It's Christmas Day, the presents are opened, now what?

[mommaU4]

Hello! I am looking for ideas on what other families do on Christmas Day. In our household, we wake up too early (like everyone else with kids), open presents, take pictures, then have a big family breakfast. It's fun, simple, and we love it.
But, the rest of the day seems sort of uneventful compared to the morning excitement.

I should point out that we don't have any family in the area. We live in Nevada and our closest relatives are in California. We go visit at some point during the month of December, but not on Christmas day. So unlike many other families, we don't have relatives coming over, nor do we do the mad dash from one house to another. A friend of mine barely has time to breathe on Christmas day as she runs from her house, to her ex's house, then to both sets of Grandparents. If you've seen the movie "Four Christmases" with Vince Vaughn, that's pretty much her day. We (thankfully?) don't have that issue.

When the kids were younger, we did the same thing we do now, wake up early, open gifts, enjoy breakfast, but back then the kids would spend all day playing with board games, dolls, cars, etc.
Meanwhile my husband and I would spend a good portion of our day opening toy boxes, putting together toys, and cursing at whomever had packaged each item with a million of those little plastic ties that are darn near impossible to remove.
Now, our kids are older, teen and pre-teens, so there aren't really any toys. Mainly electronics, make-up, clothes, etc.

It just makes the rest of the day seem sort of anti-climatic, and gasp, dare I say it, boring.
This year, I'd like to find something for us to do to keep the excitement of Christmas morning flowing through out the day.

Any ideas? How do you spend your Christmas day? Oh, and the reason I posted this on the Budget Board is because I'd like the ideas to be relatively inexpensive. Our wallets are generally pretty empty by this point, so please, no suggestions of chartering a private jet and flying to Paris for lunch....unfortunately.

Thanks in advance!

 

[delmar411]

you could look towards some volunteering at a shelter or soup kitchen or at a church for the afternoon/evening

or

go to the movies

or

go out and see all the Christmas lights/decorations

or

plan some sort of outdoor activity that you might not normally do

 

[bedogged]

How about taking the family to a movie? We have done this and had a really good time. I have to warn you that the movie houses can be pretty full. I would recommend that you pick a movie in advance and order your tickets online. Lots of good movies open on Christmas day and the children would have a good time helping to pick the movie.

 

[Cruise]

We do the breakfast thing with make-ahead casserole type things that we put in the oven while opening presents. So we eat breakfast right after presents. Then we do a big Christmas dinner, so the womenfolk usually spend most of the afternoon cooking while the menfolk watch some sort of sporting event on TV. It sounds completely sexist, but it's what we enjoy - it's more about the bonding than the cooking and watching.

We also have relatives out of state so part of the day will be spent passing around the phone for everyone to talk to each other.

 

[mommaU4]

you could look towards some volunteering at a shelter or soup kitchen or at a church for the afternoon/evening

or

go to the movies

or

go out and see all the Christmas lights/decorations

or

plan some sort of outdoor activity that you might not normally do

Thanks for the quick reply! We go out on Christmas Eve to see the lights and decorations, and really enjoy doing that.
I like the outdoor activity idea. Living in Las Vegas means we don't have to worry too much about bad weather in the winter. I also like the idea of volunteering. I wonder though if they allow younger kids to participate. Hmm, something to look into. Thanks.

How about taking the family to a movie? We have done this and had a really good time. I have to warn you that the movie houses can be pretty full. I would recommend that you pick a movie in advance and order your tickets online. Lots of good movies open on Christmas day and the children would have a good time helping to pick the movie.

I have thought of this, unfortunately with our family I'm not sure we could agree on a movie. My 16 year old son, has no desire to see the same movie as his 11 year old sister. He'd go if I told him he had to, but he might not really enjoy it and movies are so expensive here to just go if it's not something we all really want to see. I think I'll keep this idea in mind and wait and see what is actually playing that day. Who knows, miracles do happen, so we might all find one we'd enjoy together!

 

[mommaU4]

We also have relatives out of state so part of the day will be spent passing around the phone for everyone to talk to each other.

We do the phone pass around here too.
I like the idea of doing a casserole dish for breakfast.

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

When I was growing up our Christmas day lasted all day! My dad was a former Marine and engineer so he was very regimented. This is probably going to sound crazy to most people but we really loved how my dad (and mom!) handled Christmas morning.

