We’ve had Christmas already

Stayed at home for Christmas just husband and I As he has this cough and cold thing so Turkey for 2us one spoilt ginger cat Had to cancel grandchildren visits so presents to give later

We were due to have an early Christmas celebration last weekend with my daughter and her family in Yorkshire but we were both ill so it didn't happen. We are not together at Christmas but I try not to get too fixated on it (my mum was really big on Christmas but since she died 3.5 years ago, I have been able to step back from it all a bit) as I hate all the commercialism and would rather make time for the family throughout the year rather than worry too much about 1 or 2 days when we seem to be "told" that is what we need to do.

Just me, hubby and our 2 youngest (17 and 19) today, no big roast dinner (we are having fajitas) as I am fed up of being stuck in a baking hot kitchen for ages and stressing about getting all the stuff to cook at the same time - we are going out for a full festive lunch tomorrow and to an ice hockey game in the evening.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas whatever you are doing and all the very best for the New Year. xx

Well said Dizzyribs. And a very happy Christmas to all whatever you’re doing

Happy Christmas everyone. Hope you have a great day however you choose to spend it this year.
As we’ve all discovered, the day and the way can be changed to suit what works. The main thing is to have a jolly time and brighten up the dark days of winter.

We had a massive extended family Christmas a month ago because everyone is in different parts of the world at Christmas, so our day tomorrow is quite a small close family group- perhaps only four.

Lovely idea and you can relax over Christmas

That's a marvellous idea. There's no law that says you have to do Christmas on a set day. We did something similar one year and it meant no one missed out. So happy and it still felt just like Christmas.

It all totally new to us this year. We haven’t had a family get together since Christmas 2019 due to Covid … two years in lockdowns and last year DAC2 who was hosting tested positive two days before Christmas. She lives at the other end of the country so we don’t see her often 🙁 DAC2 was in a higher Covid incidence area than us so wouldn’t meet in case they passed it the bug to us inadvertently. They also live a long way away.
This year DAC1 is hosting us (in their houseshare along with the other housemates who haven’t gone “home”) and DAC2 flew to the other side of the world yesterday.
No grandchildren- I won’t ever have them. However, an early Christmas would have been difficult here as schools only broke up at normal time yesterday (Friday 23rd). Obviously yours broke up earlier OP.

I can’t tell you how happy I am that I posted this thread as I was initially feeling like I was the only person on the planet missing out on seeing family on Christmas Day!
Thank you everyone for putting things into perspective for me (as I sit here relaxing having not had a need to hit the shops in three days!)
Merry Christmas all 😀

We had our family get together earlier this week, Secret Santa exchange of gifts, lunch in London prior to Carols at the Royal Albert Hall. Tomorrow, we will unwrap remaining presents then we’re out to a local restaurant with three friends. I’ll do a turkey roast dinner later in the week, when I feel energised…

Inagreecwith the idea of moving Christmas to a more convenient time of year.
We have four families living close, and had planned a meal out tonight...Christmas eve., and then further get togethers in different combinations.
Then last week Covid and flu struck and everything has been cancelled.
And we don't have the problems of travelling in bad weather.
Luckily, we are now all adults and able to cope with changing plans!

We did excatly this last Sunday, as the family were all down for our golden wedding party in a restaurant on Saturday. I did lots of coooking n advance, so there were only the veg to do on Sunday morning. So I have felt all week that we have "done" Christmas. We shall go to Midnight Mass to put ourselves in the mood tonight.

I’m beginning to wish we had done our family party last week now. I am going out to a restaurant for Christmas lunch with my eldest daughter and her family but we all planned on having a big family get together in the afternoon/early evening at her house. My sons wife tested positive for Covid this morning & my youngest daughters partner and two of the GC are quite ill with flu so the family get together won’t be taking place. So many people are ill at the moment.

