Overjoyed to finally have my SD here for Christmas!

[ThisMustBeMyDream]

This is the fifth Christmas she has been alive for. Four other Christmases have passed, court orders written and flouted. Tonight, she is finally here. After yet another court battle.
All the children are tucked up in their beds asleep, stockings are out. The magic is about to happen.
I thought this year would never come. She is about to turn 5, and my children are 6 and 9. All throughly believe in the big red man. I'm just so happy to finally see her here for the special day. Seeing OH's face when he arrived back with not just two kids, but all three when he went to collect her... there are just no words to describe that feeling.
For those who have lost hope, keep on trying. Nothing lasts forever .

FFS this is why the stepparenting thread is fuckin useless.

It took two people to make the child why should mum only be the one to get Christmas Day???

Would you all be saying poor Dad if he didn't have the child for Christmas???

Ignore all the negative posts OP. Have a wonderful Christmas.

This has brought a tear to my eye. Merry Christmas x

I hear no gloating or spite here. Have a lovely Christmas, OP.

Ignore the spiteful posts OP...I suspect they are from people who see their children every Christmas Day so will not begin to understand how it feels to have to fight for that. Have a wonderful day.

@OnlyAFleshWound

Nothing says the spirit of Christmas like court orders that forcibly separate a mother from her small child.

#blessed

Men get critisised on here for not fighting to see their child, then they get it for fighting to see their child.

It would be so much better if it didn't involve the courts but if one parent won't play ball then what do you do? When I got divorced I had my kids Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, sometimes they'd have lunch with me and then dad pick them up, sometimes they'd have a late lunch with him and then he'd have them Christmas night and Boxing Day. I was always grateful that I got Christmas morning and he was always fine with that. So much better for kids if parents can agree.

@TraceyLacey

Sounds rather spiteful to me. But hey, you won!

They lost 4 times so they're entitled to win once. No?

There's nothing spiteful there.

5 Xmas
Assume 1 the parents are together
1 affected by COVID

That leaves 3 - either the DF was entitled to 1 or 2

Absolutely unnecessary post - be happy you have her there without all the unnecessary bitching

@Ikeatears

For those of you spouting negativity, perhaps it's been extremely painful for her Dad for the last 4 years. I don't see op gloating, I see her happy that her entire family get to spend Christmas together for the first time. Step mums really can't win on here, no matter what they do. Why can't you just accept the post in the spirit it was meant? Joy suckers...

Well said.

When relationships break up it isn't always because if the father. And the father shouldn't always have their feelings put aside because mum will want x y and z.

Sounds lovely. The love you have for your OH sharing this with his dd shines through.

Merry Christmas to you all.

But being separated from her father is ok?

I have a child the same age as the step daughter and they are going through a really mummy obsessive phase and would rather be with me at all times given the choice. Fingers crossed the step daughter in this instance is ok about not being with her mother. If her dad is really hands on throughout the whole year and she gets on well with her step siblings and the OP though I’m sure she’ll have a good time.

Why are step mothers not even allowed to enjoy having their step children without being accused of gloating?

What is wrong with some of you?

Op I hope you all have an amazing Christmas. My parents divorced when I was 5 I did not spend a Christmas with my father again until I was 28. I have no Christmas memories with my father. So pleased your sd will get this.

Ignore the negative posters some people only want to see the negative this post made me smile

I feel both happy for OP and her DH and sad for the ex W.

Divorce sucks.

@Hapoydayz

Hopefully it's what your SD wants and doesn't miss her mum too much. Seems an odd thing to be gloating about as just sounds like you are trying force the perfect blended family thing. I hope you didn't do the matching PJ thing!

Imagine being so hateful to not want a child to spend Christmas with their father.

@TheFormidableMrsC

I imagine it's extremely painful for her Mum.

I imagine it was extremely painful for the father to be excluded from his child’s first, second, third and fourth Christmas.

The saddest thing is that people are bickering on this post. I honestly saw it as the OP just trying to share her joy.

@OnlyAFleshWound

Nothing says the spirit of Christmas like court orders that forcibly separate a mother from her small child.

#blessed

Nothing says the spirit of Christmas like court orders agreeing that a small child should be able to enjoy Christmas with their father #bitterandtwisted

I didn't see any gloating, just happiness.

I'm sure it will be very hard for her Mum (been there) but her Dad deserves this day too.

Merry Christmas 🎁

Op - sounds wonderful. Enjoy. I hope your DSD has a magical Christmas with her dad (and all of you of course!)
And grey rock all the critics here. Best to not rise to their crap.

How wonderful OP. Merry Christmas! Your dsd is lucky to have you

They lost 4 times so they're entitled to win once. No?

There are no winners when it comes to treating children like pawns. There’s certainly are no winners over one day a year. The OP does appear to be gloating and it’s not a nice trait. “The magic is about to happen” 🙄. What a twat for posting that, I’m sure the child in question experiences the excitement at her mums house too.

I’m glad my parents put me first when they separated and didn’t use me like some sort of trophy one day a year.

@ThisMustBeMyDream

This is the fifth Christmas she has been alive for. Four other Christmases have passed, court orders written and flouted. Tonight, she is finally here. After yet another court battle. All the children are tucked up in their beds asleep, stockings are out. The magic is about to happen. I thought this year would never come. She is about to turn 5, and my children are 6 and 9. All throughly believe in the big red man. I'm just so happy to finally see her here for the special day. Seeing OH's face when he arrived back with not just two kids, but all three when he went to collect her... there are just no words to describe that feeling. For those who have lost hope, keep on trying. Nothing lasts forever .

Oh this is lovely, OP. Brought a tear to my eye!

@uneffingbelievable

5 Xmas Assume 1 the parents are together 1 affected by COVID

That leaves 3 - either the DF was entitled to 1 or 2

Absolutely unnecessary post - be happy you have her there without all the unnecessary bitching

They may not have been together for the first one, but granted the Dd may have been too young to be away from her mum. Covid - kids were always allowed to move between households so she was allowed to see her DF last year within the rules. "Flouting court orders" implies that the mum has made it extremely difficult for the DF to see his DD. So why shouldn't the OP be super happy that his DD is finally spending Xmas with them?

@JingleJangleJenny

They lost 4 times so they're entitled to win once. No?

There are no winners when it comes to treating children like pawns. There’s certainly are no winners over one day a year. The OP does appear to be gloating and it’s not a nice trait. “The magic is about to happen” 🙄. What a twat for posting that, I’m sure the child in question experiences the excitement at her mums house too.

I’m glad my parents put me first when they separated and didn’t use me like some sort of trophy one day a year.

But clearly at the expense of her being able to have that experience at her DF's house, no? How is that right?