How to handle husband working xmas day

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So as the title suggests my husband has to work xmas day - despite his boss refusing to do any of the festive period (another story). I have a 5 and 10 year old and am trying to figure out how to do xmas day on boxing day without them realising, more specifically our older child. They love to track santa on Xmas eve which is going to make it difficult, so I'm open to any suggestions. I was going to add another chocolate into their advent calenders and do another day for the elf.... But I don't know how to ensure the day is seamless.....and don't want my older child to have the magic spoilt. Those who also work xmas day with children, how do you manage it? Thank you

It would be silly to try and 'change' the date, just get up early, let them open a presents and perhaps save some for when your DH gets home from work if there are too many in the morning.

You could do Christmas dinner for when DH gets home, or depending on his job, could you all pop to his work when he is on lunch to take him some dinner?

Try and plan a full day so they are not sat around moping/waiting for DH to come home.

Seems very over complicated to be honest!

You can't get away with that with a 10yo. Do the presents from santa before DH leaves for work. You can have another Christmas on Boxing Day without the santa bit, just tell the DC that dad really wants to have a Christmas with us so we will pretend boxing day is another Christmas day.

What problem is this...tell your husband: Thank you for the provision ,
and you have all your lives to be together, hopefully - hopefully he is not having a second family for that day

I don't really get the issue.
Kids will be up early so have santa stockings with Dad early
Pressies and fun in day then Dad's home later. What's the problem.

Children are adaptable, and can be much more understanding than we give them credit for. The 10 year old will understand that Dad has to work - presumably something to do with emergency services/travel/hospitality? The 5 year old will follow the mood of the rest of the family.

I’d explain it beforehand that Dad is doing a really good thing to help other people (look after then when they are sick/make sure people can get home to see their family/help other people have a good Christmas as they haven’t got one at home).

8-5 isn’t too terrible either. Dad can be there to open presents, and then have Christmas Dinner rather than Christmas lunch.

OR have presents etc on Christmas, and then have Extra Christmas on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day.

They can help plan what they want from their special Christmas Day given that it will be different to normal.

What’s not to like about having two Christmas Days as a child?

Even the 5yo will think something is up if they watch TV or go out and see other people.
There's no point in moving the day.
Do homemade pizza on Xmas day. A relaxed Xmas dinner on boxing day.

I did this a few times when my DCs were small due to DS being with his DF over Christmas. I used to write a letter to Santa and tell him that we would like our presents on X day. Santa then arranged to drop the presents on the day we requested. Let's face it - Santa is a big old fat lie anyway so those saying don't lie to your DCs about Santa coming on a different day is hilarious really!
Squeezing the truth a little further is no bad thing! DCs never questioned it at all - they were just excited!

10 year old should understand that people have to work Christmas Day . I was brought up with a parent working Christmas Day most years. I understood that parent was a journalist and it was ok . My Mum just made sure we had a lovely day.

It’s a shame he’s working, but, if you sign a contract for a job which requires unsociable working hours and working bank holidays then that’s part and parcel of the job I’m afraid.

What does your husband want to do? Has he said he wants to be a part of any present opening, traditions?

If so, I would:

• Open presents before husband sets off for work. If he sets off before any presents are opened, then you all save a couple of presents to open for when he comes back.
• You have a late/lazy breakfast/brunch with the children. Watch Christmas movies and let them play with their toys.
• Get cooking the Christmas dinner (doesn’t have to be extravagant) so it’s ready for when husband is due to get home.

Is he in the type of job where it’s likely he could finish early on Christmas Day?

Have you any religious connections that might make you want to go to church in the morning? If you're not a regular goer, you might want to ask around to see who has a good, family friendly service with carols. It's not for everyone but I do enjoy the xmas day service.

Get up at 6 am for stocking opening and then have a festive "what the kids like to eat" lunch - not too much - just their special treat foods, and then have dinner ready for 6pm for dh and yourself ( let the kids share as well but make it yours and his treat ) - with special treat foods and main pressie opening, and do the Christmas Day walk, the big Christmas dinner on Boxing Day ?

Over my adult life Ive had working christmases, christmases in a relationship but spending the day apart, christmases with friends, christmases with step kids, grandkids, and even ex partners ( DH's ex , being the mother of his child, being alone )

Not one has been dreadful, each has actually been nice in its own way . Nowadays, we have two Christmas days , one where the in-laws come so we can have Christmas together - and that's can be anytime between November and February and the day at home with no visitors . We do the in-law day as both sets of us are caring for elders who dont travel and none of us want to leave them alone on the day

I’d do presents the evening before and then do a late dinner on the 25th. There’s no way you can secretly change the date, especially for a 10 year old. You could just be honest and say you’re doing Christmas a different day because their dad’s working.

