DH is working Christmas- how to still make it special/easy

[MommaMia26]

DH has just been told that he’ll need to work Christmas Day and the days leading up to it.

We have a 2 and 4 year old so I still want to make the day fun and special for them.

Does anyone have any suggestions for activities or a schedule that they think would work well.

I normally cook a Christmas dinner for 20ish people but obviously that’s out of the question this year (the kids can entertain themselves for about 20 minutes max 😂). DH will be home at about 5.30pm so I’d still like to do a roast, but it will just be the 4 of us.
If anyone has any suggestions of recipes that can be made in advance or prepared pretty quickly I’d really appreciate them (the ones I usually use are pretty labour intensive). We live abroad so no options for nice convenient options from M&S or Cook etc.

Also, if anyone has a fun ideas for a special breakfast/lunch for me and the kids then that would be lovely.

When would be the best time to do presents? I’m thinks stockings and main gift in the morning (plus maybe a box of stuff for Christmas activities from Santa, to keep the kids busy all day). DH leaves at about 7.15am, but I suspect the children will be up early. Then a few more gifts when DH gets home.

Because we live abroad there are no family visits this year, but we could potentially do something with friends.

Mines off to work Christmas day, too. It's me and 3 kids home. I asked the two that can speak what they want to do and they basically want to bake and eat their favour foods... So that will be our Christmas.

You'll have plenty of toys to open on Christmas so they will want to play with those.

But something creative and "make something special for Daddy's Christmas".

Why don't you move Christmas day for a day he isn't working? Like the 26th Dec, the kids are young enough they won't know any difference. Then you can do your full normal xmas day all together and gift opening ect. Just a thought!

you said there's normally 20 of you? Is there family you could spend Xmas day with? I'd be inclined to do a stocking if they're up before Daddy leave, go to family / friends after they've opened presents (craft box from Santa as you suggested before this with a lazy pj breakfast) and then either come home to DH or he joins you. then cook your big lunch his next day off.

alt lie to the kids and pretend Xmas day or Boxing day .

I was going to say this, just make christmas day the 26th, kids won't have a clue.
You and the kids have a chilled day while DH is at work prepping

Could you do it on boxing day?

When my husband needed to work Christmas when the kids were young, we just had Christmas a different day - little kids don't know the date. Then he won't miss out.

I was also going to suggest moving the main festivities a day later.

I was going to say what PP has said - shift Christmas to Boxing Day it he is off. Your DC are too young to know any different. Make Christmas Day Christmas Eve with Christmas stories, Christmas film, new PJs and maybe a little toy to open. Some treat snacky food

Is he off Christmas Eve? Could you do presents/stockings then and the children could play with new things on Christmas Day? Any family services on Christmas Day at your local church?

Do you live somewhere that Christmas is celebrated? When we were abroad, Christmas was a normal working day.
The year i really remember, we did Xmas a day early - it happened to be a weekend - and then on the 25th, I took the kids to a Mall that had a kids floor full of arcade games, trampolines, mini Rollercoasters and bits like that.

So, if things are open round you Id go somewhere different.

If everything is closed, id do stockings before DH goes to work, maybe 1 or 2 presents the night before, and the rest when he gets back, if they will wait!!! Roast chicken, potatoes, veg, pigs in blankets. Move some of the other bits you think of as Xmas dinner food to other days that week.
Take the kids out for walk (go to the beach??). Definitely get out for a bit, even if everywhere is shut.

I'm assuming you want suggestions as you don't want to move it all to the 26th...

We always have a special Xmas Eve 'buffet' you could have as a special Xmas lunch before having a full roast in the evening. For the kids we focus on fish, so a prawn ring and smoked salmon and cucumber blinis. Would that work for you? Arrange blinis in the shape of an Xmas tree etc.

For breakfast, are you up for making cinnamon rolls from scratch? https://www.facebook.com/groups/1376503362730975/posts/2334034610311174/

Many families with young kids have their Christmas day a different day if they work. The kids wont be reading the calendar, you just have to time the advent calendar in advance so it ends on the right day. On actual christmas day you just treat it like xmas eve, do some baking/ play/ watch xmas movies etc then put out something for father xmas and on the morning of 26th is xmas day, stockings, presents, gifts etc.

I have worked many Christmases. What worked for us was getting up early to go stockings and gifts, then having Christmas dinner when you get home. I wouldn't expect the dc to wait all day for gifts, that will ruin Christmas. But maybe your dh could return with one for a late moment of excitement as the dc are getting tired? Or do table gifts?

Your dh has to understand that Christmas won't stop while he's out and he might miss some things, because otherwise him working ruins everyone's Christmas.

I've have some activities planned - a walk is usually good, especially if the dc have received an outdoor gift they can try out. Doesn't have to be something big - a glider or a twirling ribbon both work.

Plan something easy for lunch that the dc will definitely like - if say a picnic in the living room, maybe with a film on in the hope the dc have a little nap so they're less grumpy in the evening?

If your eldest won't know, you could always switch the whole day, but I don't think we did this after about age 3 as the dc were counting down the days.

My 4 year old absolutely would have known it was the wrong day. Unless you hide all the calendars and devices and isolate the children for multiple days, a 4 year old is going to be able to track a date like Christmas Day.

I would get up early and do stockings and a big gift.

For breakfast I like something that can just pop in the oven like a casserole.

we like a roast beef tenderloin which is really quite easy to do on the day and cooks quickly. A few steaks with a nice sauce is also an easy substitute. Potatoes always made ahead of time and just warmed. I do some sort of vegetable that I can prep ahead and have ready in a dish or on a sheet pan.

At those ages I’d just have Xmas day on Xmas Eve and then on Xmas day just have a chilled out one, eating leftovers, watching Xmas movies and letting the kids play with their toys.

Having it one day early (or late) means you can still do everything you normally do and DH doesn’t miss out.

I'd celebrate on Boxing Day. The kids won't know. On Christmas Day, either have a quiet time, watch films, look at the lights - if they are a thing where you live, take DC out for some fresh air. Then Boxing day is stockings, tree presents, Christmas dinner with the whole family.

But if you want to stick to the day: - we always have Christmas Dinner in the evening anyway, as it makes the day less stressful and everyone isn't in a stupor. So I'd ask DC what their favourite treat breakfast would be, and if it fits with his work, pack a treat breakfast or lunch for your DH too. Film DC opening presents so he can see later. But imo, why bother when you could have a proper family Christmas next day.

DP is working Christmas Day this year too, mine are older though and we will have others at home, we aren’t changing anything and he said he’ll defo be home for games in the evening. hes also said he’ll video call when they are opening presents so he can be surprised like them as usual. This is only the 2nd time he’s missed Christmas morning but the first time he won’t be having dinner with us.