Divorced parents-how do you handle the holidays?

[dreamer17555]

My son (11) spends Christmas Eve with his dad. When we were married his family always did Christmas Eve celebrations which was perfect since I do not leave my home on Christmas. My parents were divorced and lived across the country so I spent every childhood Christmas flying (alone) between Ohio and Texas on Christmas day. So now as an adult, the rule is I do not leave. We make tons of food and any family can stop by all day but I like being in one place.

I will say we try to keep it very friendly for my son. This year he is actually spending extra time leading up to Christmas Eve with his dad. He is going there directly after school on Friday and staying until Christmas Eve which is giving me and my teen daughter a chance to help Santa transform DS's bedroom into Star Wars room (furniture being delivered on Friday! I'm so excited). Stitch is going to rope off his room with do not enter tape (love Disney having him instead of elf on the shelf) and we are allowing my DS to spend the night in my room (which NEVER happens) and then on Christmas morning his door will be decorated from Santa and yay new bedroom from Santa!

I couldn't pull something like this off if I didn't have the ex willing to work with me and happy to help any way he can to make sure DS is blown away on Christmas morning. So while the shuffling can be hard (and I understand that both from a child who went through it and as an adult) it can work out.

 

[Frankiemack]

Divorced earlier this year but splitting holidays past 2 years. We split custody and I have my DD 10 2/3 rds of the time - (Mon, Tue, Wed night - mom has her Thurs night and we rotate weekends) Certain holidays have traditions for her with family we didn't want to break - for the major holidays:

I get Easter, Mom gets Thanksgiving and we rotate Christmas Eve and Christmas each year

• Every other year I have her Christmas Eve Day until 5pm then she goes to her mom until 5pm Christmas night and comes back
• This allows her to have time on both days with us and family and allows us to be flexible with our families and give us time to see them on both days
• Christmas morning she gets with one parent and then she gets her new 2nd favorite holiday, 5 o'clock Christmas with the other later in the day

All other holiday except for the obvious Father's Day/Mother's Day we let fall as they do unless there are specific plans made. If it is her mom's weekend or day, she's there - if my weekend, she's with me.

It's a lot of back and forth, and a lot of compromise by both parents for sake of the kids (which is stressful enough) - but kids are flexible and adaptable.

 

[OKW8297]

I applaud those of you who posted on here and make it work. Kudos!

 

[WEDWDW]

I applaud those of you who posted on here and make it work. Kudos!

And my heart goes out to the Posters as well-no personal experience,but I am sure it has to be awfully tough at times.