If you’ve divorced or are in the process of separating, it’s a good idea to make Christmas contact arrangements as early as possible. After all, the last thing you want is a disagreement with your ex on Christmas Eve.

Even if it takes you both a little while to confirm your plans, you can at least start to open the doors of communication.

Accepting that family traditions may have to change

One of the first things to come to terms with is that you won’t necessarily get to do all of the things you used to as a family over Christmas. It can be painful to accept, but a change in traditions is almost inevitable if your children are to spend time with both parents.

Every family has their own traditions, but these aren’t set in stone (even though it may feel like it). Your Christmas won’t be any less special if you mix things up, and it could be a good opportunity to create good new traditions.

If you’re disappointed at having to change your usual plans, remind yourself that your children’s needs come first. It’s important for them to see both parents and have a happy time, surrounded by people they love.

Key issues to discuss

During the festive period, everyday routines tend to go out of the window. The kids are off school or nursery, there are multiple bank holidays and normal schedules are abandoned. This means that you and your ex will need to work out a whole new schedule from scratch. It’s good to do this as a team if you can, rather than working against each other

When you start to have conversations about Christmas contact, here are some key points to discuss:

·        Where your children will spend Christmas Day and Boxing Day

·        Christmas dinner and gifts

·        Visiting extended family

·        Travel and sleeping arrangements.

What if we can’t reach an agreement about Christmas contact?

Unfortunately, not all parents can agree on Christmas plans. It’s an emotionally charged time of year, so it’s easy for disagreements and old grievances to flare up.

If you’re struggling to reach an agreement with your ex, there are a few courses of action you can take. The first is to try mediation, where a trained mediator will help you both to work towards a family-based resolution which puts your children’s needs first.

If all else fails, there may be legal avenues you can take. Speak to your family lawyer as soon as you can, for expert legal advice and to discuss your options. Do this as soon as you can, as family law courts tend to deal with an increased number of cases leading up to the festive period.

Get in touch with specialist Liverpool family lawyer Tracey Miller Family Law today to arrange a free consultation.