Christmas as a blended family from 2000 didn't always happen on December the 25th with the 3 youngest boys often spending the actual day with their other family and Peter and I with the eldest two and the odd occasion making plans last minute where we found ourselves with a couple of hours on our own and we'd visit my gran or turn up at friends to join in with their Christmas dinner 'just in case you find ourselves free'
Photos prior to 2004 need scanning and aren't handy at the moment.
But Christmas always happened.
2004 Snowing on Christmas Day in Malvern
2005 Christmas with the kids at my mum and dads.
2006
2007 We tried to make a tradition of the Pantomime, but it only happened the once. We took our granddaughter this year (2025) It took another 18 years.
2008
2009
2010 Our first displaced Christmas. The year we left the UK. Christmas this year was spent saying goodbye to all the family and the day and night spent in a hotel in Reading where child 3 was working.
Christmas 2010 - 2020 was hit and miss with us living abroad, kids leaving home and covid. Gifts and cards were left in the UK in September/October. The kids and mum would bring gifts back with them and friends would brave them postal system Video calls were banned in the UAE, so contact was via photos and messaging.
South Africa
Santa shoebox Christmas that carried on from 2011-2019.
2011 Christmas in the sun was always strange.
2012 Airport goodbyes as the boys fly to the UK for Christmas.
2013 Waiting at the airport to collect the boys as they return home for Christmas.
2014 We left South Africa and arrived in Dubai, spending Christmas in a hotel.
We packed a few decorations and brought our gifts with us.
Nothing beats Dubai's Christmas decorations.
Christmas themed brunches.
2015 In the absence of the kids, fun with Bob and Pushkins.
2018
2019
2020 After managing to get back into Dubai for Christmas, Saudi closed their borders and we still didn't get to spend Christmas together. I got the better deal though.
Christmas Eve on the beach
Video calls from Saudi to Dubai.
Snowmen on the beach
I decorated my hotel room.
Peter home in time for the New Year.
2021 Back in the UK.
First Christmas as a family now with grandchildren.
2022
2023 another Christmas with our granddaughter.
Our last Christmas with Stephanie who passed away in 2024.
2024 An early family Christmas with our two grandchildren.
Christmas in Las Vegas.
Christmas 2025 spent in the UK. We've had 2 new grandchildren in 2025. There was a visit early December from child 4 and his family and we're spending Christmas Day with child 2 and his family.
And 18 years later, we finally got back to the Panto.
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