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How to make christmas hampershampers?

Make my parents' Christmas.

  • I'm a 40 year old man, recently single and spending Christmas with my parents for the first time in two decades. They're excited, help us have a good one. After a helluva year, the UK recession/depression saw me made redundant, have my apartment repossessed, lose my long term GF and generally relocate from my successful urban life to a very slimmed down rural one back in my home village. As a result my aging parents have invited my lonesome self and my newly acquired puppy dog to their's for Christmas Day. They seem excited to have the prodigal son around for the festivities, it's been a long time since I was around on the 25th. I'm in a good place despite all the drama of 2013 and want to make sure they have a good time while I'm around, I might not get many more Christmas seasons with them like this. So...I arrive on Christmas Eve, I'll have a bag of presents, a bottle of bubbly and a puppy dressed in a collar with jingle bells on. What else can I do or bring to the proceedings to help things go well. They are refusing any contributions to foodstuffs as my mom will be cooking up a storm so I'm kinda at a loss. Maybe myself, dog and some booze are enough but any suggestions for more are most welcome!

  • Answer:

    Best thing is to forget any past stuff that happened that you feel turned you into the "prodigal son." They might do those things that drive you insane but just mentally toss it outside into the snow. A positive mind is the best thing you can bring. Also: keep a light buzz going, and work on something distracting like a puzzle or some DVDs of holiday sniffle movies (It's a Wonderful Life, Christmas Carol).

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Honestly, I think you're doing fine as it is. You'll be there, your parents are excited to see you, you've got gifts and some beverages; about the only thing I'd do is be a bit more eager to jump up and help Mom in the kitchen or with chores (even if she says no, you should just sit - gently insist that no, you'll help with dishes anyway).

EmpressCallipygos

What about bringing some sort of puzzle for you all to work on together, or a game of some sort? They would likely enjoy just 'hanging out' with you in the manner.

dotgirl

I don't know any host who doesn't truly appreciate a hand with the dishes, even if they protest at first.

bonehead

A tripod. And get some photos of you guys together. Maybe even recreate some older ones.

DigDoug

Def. bring a boardgame to play while drinking some liquor drinks. I actually suggest you get a NEW board game that none of you have played before (Carcassonne? Catan? Ticket to Ride? Pandemic?). Have a Happy Christmas Caskeum!

PuppetMcSockerson

If you've had a rough year they may want to commiserate and comfort you. Let them.

Wylie Kyoto

Is there anything they particularly like to do with you or for you that you could let them do? For example, my mom REALLY likes buying me clothes for whatever reason, so I always make sure to "need" something because it just makes her day if she can spend half the day wandering around crowded stores looking for it. Likewise, she really likes going to the grocery store with us and doing our shopping so we make sure to need food and go shopping with her when she's here.

Ghostride The Whip

Board game ordered, will weigh in heavily on the dish washing and generally appreciate all the fussin' that is bound to come my way. Thanks all and merry Christmas to you and yours when it comes!

Caskeum

Perhaps board games, movies to watch together—including some of their old favorites? Go through the family picture albums or, if applicable, organize pictures into albums, making sure that they're labeled.

she's not there

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