What are your Christmas Eve plans with a 13 year old?

[Liondoesntsleepatnight]

Once again I’m pulling my hair out with “H”, I have booked panto then dinner booked for tomorrow, my thoughts are that after dinner we come home to have family time, fun times, before bed, then plant the stocking etc. Christmas Day to follow.

He wants to go to the pub tomorrow night with 13 year old - if DC objects they get left home alone. I won’t let it happen, “H” has stormed off as apparently I’m unreasonable. Despite me pointing out that there won’t be any other children in the pub nor any of our peers leaving their DC alone on Christmas Eve to go to a pub.

What is everyone else doing tomorrow night?

Watching home alone with a bucket of popcorn then bed at a reasonable time (9.30/10) so santa can come (I'm pretty sure he's aware it's us, but we have a 5yo too)

Similar to yours except add in a do walk and lunch out instead of dinner. Dd will probably be home alone while we walk the dog but that's because she won't fancy it and her mascara takes most of the morning to do

Panto, then home for dinner, a movie and hot chocolate before bed. Definitely not leaving our kids at home or dragging them to the pub. Well done for sticking to your guns op.

the mascara… big deal here too

Mine are 13, 16 and 21 and I wouldn't dream of going to a pub with them. It's spectacularly selfish, the kid would be bored out their head. We will be having a buffet and board games in our pj's tomoro night. Both the eldest are working till 2 and 7. I only finished work today so going to spend the morning cleaning and may go for lunch.

Doing a xmas light trail in the afternoon, buffet style dinner then chilling in the evening with games and more food, a drink for me and DH.

Your DH is completely selfish. He can have a couple of drinks at home, or just go to the pub by himself

We’re going to walk the dog, go to the village carol service then home (to my parents home) with sibling and his family for Chinese, board games and bed. Dc are 14yo twins, 17yo dd and 12yo nephew.

Dd13 is the youngest and we’re all going for a walk to a country pub for a late lunch and then home for 5pm ish for a Christmas movie and cheese n crackers/chocolate. That’s if I can get her to stay off her iPad long enough to watch it. There’s no way she’d want to go to a pub proper - as in us stood around in a crowd drinking whilst she’s bored. Are kids even allowed in in the evenings?

Muppets Christmas carol.

Anything else is wrong.

Your H is a dick.

Mini golf and then home for a veg peeling party. My dds are 14 and 12 and I wouldn't dream of leaving them to go to the pub if Christmas eve!

Nothing, Christmas Eve is a lazy day getting ready for Christmas Day and doing any last min bits. Each year varies, this years plan

pack away decorations I’ve not had the energy to put on the tree, it will do as it is.
DH will walk to closest supermarket for fresh berries hopefully
DH to get DD8s bike out of hiding
DH and DD8 will make some Christmas cookies
DD11 probably sleep, she’s unwell (someone always is)
I will drop a small gift of for friends DS (5 min job)
DD13 will most likely sleep till lunchtime, spend an hour applying her mascara too then start annoying everyone with Mariah Carey.
santa tracker and Christmas movies will be on for anyone interested.
Evening - take away
DDs will exchange their sister gifts
maybe a game of Christmas bingo or another movie
everyone will have a bath or shower at some point in the afternoon evening.
kids in bed by 8 & 9pm
i crack the snowballs out, something Christmassy will go on tv while we wait for sleep to take hold of the DDs then we put the already wrapped presents out. Although I still have some to wrap I’m hoping DH gets them done first thing.
Everything usually done by 10-10.30pm

I do have a couple of gifts I’ve not dropped off, friends are happy to wait till after Christmas, if I have the energy I will try and get them done but if not will wait till after Boxing Day.

Forgot to add, my parents were always in the pub Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, NY eve, I said I’d never do that to my DCs. My 13yo dd in particular would hate to be in a pub Christmas Eve watching people get drunk.

I am ill, so I’ll be wrapping presents at home while DD (13) and DP go out Christmas Eve shopping and having hot chocolate in town. They’ll then come back about 5pm. It’ll be soup, bread and cheese, Carols from King’s, and then DD will want to watch The Snowman with yet more hot chocolate before bed!

We sometimes go to our local Christingle service at 5pm, or a drink at a neighbour’s house, but would never go to the pub with or without DD. Christmas Eve is for being cosy at home!