secret santa for the table at xmas lunch
I'm here thinking you are so lucky to have a house of adults! Just me and ds age 6 ....it sounds horrible but it's going to be a bit boring . We usually join family where he has kids to play with.

We've booked a theatre streaming night.
Another winner when trying to get the teens involved is a YouTube session, sounds lame but we take it in turns putting on short music or comedian short videos we like. Much piss taking out of each others tastes or cries when someone finds something ridiculously offensive.
Were saving friends and neighbors cards and presents till Christmas eve to deliver

Tier 4, me and three teens for Christmas.
We have agreed we will all be able to do what we choose for a couple of hours in the late morning - I will go for a run, two will play video games, one will probably go back to bed.
We are going to watch a movie, and play a board game but that’s it for organised fun. We will Zoom with various friends and family. I can’t bring myself to insist on them all being together the whole time - we are all sick of each other! So I’m more bothered about enjoying the time we do spend together.
One thing mine absolutely love is the Goes Wrong shows on BBC1. It’s the one thing we can all agree on, and it’s nice to hear everyone laughing.

Online escape room? Or buy a board game escape room.

My teens and uni returners are being placated with shedloads of food.

Go to Lidl and buy loads of cheap Christmas biscuits. Mine actually enjoyed making the gingerbread houses!

Ask them what they'd like to do, try and watch one family thing togethr

Try and stay relentlessly upbeat then go and swear quietly behind their backs.

14/15/16 year olds often feign looking bored but inside just want to have a nice time.

Dash and Lily on Netflix is silly but my dds enjoyed it and so did I, its very Christmassy and teen girl friendly

Play Bad Santa.

Basically lucky dip of gifts.£5 note, a dare, a washing up sponge, a silly joke, etc.

At that age I always agreed to watch whatever crap my DDs wanted to watch as it kept us all together. Thankfully mine have always loved board games too. Add chocolate and their drinks of choice. Hopefully you will have a pleasant Christmas.

Do you have a Nintendo Switch . This always brings our family together. You can play all sorts of games and they are all really good fun . It's really hard this year I suspect our Christmas will be about the same .

Sussed the game is really fun and its not a board game, just reading out questions and guessing ehat people are likely to do

Have a poker night and cocktails.

A lot of Christmas is childish, and I think a lot of teens go through a period where they've grown out of it (before the crushing reality of being an actual adult makes you thirsty for nostalgia and you can't wait to decorate a cake and play charades with your mum and dad again).

OP, just give the games nights etc a go. With our DC we plan stuff in advance, even if it's all stay at home, but it gives us some dates for the diary.

Film nights. Each person gets to choose a film they think the whole family could watch. Homemade pizzas, popcorn, diet cokes, watch in the dark.

Spa night - buy some face masks, nail polish, hot cloth and hair treatments etc online and have a girlie night, diffuser scented oils. Make sure everyone has clean stack of towels, PJs and bathrobes. Put on silly ambient music, light candles, run deep candlelit baths etc. Do each other's toe and fingernails. Help with lash or brow dyes or shaping or fake tanning. Just do the stuff they enjoy - don't force anything.

Casino night - low lamps, card games, jazz in the background. I'd never suggest playing for money - not even penny stakes, but playing for counters or matchsticks is surprisingly fun. Poker, blackjack or cheat are all good.

Theatre/show night. Record a ballet or live play that's on TV over Christmas and sit down to watch it together. Have a glass of champagne (or mocktail for younger one) beforehand, and choc ices or mini ice cream pots half way through. If they get into the spirit you can dress up. When we did this in first lockdown, one DS was in the DJ he;d bought for the prom that never happened ( ) and the other was in PJs.

We're also all writing a few questions towards a bumper family Christmas quiz. Everyone picks a subject they like or know about and writes about 6-10 questions.

Board games or word games like scrabble/bananagrams or those personality games.

Even a night of old fashioned parlour games. In desperation during first lockdown, DTeens suggested a game of Hide and Seek. It was hilarious. Way more fun than we thought it would be. They've asked to do it this Christmas again and they are both old enough to be at uni.

Look up some pretty walks in your area. Take a flask of cocoa or some Christmas treats and take photos as you go.

Cook together. Christmas baking or health conscious New Year stir fries, salads, soups and smoothies.

Make cocktails and mocktails together for an evening.

Just bought Tenet (I think it needs a few watches before you understand it) and rented Unhinged to watch. Got popcorn.

Without really planning it the Wii has been resurrected here. Even our hardened Xbox ds has played. Sadly just dance is out as the Xmas tree will get bashed.

Older teens and uni age here. Since they were little “Santa” always gave us a game. This year he left it under the tree a little earlier We do have to give teenage son some notice, as I understand he has online games with mates arranged,and usually a bowl of chocs helps, but spending an hour or two together is lovely - can recommend the logo game ( we got the 2020 version this year and all enjoyed this), best of British, and articulate. We also do a deal where we agree to everyone getting a choice of game so we all have to do each other’s at some point. They groan as mine is always Mah Jong and then realise they do enjoy it.

I've just bought the logo game but the old edition, hope its ok

My teen is meeting his best friend today to swap presents. They are going to get a Mcdonald's takeaway and eat it in a park socially distanced - he is really looking forward to that.

We always have Christmas just us so we are looking forward to that as much as usual. We will play some console games together, play some board games - Ticket to ride and Walking dead Risk are popular. Have also got him One night a werewolf card game for Christmas. He also really enjoys doing a quiz. We'll also watch a film together. Just having the whole day together is what makes it special.

It’s so hard isn’t it. It’s just me and young teen dd. Normally we go away to stay with family who live somewhere sunny so we really look forward to Christmas. This year we are obviously stuck at home but like the OP had plans for some nice lunches out, etc. Now I think we will just focus on getting some exercise as a break from watching Netflix and eating!

@MrsMiaWallis

I've just bought the logo game but the old edition, hope its ok

It’s great. We love the original one, and it’s still current. Also it’s good for any number of players. Last year we had a pre Xmas family gathering and about 12 of us sat in the lounge in 2 teams and played. Normally we play with 3 or 4 players. I just stumbled across the new one ( and it was half price) so good to get new questions. Enjoy.