What do you class as a normal Christmas?

[SugarNspiceNallThingsNice]

Hi all. Our Christmases are usually quite boring to be honest. I never had particularly good Christmases so I don't really know how to make things a bit more Christmassy!
We don't have any traditions and I would like to make it more special so the kids have nice memories. On the actual day, after the presents have been opened i start the cooking, we eat and that's pretty much it, and that's just the same as my Sunday roasts! What extras do you do with your dinners and what do you do as a family to make the day special? My children are 4, 5 and 11 so not so easy to please all 3. Thanks in advance.

[Crystal15]

Stockings in the morning. Lovely breakfast. The dinner is similar to a roast but I do home made stuffing, pigs in blankets, parsnips. We also have a starter and pudding too.
Tbh I think most the magic of xmas is in the run up to it, the day itself is mostly just eating and kids playing. We visit family on the evening too.

[princessconsuelabannahammock]

My take would be.... Spread presents out throughout the day. Dress up for lunch - everyone always has something special under the tree to wear.

Special food - posh breakfast, Xmas lunch.

We have a walk down on the coast to blow the cobwebs away and on the evening we attend a family do that husband's side put on. We try to keep tv off and play more games. The thing that really helps us spreading presents throughout The day as that keeps it above a Sunday!

[TealGiraffe]

Our christmas starts on christmas eve. (I still go to my mum and dads). Christmas eve afternoon we go on a long dog walk through the woods, then back home and get the fire on. Comfies on, candles lit. We usually have a chinese / indian takeaway and then watch a xmas film and my parents get slowly pissed

We stay up to midnight, say merry christmas and open 1 present each (done this since i was about 10).

Xmas morning we always have bacon butties. We always play some ancient xmas cd of my mums, all the carols played by an orchestra.
Late morning is dog walk time, i love seeing all the kids out on their new bikes and stuff. Everyone is so cheerful

Christmas evening is tv / chocs / booze

Boxing day we all (me mum dad bro sil dogs) go to scarborough for a walk on the beach to cancel out all the food

[Aderyn2016]

We get up early, open pressies, have a nice breakfast. We cook lunch while having a drink. We have Christmas music on. Lunch is a roast but with red cabbage and apple, chestnuts, pigs in blankets, bread sauce (stuff I cba to make every week). We set the table nicely and make the effort to talk at lunch even though I like watching telly while I eat.
In the afternoon my parents and siblings come over. I make mulled wine and mince pies and we scoff too much cake and chocolate. I look forward to evening when they all go home and I can watch Eastenders or whatever I have recorded, with a large Baileys.
We don't do anything adventurous - the kids like to stay home and play with all their new things. But it is nice.

[Ragwort]

We always go to a carol service (used to be a Christingle when DS was younger) before Christmas and another service on the day, plus Midnight Mass (realise that might not suit everyone ).

Always try to get a walk in as well.

[TealGiraffe]

Xmas dinner is basically a roast but with a giant ham and a turkey. Plus pigs in blankets, homemade stuffing (my mum did xmas tree shaped last year ) and we have a starter as well. Usually shrimp cocktail / scallops something like that.
All on fancy plates with champagne and candles lit on the table

[alltouchedout]

Food and presents and my mum being a martyr if she's hosting or a very unsettling and anxiety provoking guest if she's not. Alcohol. More food. Realising after the alcohol that I love my mum regardless of her unique ability to annoying and joining with her in winding my dad up. More alcohol. Arguing over whether a celebrity is dead or not. More food. Laughing. Obligatory discussion on how Christians co opted existing winter festivals for Xmas. Exclaiming over emptiness of roses tin. It's fun :)

[Bluntness100]

I think ours a bit boring too. Last couple of years we've been with friends, and that was great, but this year want our own as we haven't done it for awhile.

Basically get up, daughter opens stocking, she's 19!, I put something like MICHAEL buble singing Christmas songs on, we have coffee and watch daughter opening gifts, then we open ours. Then generally I open some champagne, and a movie goes on. Have a tidy up of gifts and wrapping paper.

Then it's shower time, make myself look human.

Then I make brekkie mid morning, scrambled eggs, salmon and croissants. Tidy up then start Xmas dinner, whilst consuming more champagne. Watch a couple of movies, maybe play a game of scrabble or something, then have Xmas dinner and tidy up .xmas dinner is three courses Then generally I fall asleep on the sofa. Watch some more crap on tv, then have the third course, as no one ever wants it right away. That's about it really.

