After my divorce 20 years ago, the kids spent most Christmases with their Dad and step-mum, and I learnt to love Christmas day on my own. I buy in a lot of smoked salmon, champagne and a good box-set and slouch around all day enjoying total self-indulgence. Over the years, they have sometimes come home for Christmas and joined in the slouching, but now all are paired up and are building their own Christmas traditions with their spouses/partners and children. I can honestly say that I enjoy Christmas on my own much more than big family get-togethers.
We have a big family get-together at Epiphany, exchanging (small) gifts, a big meal and a lot of merriment. Now there are a lot of us, we tend to have lunch in a local gastro-pub across the road. These are really joyous occasions, and doing it this way means my kids never have that awful “my parents place or yours” conversation every year.