We’ve done this a few times to fit round holidays and schedules and it’s always fun. One year we had Christmas Day in October before my youngest and family flew back to Australia. It was lovely and cold that year so it was easy to pretend and we had crackers, hats, carols, the lot. She really misses cold Christmases and I really miss her😥

Happy Christmas Mazz21 and everyone🎄🎅🏼

It’s just the two of us on Christmas Day so we are going out to a restaurant for lunch. We’re seeing my son and the GCs a couple of days later and will do presents and a “Christmas dinner” then. One tiny pre-lit tree on a windowsill is the full extent of the decoration.

due to weather and health problems we have cancelled the plan to meet up over christmas and hope to get together in the new year, but for now I shall just be staying on my own for christmas day. I have some duck in the freezer which I got in the reduced price so that is fine . I shall enjoy my roast duck and lots of veg etc, with a decent glass of wine. At the moment it is quite clear and not so cold here but with threats of heavy rain this evening, so will be listening to carols from Kings later and tomorrow there will be lots of great music to listen to. So have got fuel in the car and dont need to go out into the mad shopping rush and neednt worry that I have forgotten anything as there is nobody to worry about so shall just relax and look forward to a better new year and the chance to meet up then. Hope you all have a Happy Christmas Day and hope that 2023 is a better year for us all. Shall not be sorry to see this year go!

I usually go to the Midwest of USA for Christmas…! My family are huddling together to keep warm this year due to the amazingly cold storm covering most of America!!! I miss them dreadfully and still wish I was over there, despite the cold!!

Well I was looking forward to having Christmas in my new home with more than just my daughter - my brother and partner were venturing up from Bedfordshire and my son and his partner were coming for lunch too and daughter was even bringing her cat!
I did a lot of the food shopping on Monday, felt very prepared then thought as I’m not feeling 100% I’ll do a covid test just to check and it was positive!! So no-one wanted to take a chance (and I didn’t have the energy to cope with preparing a huge lunch) we’ve re-scheduled to Boxing Day. I am now negative on Christmas Eve but as daughter was coming on the train, thanks to the strikes she can’t get here for Christmas Day. So, I am ‘home alone’ I know I will be ok but I am not looking forward to seeing all these wonderful happy family scenes on TV of people having a fabulous time surrounded by relatives! I’m sure I can’t be the only person on their own for the festive period so has anyone got any tips for dealing with it?
Meanwhile, Happy Christmas!
Marian

Helenlouise3

Our daughter's been a nurse for 21 years and I think in all that time, she's only had a Christmas day off twice. When her children came along, she started having Christmas lunch at tea time on Christmas Eve. She is working again tomorrow from 1 until 7.30, so she's doing the same this evening. We give the children Christmas Eve boxes which they'll open tonight,. Santa's pressies will be opened in the morning, then everything under the tree will be opened when she comes home tomorrow night.

We were same and our #1 DS now similar as cops, no Christmas or new years Day hols!! Day in lieu or time and third only. Funny that the officers of a different religion had their feast days off yet we didn't get ours?and they got doubled pay if they swapped for us at Christmas/Easter yet we were just normal rates if we swapped with them for their "Christmas ' / feasting days! Equalities act? What's that then?!

Our daughter's been a nurse for 21 years and I think in all that time, she's only had a Christmas day off twice. When her children came along, she started having Christmas lunch at tea time on Christmas Eve. She is working again tomorrow from 1 until 7.30, so she's doing the same this evening. We give the children Christmas Eve boxes which they'll open tonight,. Santa's pressies will be opened in the morning, then everything under the tree will be opened when she comes home tomorrow night.

As I am chronically ill and up and down I can't always be well on any given day so I strongly believe in Birthday or Christmas week or month if need be.

Well done all of you. I think christmas is how you need to do it and when. You’re all inspirational! Happy Christmas to you all!

If more families were accepting of this idea it would take a lot of the stress out of Christmas for a lot of people.
Our elder daughter is a doctor so right from when she qualified we said if you’re working Christmas Day we will change to another day. We’ve been very lucky as she’s only worked one but we never get anxious wondering because we will simply adapt.
Enjoy your Christmas Day together and happy new year.

My son is cooking the main course for my daughter (his sister) and I as his girlfriend is away seeing her relatives and sister who has come home from New Zealand for the first time in two years (it’s a complicated family set up as many are these days!). My ex was supposed to be at my sons too but he kicked up an almighty fuss about being asked to contribute something to the meal so he is going to my elder daughter and her family for lunch where he can eat for free, as usual. My son is in his final year of an MSc in Physiotherapy and although he works part time is not rich! He and his gf have just scraped enough together to buy a flat (she works) so I feel it’s not unreasonable of him to ask for a little help on what can be an expensive meal-though corners have been cut where possible. I am doing two desserts and my daughter the starters. Looking forward to it and I hope my ex doesn’t pull a face when we all turn up at my elder girls on Christmas evening. Families!

Im looking forward to lunch with the 'boys' (which inevitably ends up 'early tea', but no rush- and a mulled wine and settling down later with all the christmas telly when the lads go watch their own films (or play a new game for youngest)