Christmas Parenting Arrangements in Orange: The 13 November 2026 Court Deadline

Reviewed by Julie Vass, Special Counsel · 31 October 2026

Juggling school drop-offs and pick-ups, sport, work and everything in between means that, particularly as a separated parent, you probably haven’t had much time to think about the Christmas and January school holidays. Each year the second half of the year flies by, and before you know it the holidays are here.

In our experience working with separating families in Orange and across the Central West, the holiday period is far smoother for parents and for children when arrangements are considered early and calmly, rather than under pressure. So while Christmas may still feel a way off, now is exactly the right time to start turning your mind to it.

Miss it, and your application won’t jump the queue. Except in genuinely urgent circumstances, it will simply be allocated the next available court date, which may well fall after Christmas has come and gone.

Why the Court draws a hard line

Every year the Court receives a wave of applications from parents who can’t agree on where the children will be for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve or the school holidays in between, particularly where overseas or interstate travel is involved. The 13 November cut-off exists so the Court has enough time, roughly six weeks, to list and hear these matters before the holidays begin.

There’s no flexibility built in for last-minute filings, and filing before the cut-off doesn’t guarantee your matter will be heard in time. The earlier you start, the smoother the process is likely to be.

Mediation and negotiation first

Court is rarely where we want a matter to end up, and for many families it’s avoidable. Wherever it’s safe and appropriate, the best Christmas arrangement is almost always the one parents work out together, calmly, with the children’s needs at the centre.

Starting early gives you room to:

• Have a genuine go at reaching agreement first. Before an application can be filed, parties generally must attempt family dispute resolution (mediation) unless an exemption applies, for example urgency or safety concerns. That takes time to do properly.
• Think through the detail, not just the date. The Christmas holidays aren’t one day. They’re six to eight weeks of logistics: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve, any travel, and how handovers will work.
• Prepare a proper application with the right supporting material if agreement genuinely can’t be reached, rather than a rushed one filed days before the cut-off.

Five tips to make Christmas easier on the kids

• Choose a mutual changeover point. Pick somewhere neutral where neither parent feels intimidated and the children feel comfortable. In the Central West, think about travel times between towns so nobody is rushed.
• Keep things light. Rather than trying to outdo each other with gifts, focus on simple, meaningful traditions. Consider agreeing on a spending limit so the children feel equally loved in both homes.
• Communicate early. Talk about expectations and concerns well before the day, and look for compromises. Even if the family unit has changed, you can still co-parent as a team for the children.
• Share the load. Rotate who hosts, plans activities or has the children on particular days, from year to year.
• Create new traditions. Blend elements of each family’s traditions into something new that belongs to the children.

A steady hand, should you need one

If you’ve genuinely tried to reach agreement and it hasn’t been possible, don’t leave it until the last minute. Talk to our Orange team now. We’ll take the time to understand what matters most to you and your children, attempt a negotiated outcome where we can, and prepare a considered application well ahead of 13 November where we can’t.

Read more about parenting arrangements and family mediation in Orange.

This article is general information only and isn’t legal advice. Adapted from The Christmas Parenting Order Deadline Is Coming on the ALA Law website.