How do I make Christmas less lonely for my DC?

[MakeXmasSpecial]

I’m just looking for some advice. For reasons I won’t go into, my DD and I will be very much alone this Christmas, her father is the other side of the world as are the rest of our family so it’s just me and my 2 DD.

This will be out first Christmas alone, normally we’d have a huge family gathering, we’d go all out with the Christmas dinner, games etc. but this year our Christmas will be very small and I just want to make it as special as I possibly can and to ensure my DD doesn’t feel lonely without her family.

Anyone else been in this position, any suggestions of what I can do to make it a nice day for her?

I only ever Xmas just me and the DC my family don’t get on so never got the big family Xmas experience. I’m sure she will be fine 😊

Growing up Christmas was just me and my mam... I LOVED it.

We still do christmas just us and the kids (bigger as there me, DH and 3 kids) but no one else, even if we had a family of 100 we still would CHOOSE to do the small nuclear Christmas everytime.

I definitely wouldn't over compensate on presents but definitely get out, theatre, ballet, panto, there are lots of children ballet on, snow queen, nutcracker, then panto and something on Xmas eve and something on boxing day and the cinema oneyda

So you have something to get out for and to do

Another lovely idea we never did but I wish we had was an Xmas eve picnic under the tree

Maybe she is a little young, but we try to do something 'different' for Christmas, otherwise it's just a normal Sunday (roast lunch) with extra expense. We do 'HOST'. A charity where foreign students (who generally live too far away to go home for Christmas) come and stay to experience a 'traditional British Christmas'. They help prepare for Xmas lunch (on Xmas Eve), then church for carol's by candle-light, then lunch Xmas Day, toasted crumpets in front of open fire on Xmas evening, walk and panto on Boxing Day.
I'm still in contact with a chinese student who we hosted about 12 years ago....now back in China with his own life and 2 children.