We'd wake up and look in our stockings (only after mom & dad were there to watch) - go to Mass - come home and take pictures while we were still dressed up - then change into comfy clothes - eat a big breakfast - then start opening presents. It would be close to noon before the first gift was opened!

We were not allowed to "storm the tree". My mom would hand each of us kids a present and we each took turns opening ours as everyone watched. Then we'd wait 1/2 hour and do it again. This gave us the opportunity to take the time to savor and appreciate each gift we received and make the day last. We'd have presents left to open right up until Christmas dinner.

I remember going to our cousin's house out of state one year for Christmas. On Christmas morning my cousins ran downstairs and starting grabbing presents and ripping them open. My siblings and I just sat there with our jaws dropped because we couldn't believe it. That's not how you did it!

I tried to follow the same schedule as my parents when I had my DD but my DH came from a "storm the tree" family so he wanted to let DD do that too.

To fill in the rest of Christmas day now we watch Christmas movies and play board games. And sometimes we pull out old photo albums and look at old family pictures - always provides a good laugh!

 

[HunnyPots]

OP, your day sounds exactly like ours has for the last several years. Once the kids are past the age of toys, Christmas can get pretty dull. We've tried every year to find a good movie we all want to see on Christmas day. We usually have our dinner in the afternoon, after breakfast and a nap, and then go to the movies, maybe drive around and see the lights, and then go back home for desert. It's not like the Christmas days of the past - oh, how I miss those! - but it's the best we've been able to come up with.

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

I usually get my hubby a board game at Christmas and we'll play that (even though we still have young kids). We all love games and could play them all day long. Why not get some of the more mature board games to play as a family?

 

[RangerPooh]

I feel the same way these days, but our kids are small. I think for us it's becuase so much of our family is out of the area. But we wake up early, open gifts, have the big breakfast, and then watch the parade; if it's on in the morning. I then start cooking for the big dinner that evening; whihc includes our family, my parents,a nd my SIL's family. We also pass around the phone to talk with my inlaws, the greatgradnparents ,and other family members.

This year will be different as we will have our dinner on Christmas Eve, open presents from famiy at that time. Then on Christmas morning we're opening Santa gifts early, maybe have a quick breakfast then it's in the car for the next 10 hours as we start our drive to Disneyland.

Activities to consider doing:
-Volunteering at a oup kitchen, food bank, or senior complex to serve dinner.
-Instead of phone calls can you Skype with some family members sothat you get to see eachother?
-continue taking pictures of everyone on that day and ask them for their fondest Christmas memory of this year or previous. You can then scrapbook on like Shutterfly or Snapfish.
-Go on an outing such as a hike.
-Movies
-I see you are in Vegas, do they do any special events or shows?

 

[HunnyPots]

I usually get my hubby a board game at Christmas and we'll play that (even though we still have young kids). We all love games and could play them all day long. Why not get some of the more mature board games to play as a family?

Great idea! I completely forgot - we did that last year instead of going to the movies. It was a fun day! We spent about three hours playing Apples to Apples and eating cookies and almost falling out of our chairs from laughing so hard. Highly recomend!

 

[happygirl]

We usually get up pretty early we usually just veg out the rest of the day.

 

[Jeff_G]

I second the volunteering route, call the local soup kitchens and see if they will be open on Christmas day, and yes they will appropriate the help even from the younger ones.

Another thought see if any of the local nursing homes would let you come in and visit with folks, many are lonely and just love to sit and talk and share their life stories with people. Bring a pastry / food dish for the staff they are working on Christmas day have to be away from their families...

 

[mommaU4]

It's not like the Christmas days of the past - oh, how I miss those! - but it's the best we've been able to come up with.

Me, too!! I hate that my kids are growing up, for more reasons than this of course, but it's just not the same as when they were little and they'd spend all day playing with their new Easy Bake oven, or setting up a Hot Wheels track, or asking me to help them dress their new Barbie. I miss that. And I miss shopping for toys. Buying clothes at Kohls is just not as fun as exploring Toys'R'Us no matter what anyone says. lol
Heck, I'd even happily deal with those stupid plastic ties again. (sigh) Oh, well.



I do like the idea of board games. Thanks to those who suggested that.

 

[Fyrefly]

We're in your boat, a family of three with no extended family nearby.