Sounds very dull really! So keen to see what others do.

[babyblabber]

Christmas Eve DH can take the kids into work for the morning and they play with the other kids and get sweets etc (although it's a Saturday this year!). Also we used to go out with my parents for dinner but getting to stressful now with little kids. So this Christmas Eve we might go into town to look at the lights, walk around, maybe go for lunch.

Christmas Day after Santa presents we make a big fry to keep us going. We all get dressed up, kids all have new outfits. Then my parents have drinks in their house for all the extended family. Then dinner in parents/in laws/our house with guests, big meal with 4 courses, turkey, ham, lots of wine. Take Christmas crackers or course! Then it's early evening and we sit around chatting and eventually settle down to some tv in our jammies with obligatory Christmas chocolates.

[Bluntness100]

All touched out, are you my daughter? 😂

[clary]

We always go for a (local) walk as soon as we are done with dinner - often see other folk we know doing the same. When the kids were smaller we just used to go to the nearby woods and kick a ball about.

Or how about a nice Christmassy movie - there are loads eg Home Alone appeals to all ages.

Or games are nice - giant game of Monopoly or charades (plan in advance by writing some cards for ideas). A 4yo could do those things.

Is there anyone local you can visit? In the run-up, can you go to a local church for a nice family carol service? How about Christmas Eve pjs and hot chocolate? I also much prefer the run up, esp when my DC were little and we had school nativities to watch

Boxing Day is my very fave day. DH and DSs go to footy, DD an I slouch about. No food prep as we just eat the Most Delicious leftovers. Drink wine. Don't drive anywhere or do any work or clean or iron (all done on Chr Eve) or anything.

[clary]

alltouchedout

[SugarNspiceNallThingsNice]

Thanks for the replies all, lots of nice ideas. I am going to write some of them down, just to keep in mind! I'm starting to look forward to it now. 7 weeks today!

[recklessgran]

Second spreading out the presents. Ours would have their stocking on our bed in the morning then make a big thing out of going downstairs to check that "he'd been". Then main presents in the sitting room accompanied by Bucks Fizz [O.J. for little ones] and a tin of chocolate biscuits.
This would normally keep them happy until after dinner at 2.00pm.
Crackers and table presents on the table - usually a sticker book or something like that for the children so they've got something to do whilst the dinner is going on - IME they never ate a great deal!
Then all the other presents from under the tree would be opened with each child taking turns to don the Santa hat,collect a present from under the tree in the hall and deliver to the recipient in sitting room.
In fairness we do normally have a house full [usually 10-14 for dinner here] so it does feel like quite an occasion! To be honest I think it does seem more of an event with visitors than without. Anyway, by the time all this is done it's normally about 5.00pm and the day is almost done for the little ones anyway.

[OSETmum]

For me, family makes Christmas. I know lots of people love to shut themselves away for Christmas but we love visiting/ hosting at Christmas time. Could you have some family round or go and see them for a few hours?

We now have our Christmas dinner at tea time as this extends the day. We're having bacon and sausage sandwiches (just me, dh and DS, we usually go to sil's which is lovely but dh has fallen out with her this year). Then we're having a small Christmas themed afternoon tea once my family arrives and Christmas dinner about half 5/6.

We always play a fun, interactive game such as Articulate ( am getting the children's version too this year so they can join in better).

Oh and lots of Christmas music makes it extra Christmassy.

[GemmaB78]

We make a big deal of Christmas Eve as my OH is German. We go to a christingle service, come home, dinner, skype his family, open some presents, then out to o midnight Mass. Next day: go for a long horse (me) and bike (OH and LB) ride. Come home, presents, dinner, back out to do evening stables, home then snuggle up cosy on the sofa :-)

[WipsGlitter]

We had a bit of a crappy one where my expectations were too high. Now I'm happy to have a lie in once the presents are opened. I got DP to get me jo Malone bath oil last year so I had a lovely bath in the morning.

Just having FIL and BiL this year so it won't be too mad.

