Just finalized my custody arrangement and Christmas is split 50/50. This is my first year doing it. I'm trying to stay positive for the kids but man, it hits different knowing I won't wake up with them on Christmas morning. Anyone else been through this? How do you keep the holidays feeling special when you're only getting them for part of the day?
This is going to sound cliche but embrace both halves. Make your Christmas Eve or Christmas morning something uniquely yours that your kids will love. We do a big breakfast and then hit the slopes on my days. Creates good memories instead of dwelling on the split.
First Christmas split is rough, man. Pro tip: make the day you have with them really count. We do a special breakfast tradition on my days that the kids look forward to. Helps make it feel less like we're losing time together and more like we have our own thing.
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Hey, I'm in the same boat this year. One thing that helped us was being flexible about the exact handoff times when something special comes up. Like if your kid wants to open presents on your morning even if it's technically your ex's evening, work it out. The kids remember the cooperation more than the calendar.