These days, Christmases can get complicated. If you and/or your partner have children from a previous relationship, Christmas is a time when things can get really messy. Children should be able to spend time with both parents during the Christmas holidays.
The Children Are the Most Important Thing
When making your Christmas plans, you are going to have to accept your needs are going to go to the bottom of the pile. Children place a huge importance on Christmas – they can’t sleep because of excitement even weeks before it.
So this is a time when you are going to have to put your preferences to one side. Hopefully, you can make it work so that everybody is happy, but if not, then any compromises that need to be made, should be made by the adults, and not the children.
Plan Your Logistics
If your children from a previous relationship live with you, then they will obviously be included in your plans, but if they live away then you will have to negotiate with your ex-partner to come to an agreement. The same applies for your partner if they have children from a previous relationship too.
In an ideal world, everyone can get together in one place and get on, but this is not always possible. Plan the Christmas holiday with your partner, making sure all the kids involved are getting their time with you both. Some families use Christmas Eve as another ‘Christmas Day’ so they can celebrate with two different families.
Negotiation is the Key
The more flexible you are, the easier it will be to plan the finer points. This may mean you have to be nice to your ex-partner, even though it kills you. Or you might need to be civil with your partner’s ex-partner to make plans.
Now is not the time to be awkward – hopefully they will pick up on the fact you are trying your hardest, and they will make a similar effort. If things ever get tense, make sure you remind each other the children’s needs must come first.
Be Prepared to Travel
You may well find yourself with a lot of traveling over the Christmas holidays. This can be a pain, but it may be unavoidable if there are different families involved. Plan your journeys well in advance so you don’t put yourselves under too much stress.
Make sure your house is not neglected in all the chaos – you still need to make sure you get your Christmas tree and decorations sorted otherwise you will feel like you’ve had no Christmas at all.
Good luck with your Christmas planning and we hope you find a solution that makes everyone happy!
Adam Tyler is a sales executive at Corporate Christmas. He is in charge of client servicing for a company that requires corporate Christmas tree decorations during the holiday season. An engaging person, he likes to make new friends and share his opinions through blogging.
Are you in a blended family? Please share your suggestions for successfully navigating the Christmas holidays.
