Make
Christmas Yours
- First and foremost, DO NOT believe that everyone else in the world is enjoying a cosy family Christmas around a log fire. They aren’t.
- This is the year to create new family traditions with your children. Get them to make or choose new decorations and then have fun decking the tree as a family.
- Go out with the children and get holly and ivy and frame your photos or doorframes. Make the house look magical for your children.
- On Christmas morning have a small treat just for you, next to your bed to wake up to.
- Open the stockings all together snuggled on your bed.
- Put on Christmas music and dance around the bedroom in your pyjamas just celebrating the day.
- Treat yourself to your favourite breakfast – bacon & eggs, salmon & cream cheese bagels, pancakes
- You might consider going to your local church for the morning service. Sing along to all your favourite hymns.
- Consider inviting other single parent friends over for lunch. A family is what you make it.
- Remember you’re not alone. If you need a bit of support or a boost on the day then chat to the other single mothers in the forums at onespace.org.uk, they’re a very friendly lot!
Can you add any more?
Tips from
other single parents from our forums:
“I
am going to eat chocolate on Christmas morning with my girls and then
put the Mamma Mia CD on very loudly and dance around the Christmas
tree”
“Every
year I allow C to open one present Christmas Eve, we play board games
too, all over the Christmas period. Even though there's just the two
of us, I peel the vegs the night before, so I don't miss anything
with him Christmas morning.”
“We
camp out in the living room”
“What
we like to do on Christmas Day is wear our favourite clothes that we
don't usually wear - you know, the little black dress that you love
but never get the chance to wear, or the really hideous top that is
at the back of the wardrobe, but you can't bear to throw away
because, well just because!!”
“Christmas
Eve they get new pjs to open, we watch Xmas films have some nice
treats to eat, leave carrots for rudolf we make 'Santa dust' To
sprinkle before they go to bed its glitter, sugar whatever iv got it
helps Santa find hos way to us, they each have a stocking they hang
that at the end of their bed”
“each
year we buy or make a new tree decoration to add to it”
“Food
shopping I cover by saving all my clubcard points from Tesco and
Sainsbury and using them towards that cost”.
For more advice and support go to OneSpace.org.uk
We don't do Christmas but Hanuka is early this year, at the end of November. You've got me thinking how we can make some lovely personal traditions in addition to the traditional traditions that everyone does.
ReplyDeleteyep put your own stamp on it
ReplyDelete