On our own at Christmas

For the first time ever we will be on our own- that is OK- we will see the daughters and granchildren soon in the UK and they are coming here to ski a few week later- and then we will go back to UK again. How we love big family Christmases- but this time, it won't be - and we won't be sad and enjoy a leg of lamb and rosties with all trimmings- and I shall make my special Swiss black cherry and kirsch trifle and (mince pies made 2 days ago... as you all know ;) )... and a nice bottle of Tuscan vino from our holiday there in September.

Hope your cold will be better soon- and enjoy the Peace and Quiet.

Lots of good wishes to all those having quiet Christmases - just enjoy.

There will be just the two of us here and what preparations there are have already been done. Tree is up, cards sent off and food shopping finished. This morning I made the pastry and added the brandy to the mincemeat for the mince pies, which I will make in the morning. ( If I make them today I can guarantee there will be none left for tomorrow). We will Skype with our DDS and DGC tomorrow, and watch the DGC open their presents from us, which their parents save until Skype time. It will be our last Christmas in France as we move to the UK next summer, so we are not sure what will happen for next Christmas, but it will be different, so we will enjoy the peace and quiet for one last time. To everyone spending a quiet Christmas either on their own or just with their partner, I hope you have a wonderful day.

We've spent many Christmas' with just us and adult son who due to his ASD spends most of the time in his room. I've always cooked turkey and a ham even for just us three.
This year we have D and her SO living with us (temporarily ) so a bit more lively.
If your on your own not by choice, I hope you can still enjoy the day in some way

I know several couples who have opted for a quieter Christmas this year, we would have done but circumstances changed. I enjoy a peaceful day with new books, no turkey and a large bottle of Baileys.
Is that selfish?
We give the money we have saved to a favourite charity.

We have the children on alternate Christmas Days so this year is very child focussed with lots of noise and excitement. There will be a proper Christmas Dinner but with icecream sundaes rather than pudding because none of us really likes it.

Last year DH and I were alone an Christmas Day. We exchanged gifts in the morning, went for a walk, had steak and chips for lunch and vegetated in front of the TV eating far to much chocolate.

Both types of Christmas are wonderful.

What a nice thread. Thank you for starting it Maryhoffman. We are bombarded (via radio phone-ins etc ) with smug-sounding folk who are spending Christmas Eve baking 500 mince pies, same amount of sausage rolls, and calculating what time before dawn they will have to get up,to put the 40lb. free-range turkey into the oven, to feed the 5,000 that are arriving at 12 noon. Christmas seems to be the perfect time for one-up-man-ship.And don't even start me on the tv ads!
Antonia .... I've just moved back to the UK after many years in France, and similar Christmases to yours. Al I can say is I am loving it... just off to a crib service with DGS, and maybe midnight mass if I'm awake enough at 11.30 to walk the 50 yards to the church. I'm pick-and-mixing at the moment.... it can be as quiet as you want it to be. Grandjura-I'm making a BF trifle as my contribution to tomorrow's lunch with DD..... are you doing a custsrd layer between chocolate sponge, cherries and kitsch... or a choc mousse? Can't decide!!
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willsmadnan please not custard because I do not like it!!!

maryhoffman Thank you from me as well for this thread. It is right up my street.
It's not really my choice but we will not see our little ones until Thursday. DD lives 50 miles away from us and my DGS's children are very near their other gran.
T'other gran has very poor mobilty and cannot do much in the way of taking them out and about.
T'other grans family live in Holland but come over a few times a year. All the young kids then meet up and have a really silly time and I would not want them to miss out on that.

I see my DGs about twice a month. I know I should be greatful for this much contact but I do tend to feel jealous_ sorry for myself. on Christmas day itself.

It's been just the two of us for years. We have two DSs neither married so no grandchildren. One DS will be working and the other doesn't do Christmas at all.
We just go along with it as you do. But we put the tree up and the decorations and will have a simple Christmas lunch. Being vegetarian we have Delia's non meat loaf with all the usual veg then a trifle.
I hope it's a fine day as I love to go out and see the children with their new bikes, skateboards and dolls prams etc. it's sad that we have no grandchildren and know now it won't ever happen, my boys are so set in their ways.
Still, mustn't grumble.....

We'll be on our own, too.
A short visit in the morning to give Gt Grandson his presents, then to see (very) elderly sister-in-law, then home to just spend the rest of the day with the telly after having had an M&S lunch! No fuss, no noise, just us!

When we have Christmas on our own , which is every second year we take foreign students from one of the local universities who have applied for an English home visit. Charity called Host. will put the address on but just off to Son's. have a good Christmas, enjoy some of the TV, Music reading and conversation together which can be intimate and fun.

Enjoy yourselves.

