With Christmas around the corner, the thoughts of those who are separated may turn to arrangements for the Children over the festive season.  Even if arrangements for the rest of the year are going smoothly - whether there is shared care or whether one parent sees the children on alternate weekends – arrangements at Christmas are often a problem because it is seen as a special time, especially for children.

The best advice is to try to sort this out early – although I appreciate that with only a few weeks to go that boat may have sailed!  Try to speak to your ex-partner to see what they want because it may actually be that their suggestions are in line with your own thoughts.  If not, then look at what has happened in the past and try to arrange things fairly – for example if you had the Children staying with you last Christmas day then it might be fair for this to alternate and let your ex have them stay this Christmas.

Some people decide to split the day, with the children waking up and spending Christmas morning with one parent, and then having lunch and the afternoon with the other.  Of course, if you still get on well with your ex, you could consider spending the day together with the Children, which would give them the best of both worlds