I'm considering not telling my 2-year-old it's Christmas.

[BroccoliSpears]

We've just emigrated. It's very warm here and we know absolutely no one, and have no family here.

I'm wondering how Christmas is going to go.

I'm trying to work out what Christmas means to me, and I think it's tradition, family, good food, quality time and festive fripparies.

We're not in our own house yet, and won't have picked up our shipped things from home by Christmas. No Christmas decorations (very important part of Christmas for me - all lovingly collected over the years, each one having a story and sentimental value). I'd really struggle to do a Christmas dinner in our current accomodation, and anyway I don't think managing to churn out a turkey and sprouts for the sake of it is the same as lovingly preparing a Christmas feast in my own kitchen.

The children will have a couple of presents to open, and then we'll probably go to the beach.

DCs are 2.6 and 7 mths. They wouldn't really know if we glossed over the whole Christmas thing. I can't see how it's going to be a special day apart from having presents, and Christmas is NOT just about presents.

(Normally I do Christmas at home and invite whichever family wants to come, and I never mind if loads come or hardly anyone, last year it was just me, dp, dd, ds-in-bump and my granny, and it was fab).

Anyone got any thoughts or suggestions? I'm not particularly distraught at the idea of skipping a Christmas, but find the idea of a half arsed Christmas a bit depressing.

Can you not just make it a special family day instead? You already have the couple of presents, why not take a nice picnic to the beach and some beach games to play? Make some times to call family back home if you can. Ok so its not traditional, but it ticks your boxes of family, good food, quality time and fripparies. You don't even have to call it Christmas.

I am sure they wont even be bothered, my ds2(2.4) is only just starting to realise its xmas, but he doesnt understand it all, he is just amazed by the flashing lights and decorations

Just have a family day together and then you can big up Christmas next year when you are more organised

I am sure they wont even be bothered, my ds2(2.4) is only just starting to realise its xmas, but he doesnt understand it all, he is just amazed by the flashing lights and decorations

Just have a family day together and then you can big up Christmas next year when you are more organised

I am sure they wont even be bothered, my ds2(2.4) is only just starting to realise its xmas, but he doesnt understand it all, he is just amazed by the flashing lights and decorations

Just have a family day together and then you can big up Christmas next year when you are more organised

I am sure they wont even be bothered, my ds2(2.4) is only just starting to realise its xmas, but he doesnt understand it all, he is just amazed by the flashing lights and decorations

Just have a family day together and then you can big up Christmas next year when you are more organised

I am sure they wont even be bothered, my ds2(2.4) is only just starting to realise its xmas, but he doesnt understand it all, he is just amazed by the flashing lights and decorations

Just have a family day together and then you can big up Christmas next year when you are more organised

I am sure they wont even be bothered, my ds2(2.4) is only just starting to realise its xmas, but he doesnt understand it all, he is just amazed by the flashing lights and decorations

Just have a family day together and then you can big up Christmas next year when you are more organised

I am sure they wont even be bothered, my ds2(2.4) is only just starting to realise its xmas, but he doesnt understand it all, he is just amazed by the flashing lights and decorations

Just have a family day together and then you can big up Christmas next year when you are more organised

Oh not again

I give up today

Oooh I got all excited about 10 comments then!!

[fgin]

Actually, a really nice picnic at the beach with extra thought and preparation and fripparies could be really nice.

A picnic Christmas lunch.

As its very warm there can't you start your own christmas tradition. Turkey sarnies on the beach.

Your 2.4 yr old will just be delighted at having mummy daddy and baby time and won't give two hoots as it not being the same as last year which he won't remember anyway.

Oh sorry just realised I said exactly the same as everyone else, except Vinegar Tits x 10.

come 'round mine.
Why not book one of the hotel lunches, or at least do something 'different' to mark the day as a special one.

for us xmas isn't about extended family every year
so sometimes we have it just the 4 of us
that's how you make your own family traditions

The thing is we do have our own family traditions, just us and the kids. I just can't do our traditions this year and am wondering how to replace them.

Am thinking a special new warm Christmas on the beach with new beachy traditions might work. (Can they be traditions if it's the first year we've done them?)

Escape, thank you for the offer! . We thought about a hotel, but with v young dcs it might all clash horribly with completely random nap time and end up being a bit of an expensive stress.

Will give it some thought. Might even start a thread asking for ideas for nice touches for a beach picnic Christmas.

TRaditions have to start somewhere don't they? And there's a new baby to celebrate- I know that will be the focal point of our day this year.

I wouldn't skip it: ds1 was 9 this year and I am starting to miss those little child days now; they flash by so quickly.

Go to an appropraite beach and you'll find a lot of like minded expats I'm sure.

I know exactly where you are cxoming from.
Any christmas we've stayed 'put' inc. this one, despite the kids the decs and the food - it's just not the same.

Any tips on a good beach?

(Although - is it beach weather?! The shops are all full of wooly hats and gloves, and a woman was posting on EW earlier in "URGENT need of a heater" to keep her dc from freezing after bath time!)

Christmas is what you make it. Sounds lovely, picnic at the beach, relaxed fun, good family time.

I know - I responded to that post.
it is beach weather me thinks, just feels sooo much cooler on a night now, the sun is still very strong.

I don't do beaches, but I guss Jumeirah Beach Park would be your best bet.
Don't let the kids go in the sea.

No children in the sea? Why?!

Worried now.

The first Christmas we were away from extended family, I remember worrying about it too.

Suggest you do the traditions you can do and want to create (eg,for us ... going to Church on Xmas eve, putting out rum and mince pies on Xmas eve, stockings in the morning, smoked salmon and champagne for breakie, walk on Christmas day, etc). We could do those even though we were on our own and we were in a warmer place. My DD now 7, and for her, these are our traditions - she doesn't know any different. The years where we've lived somewhere really hot, we've gone swimming on Christmas Day - such a novelty and makes family back in UK gasp when we call them to tell them.

Since it sounds like you do enjoy Christmas, you might be a bit sad if you let it slip by uncelebrated. At 2.6 your eldest is old enough to experience the magic of Christmas - even if it's simply a stocking or a lovely day with Mum and Dad.

It's full of sewage. Literally.
Tankers are dumping it there because of the inadequate services provided. Will google you the best liunk I can find