Surviving separation during Christmas.

As the weather gets colder and the nights longer this can only mean one thing, Christmas is almost upon us. For many this is a joyous occasion shared with their family, sat around a table laughing and loving. However, for some when they start thinking about their Christmas plans it is a time that is filled with anxiety

We understand that a separation can be difficult, especially when there are children involved. That is why we are here to uncover some of those uncertainties you may be facing as the holidays approach.

If you are married and are considering divorce you may not wish to spend Christmas together with your spouse and contemplating moving out. However, a lot of people fear that if they leave the family home, they may be giving up their rights in the property. This is not true. Even if you are not named on the property, you still have rights to the property and you moving will not be impacted by this. If you are worried that if you leave your spouse will try to sell the property, we can make an application to the Land Registry to protect your home rights, and this will ensure that the property cannot be sold without your agreement.

A lot of couples begin to feel the cracks in their relationship during the holidays. The expectation of a joyous occasions looms over their unhappy marriage. For some, surviving Christmas will settle any questions about divorce. We know that considering divorce is daunting and it is especially difficult to speak to friends and family during the Christmas break. If you are unsure about what to expect if Christmas does not go well for your marriage, call our office to speak to one of our family solicitors who can offer your friendly realistic advice.

Due to separation, your children may be living with the other parent for the majority of the time. This may have led to you missing out on spending the holidays together with your children. There is a belief that the parent with whom the child lives is who they should spend Christmas with. Again, this is a misconception. As a parent with parental responsibility, you have the right to spend time with your child, and this is not restricted to the weekends. Your child should be given the opportunity to celebrate Christmas with both parents, and we can help prepare a parenting plan to put this into place.

Sadly, some parents cannot effectively communicate about what is best for their children following their separation. If you are of the view that agreement with your child’s other parent is out of the question, we can help. If you speak to one of our family solicitors now, there is still time to try and seek an order from the Court requesting that your child spend this Christmas with you.

Here at Hubbard, Pegman and Whitney Solicitors we understand that Christmas is a difficult time without the added pressure of separation. That’s why we have teamed up with the St. Peter’s Church of England Primary School and will be joining them during their Christmas Fair on 03 December 2022. Our family solicitor will be present to chat to those unsure of their rights and needing advice during the festive period.

Currently, we are offering a free initial telephone consultation with our family team for new enquires. During this call we will tell you whether we can help, and what we can do next to get started. Give our family solicitors, a call now for a friendly chat on 020 8735 9770 or email our family law department at info@hpwsolicitors.co.uk