Articles on Child Custody During Holidays
Holidays can be opportunities for meaningful parent–child interactions, religious formation or just fun experiences away from the routine.
Typically, both parents want to spend big days like Christmas or Hanukkah with their child. They might split the day each year, or they might alternate who gets the holiday from one year to the next.
Though you may tend to forget government holidays, they become important when you realize you could take a long-weekend getaway or discover you need midweek child care. Include "minor" holidays in your co-parenting schedule that will affect you.
On the child's birthday, if one parent is scheduled to have them for the whole day, the other parent may want a brief birthday visit. The Custody X Change app has an easy way to automatically plan for both parents to see the child on their birthday every year.
Disagreements over who gets which holiday are common. Having clear rules helps prevent them. If a dispute still arises, try to negotiate, and put your new arrangement in writing. If negotiating on your own doesn't work, seek help from a mediator.
Where to start
Making your holiday visitation schedule
Here are some common ways that parents divide and share holiday time.
Holiday custody arrangements
The key to creating detailed holiday custody arrangements is to make sure your entire custody schedule is thorough and complete.
Specific holidays
Schedule ideas for your child's birthday
Usually both parents want to see the child on or near the child's birthday. Here's how you can make it happen.
New Year's Day visitation for a noncustodial parent
Parenting plans should include a holiday schedule that gives the noncustodial parent adequate special occasion time with the child, potentially including visitation on New Year's Day.
Easter and Holy Week: Negotiate time with your kids
Many schools have time off for Easter and Holy Week, so include them in your holiday schedule even if you don't celebrate them.
Mother's Day for joint custody
Scheduling Mother's Day when you have joint custody can be tricky. Do you want the children to spend all or part of the day with Mom?
Father's Day and sole custody
Even if they have a sole physical custody arrangement, parents can agree to any Father's Day plan that works for their situation.
Holiday season schedule ideas
The Christmas holiday season includes Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. If your child is in school it can also include your child's winter break.
Christmas Eve with young children after divorce
Deciding Christmas Eve plans after a divorce can be especially fraught for parents of babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Often both parents want to be part of the young children's early Christmas memories.
Christmas Day custody for teenagers
Christmas Day can be particularly tricky when your child reaches their teenage years. Make sure to plan for the day well in advance.
New Year's Eve for custodial parents
You may already have a winter break schedule, but consider making a plan specifically for New Year's Eve to ensure both parents see the kids before the new year.
Holidays by country
Australian holidays
Child custody schedules for Australian public holidays like Anzac Day.
Canadian holidays
Schedule options for public holidays like Canada Day and regional holidays like Family Day.
Irish holidays
Here's how you can share time with your co-parent for St. Patrick's Day, bank holiday weekends and more.
UK holidays
Ideas for child arrangements on bank holidays and special occasions in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
US holidays
Ways to divide parenting time over Thanksgiving, 3-day weekends and more.
Managing the holidays
Coordinating Christmas gifts with your co-parent
Take some of the stress out of the holidays by working with your co-parent. Collaboration ideas, gifting guidelines, how to maintain a list and more.
More holiday schedule help
Holiday visitation schedules: Why you need one
Including a holiday schedule in your parenting plan will ensure each parent has time with the children on special occasions. Here are three ways to assign holidays in your parenting plan.
Deciding a holiday schedule for your parenting plan
The holiday schedule for a parenting plan is a portion of the visitation schedule that addresses where your children will be for each holiday.
Holiday custody schedules for your children
A holiday custody schedule is the part of your visitation schedule that outlines where your children will be during the holidays throughout the calendar year.