Any Christmas markets open Christmas day?

[Caramellatteplease]

Feeling the need to opt out of Christmas at home this year but still want to do something Christmassy. I was wondering if any of the Christmas markets were open actually on Christmas day. Local restaurants either aren't doing anything or are booked. I'm thinking of booking a cheap travel lodge and going somewhere. Any suggestions gratefully received. It's just me and my two teens

Church would be very festive.

Which bits of Christmas do you specifically want to opt out of? Are your teens feeling the same way too? Ask them what they would like to do, see what they come up with.

Not in the UK but if you go to somewhere that practises Orthodox Christianity then the Christmas dates are different so may be more likely to have stuff going on.

If you want to opt out of Christmas go to a majority non-Christian country

How about an Indian restaurant? That's where I am going on Christmas Day afternoon!

Hopefully none are open! Also pointless ‘opting out’ of Christmas by going to a Christmas event in my opinion. If it were me I’d go to the beach or to an open beauty spot. It’d still be special because it’d be so quiet on Christmas Day.

I'd quite like to opt out of the fact:

That I'm great for Christmas when my DParents cant go to my brother's because of covid but I'm dropped like a hot pancake this year. Despite being the one who always makes the time to see them whenever they want, my brother screening DMs calls so he only ever deals with her on his terms and DM telling me how much she doesn't enjoy it.

My other very much beloved family member who has come to us roughly 13 out of the last 16 Christmases (one of the ones she turned down the invite with us she spent on her own because her DS forgot he was meant to be having Christmas lunch with her, It was me she called) is going to be spending what we are told is her last Christmas with the other DS who has been way too busy to spend any of the last 16 with her. Its wonderful for her but tbh it's been a bit devastating for us.

Theres more to it but that's the main points

I appreciate how miserable working Christmas day must be, but actually my and the DC are trying to make the best of what is promising to be a really rough Christmas. We really do love Christmas but finding a way to make this year work when we are all feeling a little unwanted, I was simply trying to think of stuff that had made us happy in the past.

We had previously considered a Chinese, but I think we are too small a town for anywhere to be open. Selfishly I want definite plans so I am not everyone's good old reliable fall back plan if their plans all go belly up the week before Christmas.

Thank you to those who did make thoughtful suggestions

I'm sorry OP. There are 4 days off in a row this year because of how the bank holiday falls so can you fill the surrounding days with trips out, meals, cinema, walks with twinkly lights etc?

My friend volunteered at a lunch club on Christmas day after her divorce, with her (early teen) kids, and said it was the most special and heartwarming Christmas they had ever had.

That sounds really rough OP. Could you just escape the country all together, then you can’t be anyone’s fall back. Head off to the snow or the sunshine.

In that case I would book lunch out somewhere really nice using the hotel money. Any latecomers won't be able to be accommodated by the restaurant or wherever.
I'd see it as a bit of an opportunity to do something entirely different just the three of you. You won't be strung out with guests, your kids can have friends over and it's a 4 day weekend. Are your teens adventurous with food? Get them to plan one of the days menu and you and your other teen can be commis chefs!
Volunteering even for a few hours will give you a lovely warm feeling. There are many who will be on their own this Christmas and lots of opportunities to help

There's lots of hotels open with Christmas celebrations but you will pay £££ as the staff are paid a lot to work. Most our local pubs and restaurants open for lunch, but my suggestion is volunteering at age concern/salvation army/church or similar who are providing lunches for the lonely/homeless, good for teens to give back and their will be Christmas cheer.

Could you afford to go away to a hotel? Or book a cottage somewhere to do your own thing? Lots of quirky places to stay but I know it’s v expensive

Could you go abroad? It will be very different from staying at home.
Or at least somewhere further from home e.g to Scotland if you are down South or the other way around.

Bear in mind that lots of hotels don't even offer breakfast on Christmas Day, nevermind a Christmas dinner. Why not stay at home and make the best of it? Organise something to do on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day and to hell with everyone else.

Yeah that's the other thing DS has has significant SN and is CEV. Hence me thinking outside Christmas markets. He wouldn't manage volunteering. He had been keen on the Chinese but I struggle with the idea of not having a Christmas roast and I cant find anywhere open anyway.

Were booked Christmas lights with the whole family end of November (guess who coordinated that). But I'm thinking maybe it might be nice to go to a different one just the 3 of us nearer Christmas if they are not all booked

I think next year we will definitely hop the country

How about a cottage somewhere? Just the 3 of you?

Another option could be to just say screw it to everyone else and have the best Christmas at home without them. Order the nice food. Get a stack of Christmas movies or board games or whatever you like to do and hole up you and the kids happy together. Small Christmases can be really lovely.

Restaurants like Hawksmoor and Cote are doing cook at home meal boxes which are really good and easy to make. Dishpatch has lots of options too from different places. We've got a Hawksmoor meal kit coming for the 4 of us.

OP I see why you're tempted to flee just to be able to say that you're busy and unavailable if (when ) some of your family come hat in hand at the 11th hour.

However, given the circumstances I would plan the most luxurious Christmas I could afford at home in your own house. Just for the 3 of you. Order in nice Christmas food and lots of treats, Plan movie evenings etc and DO NOT budge when or if you are asked to accommodate. Just say, sorry but you're planning a quiet Christmas with your dc.

Don't leave your home. Turn it into a Christmas wonderland and enjoy not hosting and being able to do what you like when you like.

This thread is disappointing I thought it would be a list of all the different markets that will be on this year. Like others have said we will be at home on the 25th! Well most of us.

You don't have to do a traditional Christmas dinner and have family around. We've spent Christmas home alone for about the last 10 years. You can have a picnic full of lovely things (lots of choice, as everyone else is busy fighting over a turkey crown) and graze all day. You can have steak or do a barbeque or even buy the Chinese in from M&S. It's actually really nice not having to worry about anyone else and who has eaten the best ones from the tub of sweets. You can even eat pudding all day if you want to!