DH Working XMas Day--Ideas?

[StantonHyde]

DH is an ER doc and the way it works is you work either Thanksgiving or Christmas. This year he had Thanksgiving off. He will be working 12-8 Christmas Eve and 9-5 Christmas Day! I am sure we can get the kids up to open toys by then (!!) and I will make sure he assembles anything that needs it. He has always squeaked by working night shifts etc around Christmas. This is the first time he is working so much over those 48 hours when the kids are awake.

So ideas on what to do the rest of the day?? I have had my son help me make a birthday cake for Jesus before, that worked ok. (hey, any excuse for birthday cake and buttercream frosting!!) We can go sledding if there is snow. They will probably get new videos so we can watch those.

My family is all out of town. I suppose I may call a friend to see if we can do a play date (is that ok?). We will be doing our big Christmas dinner and family gift exchange on the 23rd and I will be cooking so I feel no compulsion to cook on Christmas.

What have other moms done in this situation??

[daniele_ut]

I've never been in this situation, so I don't know if have any good suggestions for you. We're not planning on going to see dh's family on Christmas day (90 minutes away) because I'm not comfortable driving that far away in possibly bad weather when I'm that pregnant. We may invite some friends over who have no family nearby and share dinner with them.

I don't think there's anything wrong with a playdate on Christmas!

[s7714]

I haven't gone through this as a mom, but as a child I had a few Christmases when my dad had to work for a portion of the day. Really I was always so busy playing with my new toys I didn't need much else to occupy me during the day!

I think making special cookies or a desert is a good idea. Gingerbread people are a good activity since kids can spend a good long while decorating them!

[Tondi G]

Make a Gingerbread house! Any local Museums you might like to visit on the day of Christmas Eve?

If you have snow you could attempt building a snow man!

I saw in a magazine I think... a moms little one wanted to play with the snow so badly but it was too cold out... so she brought a few buckets full inside and dumped them in the tub... the kids got to play with the snow and build mini snowmen without being out in the elements too long!

How about making christmas chains.... cut strips of red and green construction paper and tape or staple them and decorate around the windows.... surprise Daddy! Or get yarn and let the kids make noodle garlands.... Penne works great. You could even give the kids paint and glitter and let them decorate the noodles one day and string them the next!

Make/Bake cookies for Santa. Make rice crispy treats and decorate them (sprinkles or crushed up candy canes are fun). You could always bring a tray of treats down for Daddy and the rest of the doctors and nurses working in the ER that day!

Make Hot Cocoa with marshmallows or whipped cream or both! Or Hot apple cider! and cozy up in front of the tv on the living room floor with lots of blankets and watch a Christmas classic... frosty the snowman or Rudolph the red nosed reindeer or the Grinch who stole Christmas!

HTH's you!

~Tondi

[StantonHyde]

These are some great ideas. I think a neighbor does a "decorate the gingerbread men" party on Christmas Eve (that she takes to patients at the hospital where I work) and there will be lots of kids there. Making cookies and taking them to Daddy is a GREAT idea. My Dad was an MD, too, so working on Christmas is totally normal to me. And yes, I don't think it was a problem as a kid. I'm just thinking about the mom aspect!! I think I will see if friends of ours are in town and if it would be ok for the kids to play--plan in advance. Her kids get up at the crack of dawn so she would probably want them to be playing with somebody else around 10 am.

[Neatfreak]

One of my friends was in the same situation last year, and took her kids (three years old at the time) out to the movie theatre to see a show for a special "Xmas w/o Dad" treat ...

[Mamma2004]

All the PPs have listed some great ideas. I was thinking about a baking/decorating marathon and it would be wonderful to deliver those goodies to the ER! I was also envisioning a trip to the cinema, though I think it could be great fun to snuggle up and watch some holiday classics together.

Whatever you decide, your kiddos will be FINE - you're doing a great job!

Stephanie

[elephantmeg]

I'm working 7-3 Christmas eve and 3-11 Christmas day so I feel your pain (or maybe DH does?). There will be lots of family around so I'm not so worried about them. I flat out said we will be doing Christmas morning at our house and simple and I was accepting the best sounding menu from the lunch options. I vote for making cookies and delivering them to DH. That would make my day. And I bet his coworkers would be tickled too! I totally wouldn't cook if I were you. Sounds like a good excuse to eat favorite foods and cookies

[colleenfs]

Can you take them to a movie? That might be a fun diversion. Or just snuggle up with a fire and watch a bunch of holiday specials on TV.

I don't know if you have snow where you are, but maybe you could go out sledding or skating. Or caroling...?

If the ER is not busy, can you pop in to see DH, or is that a big no-no? (Then again, I bet is IS busy on Christmas.) Or maybe visit the children in the children's ward?

Good luck!

[StantonHyde]

I love the movie idea, but I have to see if any theatres are open on Christmas. The ski resorts are all open but I don't know about movies. We can go sledding and will probably do that and make snowmen. We may even have to shovel snow!! So that's true, I should be able to get them good and tired so that even they don't nap, they can veg out with a video.

We will visit DH. Christmas Day is not that busy--until the afternoon hits. By then people have had their fill of family anxiety, big giant meals, football games and alcohol. The perfect recipe for a heart attack, abdominal pain and other big things that land you in the ER for a few hours. So we will probably got around noon or one. The rest of the folks there will have fun seeing them too. As long as there isn't an ambulance rush, the kids will be a nice diversion.

I actually like that he is working on Christmas--it gets me out of having to drive 3 hours to spend a tension filled holiday with my family!!

[geochick]

My dh is a physician in SLC too. It's horrible when they cover the service over Christmas. My dh has Christmas off this year...the first time in ages.

Anyway, we do have snow. I'd go sledding, then go home and make cookies and drink cocoa. I wonder if that tubing place near Park City is open on Christmas day?
http://www.parkcitymountain.com/winter/activities/tubing_at_gorgoza/index.html

I think going to a movie would be fun too. It's REALLY hard to find anything open on Christmas day. It's the hardest day of the year to find stuff open. You could have a DVD movie fest and watch all sorts of Christmas movies all afternoon with breaks to bake stuff. It would be fun to bake stuff and deliver it to the neighbors. One year our neighbors were in a similar situation as yours and they baked cinnamon rolls for all the neighbors and delivered them on Christmas morning.

It's really tough, and I know how you feel. Too bad your family will be out of town. I'm sure you'll find something great.

[StantonHyde]

I hadn't thought about the tubing place--it could be open. Our local hill is pretty good. On the one hand, I need something to eat up time and on the other I don't want to do a major haul anywhere by myself. But I love getting all these ideas from everybody!!