Any parents of single teenager?

[JackieO22]

Just that really. Have 14 year old DS no siblings, see his friends talking about Christmas plans lots involving siblings, he seems fine about it probably because it's all he knows. Still, I sometimes wish he also had friends who are single kids.

Yes, mine is an only. Most of her friends have siblings, not all of them get along great. With Christmas, it's clear every family has their own traditions, some of them involve siblings, some travel to other countries. I am sure your DS will have a happy Christmas!
ETA: she has one friend who is also an only, all the others have siblings.

Yes, it’s definitely one of the times of year that DD (age 19) wishes she had siblings and resents me for it! I feel like a lot of Christmas traditions that the bigger families do don’t work with an only child and she does miss out because of this. She has a close friend who is also an only child and she feels the same way. DD told me last night that Christmas seems much more ‘special and fun’ in friends’ households who have siblings around. She does have close cousins who we go and have Christmas dinner with but she’s always struggled with it just being her and I on Christmas morning

I never got on with my brother and my Christmas plans certainly never involved him so I disagree that teens need siblings at this time of year.

I have a single teen, he sees his friends a lot and/or chats to them for ages each day and is very happy not having siblings (a couple of his friends don't either). I don't think you should assume that teen siblings would necessarily hang out together or entertain one another... Make your own cool traditions for your teen to enjoy that he'll look back on fondly instead 🙂

Ds (19) is an only child. He's out at the pub with friends just now, then off to a Christmas party with his girlfriend's family tonight. Tomorrow will be a lovely lazy day with just the two of us, as it is every year. We eat a lot, play board games, watch tv. He's perfectly happy.

We make sure we do lots of stuff with friends. Yesterday we organised a football match and then all piled into the pub for lunch and drinks. We had brunch with other friends this morning, tonight we're going to another friend's house for a takeaway curry and tomorrow we're having lunch with another couple with same-aged son. Lazy morning at home, and then round to theirs for 1.30.

Thanks for all your replies, meant to respond more quickly! Really helpful and much appreciated. I'm thinking now it depends on the child, how you approach it and the people around you.

This crossed my mind at Christmas,because the ones with siblings seem to from the outside,always have someone else there 24/7 for a chat or entertainment, but it can work the opposite ...that their sibling annoys them & they wish they were an only child.
I always point out the cons when my DS mentions any pros!