How to make the morning special

[itwasntmetho]

It’s just me and my 10 year old Christmas morning until he goes to his dads after lunch, usually this is fine as we open presents, play new games etc it goes fast enough and doesn’t fall flat.
i noticed though that he plays with less and less than he used to and he hasn’t really played with a lot of things he got for last Christmas and his birthday earlier this year, he loves his games console and plays online with his friends more now (plus going outside etc) but I’ve really encouraged him to think about what he will actually play with rather than asking for stuff for the sake of it and he’s said maybe it would be nice to have money for when he wants something later which I’m happy with and I think is age appropriate now.

i just feel anxious about the day falling flat though, we have nice friends and always go to a Christmas Eve party, theatre couple days before etc, Christmas is a nice period for us but the day itself is downtime after the bustle, I don’t have a nice family and my friends see their families on the day so I don’t want to intrude on anyone else’s tradition, I’m just worried this year will feel low without the tradition of new stuff, obviously he will have presents like sweets, onesie, novelty crap (mug etc) something to open, but nothing really exciting.
He just isn’t excited by ‘stuff’ anymore, like in a contentment way, but how to inject fun/ excitement?
thinking among the lines of is anything open to go with kids/ is there a Novak fun game I could buy/ hire that would make us laugh for a few hours?
all ideas welcome. thanks xx

Predict text is messing me up here, any novelty type games, to amuse for a couple hours for hire or purchase

Do you have exploding kittens?
Wreck this journal could be a gift idea 🤔

Get him to help make lunch?

I've never seen exploding kittens, that looks good, is it good for two players?

Exploding kittens is brilliant fun! Suitable for his age and good for two players.

I was also going to suggest a game you could play together.
Othello, Yahtzee, Mastermind, Boggle, Pass the Pigs are all good 2 player games

I'm not familiar with Exploding Kittens, not sure it was around when mine were younger, but see it recommended on here a lot.

I think it would be a lovely way of spending time together, and a new game to play with Mum could become a traditional

what about making a fancy breakfast together, like a huge stack of pancakes? Or record a movie in advance and play Christmas movie bingo? A treasure hunt with his stocking? Or hiding his stocking presents in a bin bag full of popcorn ( if you have a machine it costs pennies)?

I guess maybe don’t get lots of novelty things - could you plan a mini treasure hunt that leads to a new game (like Exploding Kittens) at the end? With little things along the way - chocolates, a new game if that’s how he plays games, any clothes etc - like put things in his k lol aunfmdry basket, or under his bed, in the fridge..
Make a fun breakfast- something “naughty” maybe?

Sorry about the typos- @ChequerboardCharlie Got there before me..

Is there a game you could play together on his console? We have games that we sometimes play together as a family, maybe something new that he doesn't already have, and you learn it together

I've ordered the 'Chicken and hotdog' game for my boys (8 & 6) and Twister... hopefully will keep them entertained for a bit!

Thank you!
I'm ordering exploding kittens and maybe another game I saw called Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza.
I've seen a star Piñata which I think I'll get and put his money in, I'll hang it as a Christmas decoration and hope he doesn't clock that it's a Piñata.
I'm not very creative to make treasure hunt clues but maybe I'll ask a friend for help to write some to lead him to it on the day.
I remember when I was a kid and there was a really flat period between opening presents and people coming round, I used to feel quite down for some reason, I think I project that into us now because I always worry about Christmas morning being hours waiting to be taken to Dads or feeling bored, I feel pressure to make it fun. I feel relieved to drop him off on the day and I love being with him usually.
I'd quite like to start going away for Christmas now that new toys aren't a factor so much, I might talk to his Dad about us each having every other Christmas now he's not really young so we don't have to sit in the house half the day and then drop off there.

Put wrapping paper or something over living room door, assuming presents still go under tree?

If you're able to take him Away I would do efteling one year and Disney Paris following years