I'd LOVE to hear your fav. Christmas traditions x

[Timetochange70]

I,ve started some of our family favourites after ideas from good old mumsnet, so would love to start a thread and hear what lovely traditions etc folk get up to over Christmas.
Xxx

[rushofbloodtothefeet]

Xmas pyjamas (with the whole xmas robins leave them outside the back door with popcorn and a movie thing going on)
New tree baubles for each kid from the 'tree fairy', to be given to them at 18 to start their own trees
Bing Crosby 'Classic Xmas' hits on endless repeat on Xmas morning (at any other time of year it would make me slit my own throat!)
Decorate the tree the weekend before so things don't go stale

Many more, but too late to think straight!

[PontyMython]

Have to admit I don't really have any long standing traditions yet, as I didn't particularly like Xmas when I was a child. Apart from the orange and lemon slice jelly sweet things, gotta have them, and as the only child I was always allowed the special round sweet in the middle of the packet :o

So many of our new traditions that we are slowly building up (DC are 4 and 2 now) are shamelessly nicked from MN!

We always get the DCs a new Xmas tree decoration, so that when they grow up they have lots of special ones (although I need to replace DD's from last year, a lovely fairy which broke). These and some new jammies get delivered outside the front door by the elves on Xmas eve. I'm thinking of also including a new book to read at bedtime that night?

Last year we also decided that because we (as in DH and I) like so much of the same stuff, we would invest some of our budget in a joint present instead of risking buying the same thing for each other. Last year it was a couple of DVD box sets, this year it is a board game we've been tracking down for years. We also agreed that Xmas presents will always include board games to play on the day.

Can't think of much else really - Xmas itself is fairly low key here. Since having DCs we've had the day just for us, and family come over on 24th/26th. We are good cooks so my parents buy us the food :o DH's older 3 DCs always spend Xmas with their mum so we have another day for them around new year too. The 25th is pretty much just dossing around playing with the presents.

[LordOfTheFlies]

A pre- Christmas day out to a fair ( Bluewater or Hyde Park)
A pre- Christmas London trip to see the lights and Hamleys
DD does a Christmas Eve tray for Father Christmas
Christmas Eve lunch, a walk to see the reindeer, a late night buffet
Christmas PJs of course

DD and I go to ballet
DH and DC go to pictures one evening while I go to Sainsbo (DCs don't get dragged along on Christmas food shop)

DS sleeps in DD room- he always complains- but it's lovely to hear then chat and try to quietly open their stocking gifts.(Cunningly wrapped with extra Sellotape to make it last longer)

Christmas Day dinner when it gets dark, but has to be finished before Dr Who

Table sweets,crackers, party poppers

We have a new tradition every year ( we had to lose the DC putting on fancy dress because they reckon they are too old now)

New Years Eve family game of bowling and a pub lunch

[belledechocchipcookie]

I take ds to see a panto/play on Christmas eve, then we catch a cab home and have hot chocolate before he goes to bed.

[OvO]

We make a Christmas Eve hamper. Filled with new pjs, toothbrush, Santa colouring books and new pencils, Santa cups, socks, bubble bath, hot chocolate, marshmallows and loads more stuff like that. We then leave it outside for our DS's to discover. It's filled with stuff to do that day and for bath time and keeps them from getting too wild and excited about Santa coming.

We say it's from their other brother (stillborn) and they love it! I think other people who do a similar thing say it's from the elves or similar.

We also have Santa send them a letter about a week before Christmas. He praises them for being good and hopes they will continue. He says he has their letters and knows they want X, Y and Z, and he will see what he can do. He puts in a Christmas DVD as a little surprise. I poke this letter/ parcel half through the letter box for them to find.

[HappyMummyOfOne]

We always have a take away on xmas eve to save anybody cooking and I do a gift bag for DS with new pj,s xmas activivty book, xmas dvd and some goodies in and we have a lazy day in.

We usually do a day out in the week before xmas and watch lots of xmas fims in the run up. Food shopping is always done online so no-one has to brave the supermarket.

[RhinestoneCowgirl]

Well DD's birthday is 23 Dec (she will be 3 this yr) so our new tradition is to haul the Christmas tree in from the back garden on Christmas Eve and decorate it then.

We do new pjs too (thanks to MN) even DH wanted a pair last year . I'm really excited about it this year as mum, dad and my 2 bros will be coming to us! Planning to cook a huge piece of cow...

[picnicbasketcase]

My DC do the usual thing for putting out a snack and drink for Father Christmas. The next day the plate has only crumbs left on it and a thank you letter from FC written in special swirly writing on glittery paper (because I'm a loon)
New pyjamas on Christmas Eve. Watching the Muppets Christmas Carol and me weeping at most of the songs. (See above brackets)

[CherryMonster]

we always have new pj's for christmas eve, usually with some slipper socks too. always put a satsuma, an apple and a bag of chocolate coins in stockings (even for the grown ups)

[crazynanna]

When my (now adult) DCs' were small, Christmas Eve, I would sprinkle talcum powder (snow) around the tree,and get my brother to put on his big work boots,and walk through the talc.
The DCs' were convinced Santa had been,and brought the snow with him!

