Weird but wonderful Christmas traditions!

[butlerbabies]

Hi, just rapping some presents and I was wondering what sort of weird and wonderful Christmas traditions you may have

For me it's treating myself to one or two to things and putting them under the tree, getting 2 new Christmas decorations each year (in honour of my Angel babies), and of course lighting those Christmas scented candles throughout my home (all through December and late November).

We don't put the tree up until after DP's birthday (13th)

Thanks for reading

[StDogolphin]

I always buy myself a new diary (so each year matches).

[butlerbabies]

St I have an exact diary too, but DP gets it for me each year

[toddlerwrangling]

I always have to find a few minutes to go and sit on my own by the tree and just look at it all lit up for a while. I've done this since I was a little girl and would really miss it if I didn't do it. When I was a child I thought our Christmas tree was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen!

[butlerbabies]

toddler, it's lovely that you want to keep such a lovely thing alive

Simple but beautiful!

[Dandelionflower]

As my mum and brother don't drive I always give them a lift home, I don't mind not having a drink until later on Christmas night. My little secret tradition is part of this plan. I drop DM off first, then Dbro, he lives close to the beach so I drive along beside the beach and stop for a while. Sometimes I go for a little walk. It's lovely to have some quiet and fresh air and a few minutes to myself. Then I go home to DP and dd feeling refreshed. Nobody knows...

[Kuriusoranj]

Dandelionflower that sounds lovely. When my brother and I used to go home for Christmas we would usually make time for a walk round the local streets on Christmas night so we could have a cigarette. I always loved how quiet everything was. They're great memories.

I also do the diary thing. I buy mine, give it to my husband and insist he wraps it up and puts it in my stocking.

At some point over the Christmas/New Year time I write a letter to each of my children talking to them about the year and what has happened to us all. I seal the envelopes, write the year on the outside and put them in their memory boxes. I'm assuming they'll open them and read them at some point when they're all grown up. Nobody apart from my husband knows about the letters. I missed out a couple of years when things were a bit tough, but other than those, I've done them every year since each of them were born.

[ElasticPants]

I go through photos on all phones, cameras and iPads, and get the good ones printed. New Year's Eve I put them into an album in order, taken from Jan to Dec. We have a dozen books going back the past 12 years.

[butlerbabies]

The walk sounds so refreshing sadly I live in a relatively huddled town

Those photo printing traditions are good, must cost a fortune in print though?

[Wagglebees]

Toddler I do that too!

One of the memories I have of my childhood Christmasses is sneaking downstairs at night and switching the tree lights on. Then I'd sit crossed legged in front of it and gaze up at all the colours. The fairy lights were those little lantern ones in all different bright colours. It was in the days of tinsel too so the whole thing sparkled and rustled. I thought it was made of magic.

So now I'll sit on the floor in my own home, with all lights off, except the tree ones and look up at it. The lights are led warm glow ones and there's no tinsel but it's still magical.

[butlerbabies]

WagglE things like this really restore my faith in people, lovely

[Wagglebees]

[santa]

I think it's easy to get swept along with the noise and business of Christmas so having a moment to yourself to take it all in and appreciate the little things is important. Like Dandelion's walk by the sea and Toddler and me taking in the tree. Or Elastic and Kuri reflecting on the past year.

When we were little everything seemed magical and we got excited just at the mention of Christmas but we don't get that as adults so you have to create that feeling yourself by taking a step back.

I'm feeling sentimental today. [santa]

[JenniferYellowHat1980]

Mum and I like to have a girlie afternoon on the 27th December, in our PJs, watching a light hearted film. This year will be the last as she's really unwell but I will always watch a girly film in my PJs - with my DD for as long as she wants to - on the 27th.

[Wagglebees]

That's lovely Jennifer I hope you have a lovely, snuggly afternoon with lots of smiles.