For some people Christmas at home with just your immediate family sounds heavenly, but for me I know I’m going to miss my extended family immensely.
Since we moved into our home in 2004 we’ve always hosted Christmas Dinner. It’s mainly been for my family as we always spend Boxing Day with Rob’s family, (luckily a conversation we’ve never had to have – who to have Christmas dinner with, as it’s a given) but this year it’s just the five of us and my heart aches at the thought.
I know it’s silly because we will all be able to have a really relaxed, chilled day and we’ll all have a great time regardless, but I can’t help thinking it’ll feel like a normal Sunday. Actually scrap that our Sundays are spent watching the boys play football, so not quite like a normal Sunday freezing on the sidelines, but a rare Sunday for us at home.
For me Christmas Day signifies family arriving, me scurrying around in the kitchen finishing dinner, Rob on drinks (and battery) duty (it doesn’t matter how many you buy you never have enough), the children playing with their new gifts, and then everybody all squishing around the table, grabbing chairs where they can, to eat a dinner scheduled for 2pm at 3pm! Drinks are flowing, toasts are made and laughter is had before we all reside to the living room to start the board game marathon.
I know the children look forward to having the family around just as much as me, showing off their new gifts and getting us all on the floor playing with them. It’s all part of the Christmas excitement isn’t it, I just hope we’ll be enough for them more than anything…
When the boys were very young we decided to have a quiet Christmas just the four of us, I wasn’t apprehensive about it at all and quite looking forward to it being just us, until we were there experiencing it. Again it wasn’t that we didn’t have a nice time, it just felt like something was missing and I vowed I would never do it again.
Alas here we are having another Christmas alone. Who knows, it may be SO brilliant, we may decide this is how we’d like to spend our Christmases from here on. I doubt it though! Plus there’s the added bonus of not having to cook a turkey and all the trimmings.
What are your plans for Christmas Day this year, are you hosting, going it alone or visiting family? Did you have to have the awkward conversation on which side of the family to spend the day with? The dynamics can get rather messy can’t they…
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This is exactly how I feel Lorna. This is our first Christmas as a family of four and we decided to have it at home alone so we can start to make our own traditions for our children. I’m a people person and love a big Christmas but my husband can take it or leave it. Nice in theory to start our own traditions, but I’m hugely apprehensive that it’ll turn into a tough day of toddler tantrums and cabin fever! So I’m hoping to get some sort of timetable for the day with things to do, we’ve bought a kids dancing game for the wii so hoping that goes down well with my toddler, she’s also getting a scooter so that should get us out of the house for a bit, fingers crossed she’ll eat some dinner but I’ll have the baked beans on standby just in case! And I’m sure the baby will be entertained by the wrapping paper! Happy Christmas!
Ahh, it sounds like you’ll have a lovely Christmas Natalie, and will be lovely to start some new traditions with your children. I hope you have the jolliest of days xxx
I don’t really understand this, there is nothing we enjoy more than being at home on Christmas just us, cooking a turkey ( I’m not sure why you wouldn’t) with all the extras, the excitement of the children opening the presents and playing with them together, the ease of knowing that if you don’t want to clean up your fine to leave it. All snuggling in the front room to watch a movie later in the evening with selection boxes at the ready ( if they last that long!) I’m so excited for the quality one to one time with my husband and children where there are no deadlines and no pressure for to be organised for a few days it’s my idea of absolute bliss. Christmas is a time for family however your family begins inside your home that’s how we embrace it.
Hi Helen, your Christmas day sounds a lot like our days in-between Christmas and New Year. After all the Christmas Eve, Day & Boxing Day Celebrations our hearts & bellies are full, and there’s nothing more we love than hiding away until New Years Eve & Day before we do it all again. I hope you have the best day, there’s nothing like relaxing with your favourites xxx
House of bedlam here. Christmas must be for at least 15 people. Then extra on Boxing Day. I would definately get cabin fever if it was just the four of us. We have roasts every Sunday just us four – I need THE PEOPLE for Christmas.
I don’t actually find the prep that much hard work. I do the vegetables the day before and then it’s just timings and working out oven space. I just switch things on. Christmas lunch is ultimately just a Sunday roast – we don’t usually do starters as we’re full from all the chocolate – and pudding is always done in advance too.
Leftovers are thrown into the slow cooker for a Boxing Day stew. Boxing Day brunch is always cold turkey, meats and breads after waving off the hunt so no prep there either.
I need THE PEOPLE for Christmas – Love this Rebecca.
I need the people too – as much as I’ve teased about cooking Turkey & all the trimmings I know I’ll miss dancing in the kitchen chopping the sprouts with Mariah on full blast.
Have the most magical day xxx
Ooh I’m a bit jealous of your Christmas at home! We usually alternate between bedlam at my husband’s house (around 20 people, plenty of young children, arguments over who cooks etc) to calm and quiet with my family (just my parents, my mother caters everything and it is all very organised and peaceful). But next year I’ve been promised we can have our first Christmas at home. I don’t mind people joining us, but I would really like to start our own traditions and avoid some of the chaos that seems to go on (no doubt we will have our own chaos instead but still!). When I was little we had neighbours round for drinks on Christmas day which was lovely – you still got to see people and celebrate, but ultimately it was a quieter family affair. Something I would love to do myself. I hope you enjoy the day and it isn’t too “boring” – I know what you mean, but I think you just have to plan and turn it into something special.
Ah bless you Annie, I’m definitely feeling blessed that people have come to join us in the past. I can’t imagine having to drag the children away from all their new gifts, and it’s always so much easier being at home when it comes to their bedtime routines too. Fingers crossed you get your Christmas as home next year.
I hope you enjoy every minute this year too xxx
Last year we had our first Christmas just immediate family despite plans to see both sides as Silvia was very unwell and we spent Christmas Eve in A and E. And in spite of having no food in and a poorly girl, it was lovely. We just vegged out, watched TV and ate frozen chicken Kiev and chips!
This year we are seeing the in-laws on Christmas Eve and my lot on Boxing Day and having the day to ourselves again. With a proper dinner this time!
I am sure you will have a wonderful day. I have always wondered about having a Christmas just us but I can’t decide if I would like it. I’m from a big family so to me it’s always chaos and lots of noise/people. One year we spent it just with my brother and sister in law and I have to say it felt rather quiet so I’ve never been that keen to downsize again. Think there is 15 of us at my sister’s this year. Glad I’m not cooking!! xx
If we were to spend Christmas day with our families it would mean us travelling as neither set of grandparents want to give up cooking/hosting themselves! We want to be at home and if family or friends want to join us they are more than welcome but we don’t get many quiet days just the three of us and my other half is back to work on 27th (boxing day is always at the in-laws). I can’t wait!
I can understand this as I would much prefer to have the majority of the day with my parents and his mum than just the 3 of us (extra hands to help with a 2 year old while 8 months pregnant are always a good thing!). However, I am hoping to get the first part of the morning with just us 3 as baby will be due the month after and this will be the only Christmas morning we’ve ever had as a threesome (the first and second were both spent at my parents house). I know this will not go down well with my mum though so have not broached the subject yet, any tips?
How did your Christmas go? I hosted this year instead of traveling to the midlands to see all my brothers, sister in laws and nieces and nephews and I had the exact same thoughts! I have a 5 year old and 1 year old and it was tough. I did get cabin fever and my 5 year old kept asking when the cousins are coming! As I will almost be working some part of every Christmas in the future I think at least we can start learning the do’s/dont’s for each year and it will be the norm by the time they remember it! I much prefer Christmas Eve and Boxing Day! No pressure to be super happy!!