I've got 2 adult children aged 31 and 26 and I've been divorced almost 8 years, and both of us is remarried.
My son lives away, and my daughter nearby with her partner and their 2 boys, aged 3 and nearly 6. They have no contact with her partner's parents.
Christmas can be complicated enough, especially when there are several sets of parents to take into account. A few years back we settled on a solution that seems to suit us all.
My son stays with his Dad and Dad's wife, as they have a large house and his step-brother and step-sister are there. My daughter and her family stay at home, because who wants to trail all the presents for 2 small boys out on Christmas day?! They will often walk round to visit my ex-husband in the afternoon. My husband and I enjoy a quiet day eating lobster, watching films, and maybe a walk in the park.
Then on Boxing Day we have our Christmas. Everyone, including my 96 year old mother, comes to us and we have our huge feast, crackers and presents.
We kind of started this new tradition because my son said his Dad would make too much fuss if he wasn't there for Christmas dinner - but then he would come to us in the evening, and insist I saved him a plate of our Christmas dinner!!
I actually find this arrangement suits us, and love our quiet, lazy Christmas day!!
I'm curious to know how other divorced families handle Christmas with adult children.
An essay on the fate of empires
Water Pollution -“ A National Disgrace”? A case for renationalisation?
To obliterate your address on packaging