I’m working Christmas Eve, Day, Boxing Day and the 27th. Also working New Year’s Eve and day unfortunately. I’m on the night shift so our plan is I get home around 0630 on Christmas Day, stay awake and do presents + all the usual Christmas morning fun then try to have an hours nap on the sofa whistle the kids are preoccupied with toys and do early dinner for probably around 13/1400 and I’ll head back to work at 1700.
I’m honestly dreading it and I know I’ll feel awful all night on the 25th but i can’t see another way around it.

What time does he need to leave to be at work for 8? I'd probably do stockings first thing and maybe one or two bigger presents, then plan a day of games and fun activities for you and the kids e.g. a treasure hunt. Give them a quieter activity in the afternoon e.g. movie/gaming/play with new lego while you cook, then have Christmas dinner and any remaining presents when dh gets home

Why not go to bed for a few hours after the morning fun- so say 10am then sleep till 2 and have Xmas dinner then? Assuming of course you have a partner and they can cook dinner

In your position I would look at all the positives and work round your dh’s work.
is this the very first time you have ever known him or family/friend having to work Christmas?
it’s a minor inconvenience/disappointment so if you view it as such it will be a better day for all of you.
its brilliant that he is off Boxing Day, many people have to work 25 and 26.
It’s also great he doesn’t have to leave at the crack of dawn and will be back for dinner.
the children might not be bothered about a traditional Christmas dinner? If they are not, then I’d perhaps do that together with your dh on Boxing Day. As pp have said he is likely to be the one not having a great Christmas Day?
You will be having a relaxed time at home with your dcs.
Obviously, presents and anything that the dcs really want to do, fit them in it shouldn’t be too hard with your dh’s hours.
(I’ve worked probably 8 Christmas days some late shifts/long days including with small dc so I know it’s not ideal)

Can’t you just do stockings early morning and then the rest after work?

My husband has worked every other Christmas since the kids were born (a 12.5hr day shift though so no hope of presents before he goes). The elves bring a letter I have made like this https://www.popsugar.com/family/santa-alternative-delivery-dates-note-working-parents-45614461. There are other similar editable ones if you google I believe.

25th Dec when he is working, I visit my parents, the kids open presents from my parents with them and we have Christmas dinner. Then usually Santa visits on boxing day

My eldest no longer believes but hasn't complained or commented about what we did and seems happy enough each year.

At 5 and 10 you can't.
I've worked many Xmas days and nights. He's working 8-5; get up super early for presents and then eat after 5pm.

@MidlandsGal1
that’s a harsh roster…
I’ve got very little stamina after a night shift.
will you be the only adult all day or do you have a family/dp around.
if there’s another adult I’d consider doing presents and chocolate/breakfast around 6.30
then trying to get at least 3 or 4 hours sleep say 8-11 or 8-12.
then power through?
make the dinner as easy as possible and unlimited screens if it helps.

Just do Christmas dinner in the evening when he gets in.

Can't be too hard.....

If you do decide to move it, you can screen record the Santa Tracker.

But I do think you should just be truthful. You can all do the Santa gifts in the morning before DH goes to work, then perhaps move the Christmas Dinner to Boxing Day. I know it's shit working Christmas, I've had to a couple of times.

I have a lot of experience of dh working over Xmas. He’s working nights Xmas week this year. Our kids are now all early teens - young adult age and knew from an early age that dad’s job meant sometimes he missed special days.

when the kids were similar ages to yours, they’d be up at the crack of dawn on Xmas morning so he would get up a little earlier, get ready for work and they would show him their stocking contents and their Santa present (only one in our house) while he had a brew and something to eat.

During the day I’d let them open 2-3 more presents each over the course of the day and they’d play with their new things. We’d always plan to have some oresend the kids could all do together- games, puzzles, dvds. We’d watch films and play games then open a couple more when Dh got home and have some sort of tea.

Xmas dinner was moved to Boxing Day. We then staggered the rest of the presents over the next few days (we lasted until new year on a couple of occasions) so as not to overwhelm anyone anyway.

at 10, they’re old enough to understand everyone’s Xmas looks different. The 5yo will, likely be more interested in presents than the days significance but isn’t too young to start learning that. Telling them dad’s working so Xmas dinner is tomorrow and they’ll open a few presents in the morning before dad goes to work will be fine. They still get the Santa magic and dh only misses out on a little bit of the day.

Can you shift Christmas Day to Christmas Eve? And explain that Santa has made a special early delivery for them as Daddy is working? Then treat 25th December as Boxing Day?

Ooh I actually would feel pretty mean pretending it's not Christmas day! Kids are best when you're honest with them (ironic when we're talking about Santa I know), tell them daddy has to work but that means festivities will go on long in the evening when he is home! Have a special Christmas eve together (maybe they can give him a present each then?) and still enjoy tracking Santa. Maybe hold a few prezzies back that your husband can see them open later? Just make it as special as it can be!