Celebrating Yule/Christmas Late

Ok so here is the situation. My family Celebrates Christmas and just last night was Yule but unfortunately I have to celebrate late with my boyfriend. My family wants him to celebrate with us because we feel he is already part of the family, where his family is the complete opposite. Even though we have been dating for 10 months they feel its too soon for me to be invited to family gatherings, even though I was invited to thanksgiving with them.

I don't know the whole story of what happened, but the way he portrayed it to be was very hurtful and as you can imagine I got upset. So after fuming with anger and then later crying about it, I figured ok fine if his parents want to be that way then I will celebrate with my boyfriend later. So I am coming up with ideas on how to celebrate the holiday season late with your Significant Other and still make it memorable and special.  I personally want a memorable and special first Christmas with my significant other and sometimes we can't always get what we want when we want it, and that's when we sacrifice and compromise. 

Not only that but I did a Google search and found out I'm not alone in this, in the sense that I'm not the only one who celebrates Christmas late. Although my reasons are because of the differences in family values and opinions and not financial, but it still sheds light that if you celebrate before January 6th its still not considered late.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/story/2011-12-17/delayed-christmas-weak-economy/51924600/1
The part of this article I like the most is thus:

Postponing Christmas Day, originally a Christian holiday to celebrate the birth of Christ, is almost unheard of in some circles. About 95% of Americans celebrate Christmas — including 80 percent of non-Christians, according to Gallup polls.

But Bruce David Forbes, author of "Christmas: A Candid History," says those who delay Christmas festivities can take some comfort in the fact that Dec. 25 isn't the date of the birth of Christ.

When Christians started celebrating his birth in the 300s after the Roman emperor Constantine converted to that religion, they didn't know the birthdate, so it appears that they picked a day to coincide with Romans' midwinter celebrations of their own gods. Meanwhile, Christians in more eastern countries, like Turkey and Greece, were already celebrating on Jan. 6.

So, Forbes, who teaches religious studies at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, says if you're celebrating anywhere between Dec. 25 and Jan. 6, "you're not even doing it late."

So, I'm still hurt about being rejected at Christmas, but you know what there's a reason for everything and it's still not too late to celebrate with my man even if it has to be after Christmas.

Now comes the question how do I celebrate Christmas after Christmas? What Activities do I incorporate into the full day that we will be together?

The Things/ideas that I want to do is thus:

Baking Christmas Cookies! I know this will be a late Christmas but who says we can't bake Christmas Cookies after Christmas! Its a home only activity and can be very fun for couples to do together.

Making Dinner Together! Again Making dinner together for yourselves for Christmas is an Awesome way to spend time together. You can make whatever you want but it doesn't have to be a fancy turkey dinner like you just had on Christmas day. It can be as simple as Chicken and rice Hot dish and setting up Christmas Candles, and eat by candlelight.

Exchange Gifts! This Economy sucks I know and maybe we can't afford gifts but if that is the case, a hand made gift can be great too. I make things all the time, and I think it would be cool to make my BF a winter hat that he can use :)  

Scrap Booking! I got this idea from a website. When you celebrate Christmas with your significant other you want to make memories with Each other. That is the whole point of the Holidays. So Why not get a bunch of Pictures of you and your significant other from through out the year or the last few months you have been together and put them in a scrap book. You can write down quotes and put on stickers, even write a letter to each other about how each other feels. Also put in all the little or big memories about each other.  Then when one person is down in the dumps or when you get angry at each other you both can be reminded of how much you love each other and remember the awesome times you spent together. :)

Watch Holiday Movies! Ok after dinner is made and cookies are made you can sit and relax. Watch your favorite Christmas Movies! Some of my All time Holiday favorites are Home Alone 1 and 2, Prancer, The Santa Clause 1 &2, A Charlie Brown Christmas,  The Polar Express,  Elf, A Christmas Carol, Jingle All The Way, A Christmas Story, How the Grinch stole Christmas, Jack Frost, Miracle on 34th St, and The Nightmare before Christmas. Pick a couple that you would really like to Watch and watch them. I really love snuggling up and drinking hot coacoa and watching movies. 

Go Outside and Play! I know this is a bit childish but you know what? Our inner Child also needs to be acknowledged at this time of year as well. Our most favorite memories of Christmas is from our Childhood so go out and make a snow man if you live in the wintery snowy areas of the world. Go have a snow ball fight, and make Snow Angels. It's also a great way to burn some of those extra calories after eating so much holiday foods. Also, Take lots of Pictures!

  

Plan a Ritual or spell and do it together! For those of us who are Pagan Yule is about celebrating a solstice, one where we celebrate the birth of the Sun and how it will now get longer days instead of shorter days. So burn incense, Chant, and do all the things you do for a Ritual of Yule. Honor the Sun's return and pray for a renewal of faith if it is needed or do a spell for it because even though its the darkest time of the year it is also about rebirth and renewal.

Disclaimer I know Christmas isn't a pagan holiday, but in order to appease Christian families I feel the need to celebrate it in addition to yule, because its a holiday I grew up on, and it still holds a place in my heart. I also  kind of look at it as another way to celebrate Yule since Christmas is Technically a pagan holiday in disguise anyway.