How do you replace "spend X day" in an indirect form (e.g. with a pronoun)?

Question

This is a bit hard to explain but here's an example:

I wanted to spend Christmas with him, but he said he had __ with his family in Ireland this year.

What to fill in the blank (a phrase that doesn't include spend)?

Initially, I wrote to do it but a native English speaker said it wasn't quite correct.

Are you looking for a whole phrase? to spend it would work there. to do it does sound a little weird. — stangdon, Commented Apr 18, 2018 at 12:42
@stangdon Yes, a phrase that doesn't include spend. I updated my question. — alex, Commented Apr 18, 2018 at 12:45
This is a noun rather than a verb (phrase), but you could put "plans" in the blank and it scans perfectly well. — Canadian Yankee, Commented Apr 18, 2018 at 14:08
I guess you could say "he had to be with his family". That's the most fluent thing I can think of other than "to spend it". — stangdon, Commented Apr 18, 2018 at 15:15

Amber Hopkins · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-18 21:15:32Z

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Other than "spend," you may say "to be," and it means the same thing as with "spend"

Another way to say it, with a different meaning, is "plans," as in he already scheduled something for Christmas.

answered Apr 18, 2018 at 21:15

Amber Hopkins

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