DH working on Christmas Day!

[mkandk]

I have 2 kids, 7 and 8...I'm pretty sure Santa will come, but I don't know what to do until DH gets home! Has anybody else had this problem? Do you leave the stuff until he gets off work, or do you get up extra early?

To make matters more uncomfortable, my FIL and his new wife are planning to spend Christmas with us.

 

[Pooh93]

That's a tough one! I know my kids would be ready to dive into everything, but I'm sure your dh won't want to miss them opening their presents! Sounds like you're going to have your hands full! Hopefully, someone here will have a good suggestion.

 

[Krisu]

What time does he leave and get home?

 

[WebmasterAlex]

We have been going through this for years! What shift is he working?

 

[Boots]

DH worked many a Christmas when the children were small. When he was on midnights Santa had already arrived and they were up when he got home. When he was on days, Santa came early and they got up before he left. And then when he was on seconds it didn't matter. It was just one of those things that we had to learn to live with. {{{{HUGS}}}} for you, because it is hard though!

 

[mkandk]

Originally posted by WebmasterAlex
We have been going through this for years! What shift is he working?

He's working a shutdown, so he'll probably go in around 6am, but we don't know what time he'll get off. Whenever they finish. Probably early evening, but nothing's for sure.

I'm disappointed, he's really disappointed, but I guess we could find some way to turn it into a positive. There will be more anticipation!

 

[Wendy]

How about having Santa come Christmas Eve? Y'all could go to church (if you attend), go to an early movie, or visit friends, and when you come back home find that Santa has made a "surprise" visit early so Daddy could be there. Growing up, there were several Christmases where Santa somehow knew to visit us on Christmas Eve night because we wouldn't be able to open our presents Christmas morning. He's a pretty smart guy, you know! My sister and I were always thrilled to find all those gifts a whole 12 hours early. It was a very cool surprise!

 

[Buckalew]

I'm not sure but at those ages, it would have been hard for me to wait. My 8yo DD has no problem sleeping in on Christmas morning. I was a different story though! I woke up very early (&of course, they made me wait till a decent time ) but you could get up early and they let them rest in the afternoon. My DH is a firefighter and always went in and worked Christmas morning for the guys with kids then they returned the favor for him but I realize many jobs won't allow that. This year he is off but next year I could face the same type of thing. Good luck!

 

[JimB.]

We have the same situation at our house. I'm working my "normal" 24 hour shift from 8 am on Christmas Day to 8 am on the 26th.

We've just decided that we will go to early church on Christmas Eve, & Santa will come while we are at Church. My 14 & 10 y.o. children have agreeably bought into the scenario. Otherwise Santa may not come until the 26th!!

 

[WDWfanatic288]

if he doesn't leave until 6...why don't yall get up really early and have cmas? or have it cmas eve?

my mom works cmas this year(since she was off last year b/c we were in WDW! )and we dunno when we are having cmas yet. i think we are gonna have it when she gets home or something like that

 

[lmj]

I have the same problem this year. My DH is working 4 am to 1 pm and we have three kids 2, 5, and 7. I'm going to be the mean mom and make them wait till dad gets home to open their gifts. They will have lots to play with because they will get gifts XMas eve from DH's family. Santa always brings wrapped gifts so he will deliver them on time but we will wait to open them. I think the anticipation will be kind of fun since usually the whole gift thing is over by about 8:00 am. We'll see.

 

[jfulcer]

Another vote for Santa delivering the presents on Christmas Eve. Sometimes he has to do that with all the houses he has to stop at. And hey, what's cooler than Santa coming EARLY to your house?

 

[snoopy]

Been there. When DH was a firefighter he always worked on either Christmas or Christmas Eve, when he worked Christmas we had Christmas on Christmas Eve.

This year he is working 7-3 on Christmas Eve. Certainly dealable, although I wish he were off.

I suggest either doing it early on Christmas or on Christmas Eve.

 

[GIGGLES266]

We had to deal with this situation for years also. When DH had to work on Christmas day, we would get the boys up early and they were allowed to open only the presents that Santa brought and their stockings. We would wait until DH came home in the afternoon to tear into all of the rest of the gifts. It would keep the excitement going for hours in our house which was kind of fun. Now that they are teenagers we just make them wait.

 

[debster812]

Firefighter's daughter checking in here:

When we were younger, the FF would switch off with each other, the guys with no kids, or grown kids would work a few hours Christmas morning so the guys with young kids could be home for Santa. When we got a bit older, my dad returned the favor. When that did not work, we would go to Mass on Christmas eve, and Santa came while we were there.

I know it is a super bummer that he has to work, but maybe you can start some new traditions. My mom always used to tell us it's not 'the day' that is as important as family and the sentiment.

Good Luck!

 

[kinlaw6450]

My DH is a part time cop and full time jail officer. Thanks to all the bad guys he will be working on Christmas too. We usually either wait until he gets home (which is torture for the kids) or wake up unusually early to get done before he had to go in.

But the bright side is he got off for New Years and is flying to Florida on the 1st to meet us at Disney World!!

 

[Fire14]

we each get to open 1 gift christmas eve night, kids go to vist other side of family christmas day, my family celebrates christms on the 27th or 28th. seeing as i have to work chrismas day, kids are from split relationships, and my husband has to work christmas eve and we live 5 hours away from festival house, this works out great for us.

 

[Kallison]

Around our house - Christmas eve is the climax, that is when we spend time with our family, open gifts, see the cousins et.

I really like the idea of having Santa come early, you could say he needed to get a head start since he does need to go around the world! My friend's Mom used to haul down all their gifts when they went to church. She said they would get in the car and her Mom would dash around like a crazy woman so the gifts would be under the tree when they get home! You could leave a couple of gifts aside for X-mas morning, that Santa forgot. That way you can all relax, enjoy the opening of the gifts, etc. Make a real special breakfast for the kids, I bet they won't mind. I can't imagine waiting until that evening to open the gifts, that would be too hard on them.

 

[Katie]

My dad was a firefighter..so on the Christmas he had to work..

Santa always came Christmas eve night while we were out ...(somewhere..grandmas' , looking at Christmas lights..) They always found a way to get us out of the house..

My dad didn't want to miss us opening our Santa's presents.!

I don't think he even likes the idea of missing the grandkids opening the presents....he always calls be 900 am..to see what Santa brought the kids!

Yep...i am daddy's girl still!! LOL

 

[mkandk]

Well, thanks for all of the good ideas. I was a little surprised at how many of you suggested opening Santa's gifts Christmas eve. DH's working Christmas eve, and he'll probably get off late, so I don't know...At least he'll be making holiday pay...maybe we'll have an extra-special Christmas next year!

Merry Christmas everyone!