What would you do to liven things up...

[BusynMember]

if there were only four of you together on Christmas day? We have a really small family anyhow and if all of us were together, we'd equal 15-17 (depending on who ya call family) . The week before Christmas my daughter Pastry Chef is finally graduating from college so we are going down there (Chicago area) to see her graduation and then that weekend we are doing Christmas. Hub will not be there. We have too many pets and somebody has to watch them...lol...plus he has had eye surgery and needs more...he'd rather stay home. So we will come back and Christmas will just be hub, me, Sonic and Jumper (and probably Jumper's boyfriend later in the day).


Besides eating well and watching the Packers game any other suggestions? Church is Christmas Eve for me. Hub will not go to church, even on Christmas because he just doesn't do church (says people who go are hypocrites...okieeeeeeeeee...way to stereotype!). Anhow, we'll drive around to look at the lights and the kids can open one present. So Christmas Eve is covered.

What would you do if it were just your immediate family? We have no relatives at all up near us in Wisconsin and all of our friends are with their own families. Thanks in advance!!!!

 

[InsaneCdn]

Volunteer to go sing carols at a nursing home for an hour...

Might be a good day for a Monopoly game... if that's your kind of thing.

 

[buddy]

We are a game kind of family. We love to play card games or pictonary etc. Those category games or ones where you have to give clues but can't use certain words, we always end up peeing our pants during those.

I think it sounds like it could be a really nice time.

 

[Signorina]

I would have a snowman making contest, I would get out old family movies and photo albums and go through them together, share lot of favorite memories (favorite childhood gifts, what you longed for and NEVER received, best meal eaten, worst Christmas ever, best Christmas ever, you get the idea) maybe even get one of those question books and take turns asking them...I'd write New Year resolutions together, make bucket lists, eat popcorn in our jammies, etc

 

[buddy]

I love those ideas.... are you guys into movies? not very interactive though.

We barely have snow here (crazy, I know, in MN....) what's it like for you mwm???

 

[Malika]

For me, nothing can beat that Christmas Day walk in the woods or along the deserted riverbank, preferably with snowy landscapes to play in/admire.... Don't know if you have that on your doorstep, MWM??

 

[SRL]

Go to see a movie! We did that once on Christmas Eve on a whim--I was cranky and tired and wanted to get away from it all so we went to see The Nativity Story.

Get out old family pictures/movies.

Build a gingerbread house.

Check out what's open in your area--zoo, botanical gardens, etc.

Cook or bake something that everyone can be involved in, like homemade individual pizzas or appetizers, to eat during the game.

 

[hearts and roses]

Our Christmases have changed since the girls are older and have lives of their own, but it's just us most years so we've started a few traditions. Here's a typical Christmas at our house these days:

Christmas Eve, big dinner, usually a turkey or ham or roast. I am still the last one to hit the hay so I can put the gifts under the tree for Santa, lol. Oh, and I give both girls their Christmas pajamas that I get them every year!

Christmas morning we generally sleep in a bit. H and I get up and he walks the dog, I start the coffee. When easy child gets up, she gets her stocking, comes into our room and goes through, merrily exclaiming how delighted she is with everything! Lol.

Then we officially get up, open gifts, and have a late morning brunch, which difficult child and E will join us for. Then we sort of chill out in our jammies, maybe nap or play with our new toys. Mid afternoon, we head to the movies to see a predetermined new release. When we get back home, we nosh on the leftovers.

Sounds a bit slow and boring to some, but we really enjoy a low key Christmas Day. I've noticed the theaters are really packing them on Christmas. Used to be empty years ago when we first began going. The one thing I miss is difficult child being here in the morning. She and her boyfriend always discuss sleeping over, but it hasn't happened yet.

 

[Mattsmom277]

Since we share easy child with her dad, we celebrate the 24th. She leaves around 7pm. Usually we had Matt home so S/O, matt and I began the Christmas day tradition of movies in our Christmas pj's. We decide ahead if time what to see, some years we see two in a row. We laze around all morning eating leftovers and making Christmas calls, using our toys (family rule even adults get a toy each year). After the movie we tended to eat more leftovers and often watched another movie or played a game. Usually we would start a game or risk that usually lasted for days.
For us the quiet day these past years has become the most enjoyable part of our holidays and we look forward to the feeling that as others are still hectic we are winding down and relaxing with no cooking or dressing up etc.
The gingerbread idea is nice too. We spent last Sunday building ours. All 3 of us made our own and it took hours and hours and was a ton of fun.
This is our first year without Matt so will feel very different. We haven't decided how we will spend our day yet just the two of us. Never had a Christmas day without one of the kids home.

 

[BusynMember]

OMG! What great ideas! Thank you all so much. Right now a movie (maybe Christmas movie?) is sounding good after the Packers game We want Sonic to enjoy Christmas too and he has a limited ability to enjoy things that he considers boring. He likes movies Thank you all. Other ideas still welcome!

 

[HaoZi]

There's only the two of us here. I volunteered to work xmas morning (extra money, looks like I'll need it!). We'll have a pizza for dinner (her choice), spend the day chilling out and watching my favorite xmas movie, The Ref.

 

[BusynMember]

I would really love to volunteer (with k ids) at a homeless shelter. However, there isn't one anywhere near us. I like the idea of giving on Christmas, but there are truly limited volunteer opportunities in our small area. If the volunteer opportunities ARE there, I can't find out what they are or where they are.

 

[hearts and roses]

You could contact your local churches and synagogue for volunteer opportunities and also the VNA. There may be some shut ins that could use some company or senior centers that are holding a celebration. Since those places run on skeleton staffs for holidays they may welcome a friendly face and helping hand!

 

[Steely]

MWM --- I am in the same boat. Five people (and 4 dogs (that do not all get along - ugh). I really want to keep busy all day long because this is going to be a hard Christmas for me (first one without my Dad).
So far I have that we will start cooking a big meal around noon that will keep someone busy for a couple of hours, hopefully we will take a walk or hike, if it snows we will for sure play in that. We will have a fire going, and I am sure there will be some good conversation. I have a hot tub, maybe I can get some folks interested in that.
I really like all other ideas people have given. My Aunt is totally into football, so we could watch that I guess (yawn for me). And I don't know - maybe I will buy a game today for us all to play - that could be fun.

Hmmmm....just realized I made this all about me. So sorry I guess, I was just thinking out loud to try and troubleshoot for both of us!

 

[BusynMember]

No, that's ok. It's always hard the first year after losing a relative :<<

 

[FlowerGarden]

In the past, I have made sure we got a new game for Christmas that we could play or made sure we had some new movies to watch. Last year, we got a jigsaw puzzle and worked on it on and off throughout our day. Maybe bake cookies.