Okay, so for the first time ever we won't have any family members to stay or to visit on Christmas Day as they're all elsewhere. So it's just partner, child and me. We live in a city. Morning is taken care of with opening presents. We have the big meal around lunchtime, don't go over the top so it doesn't take too long to prepare. Evening is telly, enjoying presents, eating lots of junk etc.
BUT what to do in the afternoon? That's usually when we would have visited grandparents. Sure, we'll go out for a walk with the dog, but that's not particularly special as we take him to the park every day. We're not religious so no church. I like the idea of volunteering and asked at the local community centre if they needed help with the meal they're doing for vulnerable people, but they said they couldn't have children involved as some of the guests may be unpredictable etc. I'm not aware of any other volunteering events in walkable distance. We also recently moved so don't know our neighbours too well, many of them are a different religion anyway and probably don't celebrate. Friends will be busy with their own families.
Sure, we could slump in front of the telly all day, but personally I'll get bored, I'd rather keep that for evening. Board games, fine, but again we play them a lot, and it doesn't feel particularly Christmassy. I'd like to go out somewhere but the restaurants that are open are all doing full on meals, which I'd rather have at home.
If anyone has ANY random ideas for something that would feel quite special please share!