Suckers!

[picnicbasketcase]

We don't have actual stockings anymore because I got sick of spending a fortune on the contents to fill them only for them to be cursorily looked through and then set aside in favour of the big main gifts. They get a few small presents like the ones which would have gone in the stocking in previous years but now they're just wrapped up like everything else.

[SquishyCinnamonSwirls]

New pj's on xmas eve here too.
Xmas Eve means a huge gammon cooked by me (with mash and veggies for tea), dd and I make the xmas cookies for fc's plate for later on and we thread cranberry and popcorn garlands for the tree. These get put outside for the birds after xmas.
We always go for a big walk after tea (run the dog out of energy), then it's pj's, a film and goodies to eat and hot chocolates.

[supadupapupascupa]

we didn't have stockings as such as kids but we always awoke to find a wrapped up soft toy on the end of our beds xmas morning.

bedrooms were always immaculate and old toys had been sent to charity shops by xmas eve.

we're doing the pj's for ds this year.

i also like the family board game tradition.

[LauraShigihara]

Panto on the 23rd.

24th starts with ipod carols, baking mincepies, cooking ham in cola with roasties AND mash with veggies which we have when oldest arrives home at lunchtime.

Dog walk post lunch and arrive home to find the elves have visited, leaving a gift bag full of pjs, chocolates, dvd and all that stuff.

Teatime means sandwiches and mince pies on christmas china, followed by a film and bed. Oh, and FC on the Santa Tracker.

In the morning, there are stockings to unwrap (even though my eldest are grownup now).

I love Christmas.

[MugglesandLuna]

Panto on the 23rd (sleeping beauty this year).

We go on a Santa Express 2 weekends before Christmas. We are doing Nene valley this year.

Going to Lincoln Christmas market.

New pyjamas for Christmas eve.

[sjuperwolef]

none really, except chocolate buttons and candy canes are a must, ive only done a stocking this past 2 yrs i may try and steal some nice tips from here for this yr

[DawnTiggaWeirdyBeardy]

Xmas eve, watching The Polar Express in new pyjamas. The Cub is 2.8 this Xmas and will have more of an idea of what is going on.

There is a chance that there will be food for the reindeers and Santa this year :o

Oh, and Carols and lessons from Kings whilst drinking a nice fizzy something.

IsVERYMuchLookingForwardToMakingHerOwnTraditionsTiggaxx

[LauraShigihara]

We also make a runway from tealights in jam jars in the garden on Christmas Eve so the big man knows where to land. Youngest DS loves to peek out of the window to watch the lights.

[Scuttlebutter]

On Christmas Eve we always have seafood and champagne, then settle down to watch Muppet Christmas Carol and sing along very loudly to all the songs.

We also cook the turkey on Christmas Eve - this is a tradition inherited from my parents.

[LordOfTheFlies]

I've got gift bags with little twinkly lights in them- have used for past 2 years for DCs stocking gifts.
I might use these for their Christmas Eve hamper and switch them on before our walk so that they come home to them ( PJs,slippers, hot chocolate sachets, chocolates, bath-stuff and an annual)

Also going to positively poach ie steal the idea of wrapping paper covering the living room doorway ,so they have to punch their way through.(And can't sneak downstairs too early )

[ConstantlyCooking]

We read "The Night Before Christmas" before bed on Christmas Eve.
I have a selection of Christmas DVDs, videos and CDs that can only be used after 1st Dec!

[NHScutback]

pre xmas:
Local acting school christmas production, very festive and good production (walk there looking at all the lights, was snowing last year).
Drive through all the estates looking at the lights
Trip to garden centre ice rink and displays
Xmas tree farm / barns for tree picking, decoration additions, bell ringing, eat hog roast
See Father Christmas (not found a good one yet)
Trip to Christmas markets (went to Brugge last year)
Might go to Lapland UK this year

[Haribojoe]

We've got a few, think I have posted them before so sorry to anyone who's already read them .

Pre-Christmas, Christmas day. A couple of close family friends come over, everyone has to wear pyjamas and we spend the day putting up the decorations while DH makes a full roast dinner (with Christmas songs playing), then in the evening watch a Christmas DVD.

Christmas Eve, trip to local panto then lunch at the DCs favourite restaurant followed by crib service at church and then home to leave drinks and snacks for Father Christmas and Rudolph.

This year we will also be starting Elf on the shelf (stolen shamelessly from MN)

[maddiemostmerry]

We do Pj's and christmas books on xmas eve. Apparently they fall off Santa's sleigh. They always have a handwritten message from santa on and are wrapped in the same paper as their stockings(also from santa)
We always take a picture of the kids in their xmas pj's in front of the fire.

We always have a walk on Xmas Eve and Xmas day.

We make xmas cracker place cards for guests. They contain a small gift and a lottery ticket.

Everyone helps make and decorate the xmas cake.

On xmas eve we have a simple meal like beans on toast.

Xmas day everyone piles into our bed to open their stockings. We wash and dress before we open presents under the tree. Always have a new board game. Must have Quality St.

[CDMforever]

Please tell, what is Elf on the Shelf?