First Christmas as separated dad

What kind and thoughtful people you all are!
Many thanks, I feel so grateful for time and care you have put into your replies ?

To me it would seem best to treat whatever day he has them as if it's the actual holiday. I married a man with three kids and holidays were split between him and his ex. It worked so well for us that once, after celebrating a week early, I went out to a store and was actually shocked to see Christmas decorations still up!

We subsequently had two kids of our own and he left me when they were 9 and 14, but I had "practice" with the juggling of days so things always went well. Same with my present situation, now that they're grown and have huge families of in-laws to consider. Whatever day I celebrate holidays and birthdays with them, we just do all of our traditional things and it truly works great!

I amwriting as a grown up child of separated parents. Looking at many of the replies, I think people are a bit keen to repeat Christmas day when the children visit. My parents separated when I was 12 and my brother 8. We had Christmas at home on 25th and second Christmas on boxing day. We did not especially enjoy the second Christmas as we felt we had already done it and would have preferred a different more normal boxing day. Maybe games, a walk if the weather was okay, playing with our new toys, a good TV show, a buffet meal. Presents were great and we did like nice expensive presents although we felt it was a pity we did not get them when our parents lived together. We also wanted time with the parent who we did not live with. This is really important and more important than spending time cooking dinners etc. We did not like visits from people who we did not know that well and this did happen to us a lot. Family was fine, people we had been close to previously eg Aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and great aunts, we liked seeing them and playing games etc. Trip to the pantomine which someone suggested sounds good. We always wanted to spend time the separated parent, in our case my mother and grandparents, even as difficult teenagers. Please make sure the childen know that the separation is not their fault, or a result of any of their behavoir. I hope you have a lovely time with your son and grandchildren .