Christmas with older children/teens

[Tumbleweed101]

Last Christmas, as well as being changed by Covid, was the first year none of my children were interested in Father Christmas. For example, they didn’t want to leave out the milk and mince pie and all those bits. It’s the first time in over 23 years that Christmas didn’t have an excited child so this year I need to approach it more grown up.

I was just wondering how those of you with teens and adult children make Christmas lovely without all the kiddie magic stuff involved. Still want to make it a special day but in need of some new ideas! Do you still put stockings in bedrooms? For example.

Should add the children are 12,15 (nearly 16 at Xmas), 21 and 23. The 23 yo doesn’t live with me but will visit. The 21yo does shift work so may need to work.

My DD is approaching 26, so not as old as yours, but we still do the mince pie/wine for Santa, the NORAD Santa tracking etc as it’s Tradition. And frankly, if you can’t be a big kid and believe in magic at Christmas , when can you?
And yes, we definitely do stockings. It’s one of the best parts of Christmas.

16, not 26 ffs

I once spent Christmas with a family where everyone was in charge of one other person’s stocking which was actually lovely.

Is there a bit of everyone choosing/providing a dish or nibbles for the meal? Going to a carol service or similar? Christmas movies (everyone chooses one even if it means Miracle on 34th Street is followed by Die Hard), music, advent calendars. Lots of games.

We find it is more of a slow burn season rather than the hype of Christmas Eve/ Day. We have a gingerbread house decorating competition. Ice skating, Christmas markets, tree decorating, they all help with preparing the lunch. We still have stockings (at their request), they are hung downstairs because sometimes they are in bed after us! We also do more at New Year's too.

Yes to the stockings, my ds’s love their stockings!
We also make and decorate a gingerbread house in the run up to Christmas.
It’s different when they’re older but nice in the sense that now they buy for me too so we exchange gifts and I can see they enjoy the giving as much as I do which is lovely.
It’s also nice to have a drink with the older one!
Christmas Day we always play games after dinner and now they’re older we can play more complex games than when they were younger.

I am over 40 and my mum still makes me a stocking :)

Agree with PP that with older DC it’s slightly different but still lovely. My DD at 18 tracks NORAD and still puts a chunk of carrot, a mince pie and a Sherry out for Father Christmas knowing full well the carrot goes in the bin and I eat the mince pie and neck the Sherry😊. We certainly still do stockings. What about a quiz of some sort either in small teams or individually (including plenty of drinks and nibbles) or what about each person does a homemade Christmas cracker for someone for the table?

Mine are both of an age now where they can partake freely in alcoholic beverages if they wish, and timings for meals etc can be more flexible. I enjoyed Christmases when they were little and enjoy them equally as much now. I found it’s been a gradual process, there was not a dramatic shift from one year to the next.

Mine are 21 and 19 so its a lot more laid back
We still have our proper Christmas Dinner , after dark , with candles and the table set .
They have alcohol if they want .
I don;t need to worry about them waking at 5am and eating all their chocolate then having a sugar fuelled mood swing . Lucky if they're out of bed before 9.30 !

I don't need to plan and hide things . Their presents go in my wardrobe so they don't look anyway .
They give a list ( money for DS and things for DD but I get her to choose , I have no clue otherwise )

I do miss the days when they were little , planning trips out ( pantomime , Winter wonderland , trip to London)
Now its Bluewater with my DD or London.
We go to the theatre

We have a Toby Carvery meal ( DS choice) in early December around his birthday .
Decorations have whittled down a bot ( and the tree hasn't survived the last couple of years with the cats . Its a fake one , back in the attic )

Some of the Traditions we carry on ( well , I carry on, they go along with it )
Christmas Vedding ( DD insists hers goes on Nov 1st )
Christmas Loo Roll and Christmas handtowels on Dec 1st
Christmas straws
The advent Tree that's been used every year since DS was a toddler

Dec 1st boxes - new pyjamas (winter not Christmas) underwear , socks , some toiletries , selection box and chocolate advent .

The meals over Christmas are decided by us all .(though usually a shrug from DS I dunno ,....food

I think I was the one more disappointed by the lack of enthusiasm from the children . Might not have helped that we didn't do what we usually would regarding family coming over because of covid restrictions.

I will still do stocking, they all love them. Might have to focus on looking at what events are on locally in the run up and getting them to do some of the food.

I have a 14 and 17 year old. They're still excited by Christmas and hang up their stockings on their bed.

They like to do a pre Christmas Day out in London with some ice skating, lunch out and a film or whatever. We also try to watch some Christmas films together (they like Daddy's Home and Four Christmases, plus I make them watch Love Actually).

I do miss the days of having little kids that are thrilled by a new toy or teddy at Christmas.

They also still enjoy decorating the tree and their rooms.