Children need to develop holiday traditions with each side of their family. This can be complicated when parents are no longer together and must decide how to share the holidays. There are a few ways former partners can split the holidays so everyone can be happy. Keep reading to learn more.
Alternating Holidays
Perhaps the most common way to divide holidays, an alternating schedule allows both parents to see their child on alternating holidays. For example, one year one parent might get the child on Thanksgiving while the other gets Christmas. Then, the next year the parents will swap holidays.
Fixed Holidays
If parents prioritize different holidays, a fixed schedule may be the most beneficial. Say, for instance, one parent’s favorite holiday is Thanksgiving while the other parent doesn’t do much to celebrate that day. In this situation, the parents may agree that one parent will always have the child on Thanksgiving while the other will always get Christmas. Or, maybe one parent is Christian and the other is Jewish. The parents could agree to always have the children on the holidays important to each religion.
Split Holidays
If the parents live fairly close to each other, they may decide to split the holiday. One parent could have the child for the first half of the day and the other parent could have the child for the second half. Splitting the holiday can also work if it spans multiple days. For example, Hanukkah last for 8 days. One parent could have the child for the first 4 days while the other has the child for the last 4 days. Alternatively, one parent might get their child on Christmas Eve while the other gets the child on Christmas Day.
Double Holidays
It may make sense for some families to celebrate a holiday twice. The parents can let the custody schedule remain intact and instead celebrate the holiday when the child is in their custody; or, parents can choose a day for a second holiday and alternate years.
Birthdays
Parents who get along well will often agree to share their child’s birthday celebration. Be it hosting a party together or celebrating the day twice in each home. However, if parents live too far from each other or don’t get along, alternatives should be considered. In such cases, it may be best for parents to alternate who gets the child on their birthday each year.
Mother’s & Father’s Day
Determining who should have the child on either of these days is easy for opposite-sex parents, but may be an issue for same-sex parents. One way to solve this issue is to treat each day as simply Parent’s Day.
Helping You Create a Great Holiday Schedule
If you and your ex-partner are having difficulty deciding on a holiday visitation schedule, our child custody attorney can help. We have more than 20 years of legal experience and can guide you towards a favorable decision.
Call our firm today at (407) 753-4111 or contact us online to get started.