[jimijack]

Ours is a bit like yours op, it's only different because I set the table lovely with Christmas plates, napkins, a cracker each. Candles, tablecloth etc

We have a wee starter, roast dinner (I never go with the huge Turkey) my lot like roast pork & crackling which we only have at Christmas a nice "posh" pudding, iceland type chocolate cheesecake & cream which we only have at Christmas.

Telly is a big part of the day too, we plan what we all want to watch, plan around it.

Christmas eve I get a "party tea" so pizza, wedges, chicken dippers, Chinese bits & pieces and a nice wine for me. (I never drink) beer for dh & "kids wine" a bottle of fruit pop for my 2!!
I suppose it's about keeping things just for Christmas, nowt fancy but my kids think it's especially special because it's ONLY done at Christmas

Smoke & mirrors, smoke & mirrors. It's just another day to me...humbug but special to the kids.

[Mar15mite]

I print out a menu for dinner and have nibbles instead of a starter so all the family can mill around chatting with a glass of prosecco.

Otherwise it's much the same as previous posters, presents in the early morning and tv, chocs and wine in the evening

[val4]

Two days before Christmas we have all neighbours/friends round for mulled wine, food and cheesy music. Christmas Eve I spend prepping dinner , with Christmas music blaring. Then later in evening my Mum, cousins etc call over for drinks and we sit by fire and chat. Christmas morning Santy first thing (kids now 10,10,14 and 16 so not too early now) and we open our other gifts. Breakfast and then we all dress up for morning mass where we meet neighbours etc. Then we visit my cousin, nearby for pre dinner drinks. Then dinner at 3pm (by me!), board games and relax with tv for night.

[Clickclickclick]

It starts on xmas eve. The kids get new PJs, hot chocolate and then we'll have a glass of champagne/bucks fizz, be nice to each other and generally talk about it being a lovely time of year, what we'll do the next day etc. Tuck the kids in bed and dh and I will finish the champagne and build toys and muck about.

Christmas day, kids open presents first thing and then we have breakfast of some nice pastries or something small. We normally go for a walk on xmas morning too, around the neighbourhood because the kids will be out on their new bikes/segways/skates etc. It's lovely. Then Big Christmas dinner and fancy dessert from m&s so I don't spend all day in the kitchen. Then we'll go to in laws for boozy darts/singstar/poker/cards against humanity/other game. Will normally be home at about 9pm and fall asleep in front of the TV!

I love christmas

[perditalost]

Christmas mornings have changed as children grew older but we have always opened the stockings (everyone has one) together - 1 gift at a time in turns. That takes ages.

[milkshakeandmonstermunch]

Christmas Eve: bake Christmas biscuits with DC to leave out for Santa. DH and I have mulled wine and nibbles when DC are in bed and put Santa gifts out.

Christmas Day: Stockings upstairs. Nice but quick breakfast (pastries, juice, nice fruit etc). Open a tin of chocs to eat whilst opening presents from Santa. DF pops over and he and DH play with DC while I make lunch. Eat lots! Watch the BBC Christmas movie together. Chocoloate log and trifle. DF leaves when DC go up to bed then DH and I stuff ourselves with cheese, cake and wine.

Boxing Day: aka Christmas 2. DC open gifts from family (too young to cope with Santa and family gifts in one day). Go for a nice walk together. DF pops over for dinner of leftovers and fizz.

[OhTheRoses]

Our decorations only go up a week before.
We are practicing christians and dh and dd particularly are musical so there are choir issues going on and carols from Kings abounding.
I always sides for the Christmas eve crib service, candles, etc
Xmas Eve family dinner with table set with all the best stuff and dressed for Xmas
Xmas day, 9.30 mass, presents and smoked salmon and champagne 11-12.
There's usually a walk and/or reading of new books at this point
Late lunch at 3.30/4ish. We have turkey and trimmings but not as elaborate as some on here.
At 6 we have birthday cake and presents for ds.
(I suppose that's our bit of added excitement).
The DC 18&22 still have their stockings first thing.
Apart from that the usual cinnamon smells, alcohol, Roses, satsumas, Turkish delight etc

[8FencingWire]

Crib service on christmas eve, followed by party food, drinks, new pyjamas and Elf.
Christmas morning, warm croissants, orange juice and lots of coffee while we open the presents.
This year we'll go for a walk, come home and have Christmas dinner, chocolate, drinks, more movies, bed.
We go on a long walk on Boxing day, followed by bowls if soup, more lazying about.