How to work out christmas with Sc

[craftymcnugget]

This year isnt our year to have sc for christmas morning so the way it would work would be that they would come christmas night and we will do it all over again with christmas day night being like christmas eve - leave out things for santa, have christmas eve hamper off to bed ect.

2 years ago ds was small enough to not be too fussed about what we did on the proper christmas eve this year he will be so im not sure what to do. do a christmas eve hamper on christmas eve just for ds, do a smaller one for christmas eve then the proper one christmas day night.

i will probably split his presents so he gets some christmas day from family and some boxing day when we are all together.

totally confused as to what to do as dont want him to be bored of the whole christmas eve set up by the time he has sc to share it with as hes an only on christmas eve this year

[ratbagcatbag]

Ok ill probably get lynched, but surely he should have his main Xmas eve hamper on Xmas eve?!? It's not his fault he's got step siblings, so why should his main Xmas be less when they're not there. Fab idea to split presents over two days though.

[craftymcnugget]

we did it last time with the splitting presents over the two days and it worked quite well as he has family that dont know sc so he gets more presents than them here so it is easy to split and means he doesnt get left out/overwhelmed.

i agree really with the hamper but i dont want to seem like a bitch, its got things in that we always use for christmas eve like santas key, plate, and the christmas eve story. perhaps i could bring it back out christmas day with a few added bits :S

[tywysogesgymraeg]

It's only August!!!!!!

[WaitMonkey]

Ooh, difficult. Christmas Eve is Christmas Eve, in my opinion. How old are ds and dsc ? I think if you try and replicate Christmas Eve on Christmas night your only going to confuse ds. Are dsc old enough to know that you only get one Christmas Eve, regardless of the house you spend it in ?

[WaitMonkey]

I never understand people who complain about people talking about Christmas in the Christmas topic. If it was chat I could understand. But this Is the Christmas topic, if talking about Christmas in August offends you, then stay away. Christmas with dsc often needs careful planning, so needs talking about early. And anyway, it's the Christmas topic FFS.

[craftymcnugget]

has to be discussed early so everyone knows what they are doing :) and i like to plan ahead, being in the christmas topic an all i figured that would be okay.

All are primary age but ds is the youngest at 6, SC nearly leaving primary age so will find it easier to understand if we do something a bit different to what we did this year.

[WaitMonkey]

It's fine to talk about Christmas in the Christmas topic. Ignore the complainers. Hope you plan something to keep all the dc happy.

[craftymcnugget]

im glad, i have to start early due to the cost so the planning comes hand in hand when im mulling things over. im sure they will be happy i just worry too much!

[Flibbertyjibbet]

I would do the Xmas eve rituals and hamper with ds, then do presents etc the next day when dsc are with you. If they are nearing primary leaving age then they have probably Sussex that there's no sants.
I'd keep the key etc as your Xmas thing to do when they are with you on Xmas eve. Can't see any point doing that when they know that Santa has already been the day before. You can say that ds put the key out etc and Santa left these here for dsc to open when they get there.

If you take turns the I assume they did the key and hamper thing at your last year, and can do it again next year.

I have no idea what a Xmas eve hamper is btw...

[craftymcnugget]

our christmas eve hamper is nowhere near as exciting as people on heres that were discussed last year. last year it was a story which we bring out every year, santas cup and plate and key, some sweets, the box set of santa claus ( which we already owned) and some new pyjamas to settle down in. gives us all something nice to do to wind down christmas eve. Think you are all right :) will do our christmas eve traditions and leave the new pjs/nice dvd to do when the older ones are here :)

[Littlemousewithcloggson]

I have sc too and I know the hassle that Christmas can cause!! They are 9 and 7 and my eldest is 5 so similar ages to yours I think. We only do father Christmas once, I think it takes the magic out of it otherwise and confuses what they learn/hear about him. The hamper including key, mug, Christmas pjs, film etc only comes out on Christmas eve. We tell the sc that fc left some presents for them too and they have those with the ones from us. Mine get more presents at the same time, like you I split them! We
Celebrate a second Christmas day with them as well but with some differences, usually go to the panto in the afternoon and instead of a Christmas lunch have a Christmas buffet. This keeps the day special but keeps Christmas eve Magical, they believe for such a short time I want to make the most of it! Do what's best for your child, remember the Sc will have had their Christmas eve exactly as their mother wanted it so it's only fair you should do yours your way for your child. Either way the kids are lucky to have 2 special days. Works well for us, good luck!