My mom does a lot of cooking Christmas Eve to free herself up. She does a breakfast casserole the night before as well as the green bean casserole etc. for Christmas dinner. And because there's three of us she always cuts the Thanksgiving turkey in half and freezes it, then heats it up in the oven with the other dishes Christmas day. So she pretty much has "providing an awesome tasty special Christmas dinner without slaving in the kitchen all day" down to a science.

We open gifts slowly and talk about them. My dad has a Christmas mp3 CD we play starting at the beginning all day. I often get video games or books so I'll amuse myself with those, my parents often get books as well. We talk, call family. Lunch is a light thing, often times my mom will do a hot crab dip which we don't do often and we'll have that with crackers. We always watch A Christmas Story in the afternoon. Then there's dinner and we'll do another movie sometimes. It's just a nice quiet day to enjoy each other's company.

I think watching a certain movie or playing board games or something is a good way to have togetherness.

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

Maybe it is time to start traveling at Christmas? My kids still like to be home, but you could celebrate in Hawaii or something!

 

[bedogged]

Thanks for the quick reply!


I have thought of this, unfortunately with our family I'm not sure we could agree on a movie. My 16 year old son, has no desire to see the same movie as his 11 year old sister. He'd go if I told him he had to, but he might not really enjoy it and movies are so expensive here to just go if it's not something we all really want to see. I think I'll keep this idea in mind and wait and see what is actually playing that day. Who knows, miracles do happen, so we might all find one we'd enjoy together!

Hugo is coming out this month as well as Arthur Christmas. One of those might work for your family. Also, a lot of movie theater chains give a discount for movies that have been out for more than two weeks.

 

[HeatherC]

Do any of the resorts in Vegas offer day passes to their pools? Could be fun to go in the afternoon...order drinks and appetizers poolside and then go to a special restaurant like Teppanyaki or a fondue restaurant like Melting Pot for dinner?

Any shows going on like Cirque or Blue Man Group that would be good for all.

I am guessing Vegas is still hopping Christmas Day.

 

[prncess674]

Since your kids are older I think you could start teaching them about patience. Set a "wake up" time so that everyone can sleep in a bit. When my sister and I were kids we had to wake up the parents and not until they were awake and waiting could we even see the tree! Normally Dad would start the coffee and turn on the tree lights while Mom would put out a tray of breakfast pastries and treats by the tree and then put Christmas music on. Even as young kids we learned patience. We took turns opening presents and while we certainly weren't militant, the parents were always good about helping us space out the morning. The phone always seemed to ring during the present opening so when it did, present opening would stop and we would all get on speakerphone to talk to whatever relative.

Since you don't have family in town do you know another family that doesn't have relatives nearby? It doesn't have to be a big formal Christmas dinner with them, just have apps and cocktails to enjoy with "drop ins" on Christmas Day. We pretty much have open house on Christmas Day. Over the years it has been a hodge podge of friends and family. Once all the presents were opened, we cleaned up the mess and then set out food for neighbors and family who dropped by.

 

[delmar411]

When I was growing up our Christmas day lasted all day! My dad was a former Marine and engineer so he was very regimented. This is probably going to sound crazy to most people but we really loved how my dad (and mom!) handled Christmas morning.

We'd wake up and look in our stockings (only after mom & dad were there to watch) - go to Mass - come home and take pictures while we were still dressed up - then change into comfy clothes - eat a big breakfast - then start opening presents. It would be close to noon before the first gift was opened!

We were not allowed to "storm the tree". My mom would hand each of us kids a present and we each took turns opening ours as everyone watched. Then we'd wait 1/2 hour and do it again. This gave us the opportunity to take the time to savor and appreciate each gift we received and make the day last. We'd have presents left to open right up until Christmas dinner.

I remember going to our cousin's house out of state one year for Christmas. On Christmas morning my cousins ran downstairs and starting grabbing presents and ripping them open. My siblings and I just sat there with our jaws dropped because we couldn't believe it. That's not how you did it!

I tried to follow the same schedule as my parents when I had my DD but my DH came from a "storm the tree" family so he wanted to let DD do that too.

To fill in the rest of Christmas day now we watch Christmas movies and play board games. And sometimes we pull out old photo albums and look at old family pictures - always provides a good laugh!

I LOVE how your parents did Christmas! My kids would probably freak out but it sounds so relaxing and enjoyable. You actually get to see the kids open each gift and enjoy it and snap some pictures before rushing onto the next one and trying to capture multiple children opening things at the same time.