We have had Christmas on our own for some time now, and although it was quite a shock to learn that our lovely son did not want to spend Christmas with us, we discovered that we quite enjoyed the quiet day. We have turkey and all the trimmings, and like to listen to the carols on the radio or television. Not terribly exciting, enough for us, as we have in the past always been to the Panto on Christmas Eve, and on Boxing day the family descend upon us. We are thankful for the roof over our head, a warm bed, and food on the table.

I'm on my own for Christmas, as I have been for about 5 years now. For a long time I cooked for 10-20 people (friends and friends-of-friends, I don't do 'family') every year, but it was time-consuming and exhausting, particularly doing the shopping when I was working fulltime. So now I'll have scrambled eggs with smoked salmon for lunch, and some chocolate...Merry Christmas to all of you, I'm having an anti-social one.

I am home alone too. No lonelier than any other day and today the sun is shining.

I refuse to be made to feel down about Christmas alone. I have had lots of FB messages and Gransnet contacts, I shall join a short service at the chapel and then go off and wait tables at the town Christmas lunch for the homeless and elders.

I count my many blessings and reflect on all the Christmases past when I did bigger things and had loads of family. I am so happy to be able to give my kids the guilt free choice of not making the journey here.......we can be together other days and we will speak on the phone or skype.

It is just one day like any other, better food and more chocolate.

Merry Christmas is for some, Happy Christmas is for all of us....xx

Yes I just posted elsewhere that we have perfect peace and quiet, no family stuff, no presents and I have just had a rare lie in. Cuppa brought to me in bed whilst we phoned the NZ faction. OH currently preparing a leisurely breakfast and he is also doing dinner later today. Duck and trimmings. Feeling blessed

To those on their own who feel alone and lost. ?

I am alone today but I do have my little dog, 2 cats, bottle of Baileys` sweets, frozen dinner for one and a very large trifle. I`m happy with all this as there are thousands of people who have nothing.

This year we are also having a quiet one! Only DS and my lovely MIL till the hoards arrive on the 27th...next yearall here....both are Xmas because its family, please enjoyxxxx

Sounds to me like you have the system cracked by just going with the flow. I have had the big day on my own (without the joy of husband) and it was absolutely fine. I've now been embraced by extended family and that's fine too. Well done you and I hope you enjoy it. Merry Christmas!

For most of our married life (apart from when DD was home) it has always been just the two of us at home on Christmas Day. I've always seen it as a family day and being an olny child, being a small celebration doesn't bother me at all.
This year though DH is in hospital (has been there for 5 weeks already and don't know when he will be fit to be discharged). So Christmas Day will be spent alone. Friends who normally would invite me to spend part of the day with them are either ill (and I don't want to pick up a bug to take to hospital) or away visiting their own families. So apart from spending some time at the hospital, I shall be Home Alone for Christmas.
All the holiday cheer has passed me by - yes I have food and drink at home so I won't miss out on dinner (or chocolates!) but DH and I have decided that OUR Christmas will be celebrated when he comes home - after all mnce pies will be cheaper after Christmas!

But for all those who celebrate - Happy Christmas (or whatever Holiday season you celebrate). And for those who are alone - reach out to someone - even if it's a simple 5 minute phone call, and be happy.

We are the same, Maryhoffman, except we've been married 55 years. First on our own in all that time. After a year of DH bad health we are looking forward to a peaceful day. May you have the same. X

Thank you all so much for all these warm and encouraging posts. We always now spend Christmas with just the two of us. Family live 80 - 100 miles away and like to spend it at home so the GCs can enjoy their presents. So we tend to veer between feeling sorry that we don't see them on 'the big day', and relieved that we're not slaving over the stove.

It's great to know we're not alone, being on our own. Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year to one and all

I decided to withdraw from Gransnet a while ago as there were a couple of threads I found really upsetting, quite why people choose to be so horrible to each other I don't understand.
I came to look today because I was feeling down, it's our first Christmas on our own for 35 years. We've got two in NZ and one in the US. We've Skyped but I find it a deeply frustrating means of communication.
But I want to offer warmth to those feeling sad and to say thanks to those offering positive and alternative points of view. I am really cheered by those. I know it's just another day but ours is a small family anyway and I miss my daughters so much. I never thought I'd have to get used to not having their cheerful, chatty selves within easy reach.
You just have to get on with it, don't you. I know I must pull myself together and find some new direction in life, it's just extra hard today. DH has gone out for a walk. There's a lot of tension between us, partly reaction to the situation, I'm hoping we can have a peaceful afternoon walk and light lunch courtesy of M&S!
Happy Christmas people, thank you for being here and here's hoping 2017 brings new and good things and happiness for those of us struggling.

Every good wish to you, Azie09 and your DH. I hope the rest of the holiday brings you joy ??and that we see you posting in the New Year ?.