Christmas Traditions

[user1499359004]

Can I ask what your family traditions are on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?

Do you open any gifts Xmas eve?
What is your Santa stories
Need to start some of my own and want some ideas....

Thanks!! x

[Whatsername17]

We have a Christmas eve box delivered by the elves in the morning. New pjs for the whole family, cookie making kit, magic key and an activity for the day. Usually it's panto or cinema but this year we are going to the Harry Potter studio tour. Christmas day we do Santa presents in the morning then grandparent visits.

[EmilyChambers79]

Christmas Eve is pub in the afternoon then carol service at church until 630. Home for tea then bed. We have new PJ's for Christmas Eve.

Christmas day we get up, open stockings, have showers then down to open presents and have breakfast. We stay in our new PJ's all day.

Boxing Day we go for a 3 hour walk/ball game in the park.

[EmilyChambers79]

And I always read DS the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve.

[Strokethefurrywall]

Ours kind of starts mid-November - one of our traditions is that we always go and watch the Christmas tree lighting mid-November at one of the towns which involves pretty much everyone meeting up, the kids run around and play, there's live music, choir, all the bars open up and do street food etc (live in Caribbean to clarify) - we've done it every year for 7 years (before kids) and for me, it's the kick off to Christmas.

To me this is similar to when my parents used to take my siblings and I to the Royal Albert Hall to watch the Bach Choir sing Christmas carols every year we were growing up in the 80's. It was magic.

Christmas Tree is put up on the Saturday closest to 1 December (next Saturday, yay!!!) whilst I croon along to The Carpenters Christmas album like we did growing up.

I also do a Christmas Eve box, pjs, santa key, Baileys, chocolate, magic reindeer food and The Night Before Christmas, and we all sit down and watch a family christmas movie, similar to most people.

[RaspberryOverload]

This year is our first Christmas without Ex. DCs and I are trying to plan what we'd like to do. So far, we are storing up films like the Grinch and Nightmare before Christmas to watch on Christmas Eve, along with a buffet of our favourite foods.

OTOH, I do vaguely recall a thread about traditions. I'm sure I remember something to do with acornsand also bum slapping with in-laws....

[user1489434024]

Following to nick ideas

[redexpat]

Dh is danish and im british so we have combined the 2. The kids get advent calendars and a sunday present each sunday in advent. On xmas eve we have roast turkey, folowed by ris a la mande with hot cherry sauce. So british main, danish dessert at the danish time.

Last year i did a xmas eve box so dh wouldnt feel quite so left out because he is used to gifts after dinner.

Xmas day we open stockings, pancakes for breakfast and then open presents. Turkey sandwiches for lunch.

[user1499359004]

Love the idea of a Christmas Box for Christmas Eve with all the bits in it.

[AllBuggiedOut]

Christmas PJs on December 1st in the advent calendar here - the kids enjoy wearing them in the run up to Christmas. Christmas Eve seems too late to me!

[user1499359004]

Love the idea of a Christmas Box for Christmas Eve with all the bits in it.

[RaspberryOverload]

Oh, I've also got a lovely fabric advent calendar to fill. The DCs might be 14 and 17 but we've always had fun with advent calendars.

[itsgoodtobehome]

We go to the crib service in church on Christmas Eve late afternoon. Someone will host Christmas Eve dinner. That used to be a big thing, but one year we went so over the top with it (lobster, pheasant) that nobody felt like eating the next day. So now it’s just something simple like Shepard’s pie!! DS opens his ‘Santa’ presents in the morning. Then we get stuck into cooking, drinking etc. We tend to spread the meal over the day. Maybe have a starter, then a break for some presents, then main, then another break. Otherwise it’s just too much all in one go.
To those who get new pjs every Christmas Eve.....don’t you have an awful lot of pjs (says someone who wears the same ones for years!!)

[Whisky2014]

We have started a "prize for best..." thing. So 3 years ago it was prize for best Christmas jumper.
Last year was prize for best homemade Christmas tree decoration
This year is prize for best Christmas lunch Party hat.

The homemade Christmas decoration year was particularly special as me and my partner had just bought our forever home and it was our first Xmas In it. We got some really lovely tree decorations which will be brought out every year to come :)

We also do family secret Santa so £100 budget and we dish them out after lunch but before pudding!

[saoirse31]

Advent calendar from 1 DEC. Had to guess each morning before opening was choc a bauble or star etcc. Watch The Snowman' Xmas eve pm. Midnight mass Christmas eve.... Like prev poster always read ' the night before christmas' to ds on Xmas eve night. Milk and cake left for santy, carrot left for Rudolf, who always left broken bits in hall...

Xmas morning, when Ds small, all went downstairs together, Ds opened living room door to see if Santy came! Presents opened, then breakfast!

[saoirse31]

All choose one new Xmas tree decoration each yr, real tree always, any time from 15 th DEC

[ginsparkles]

Christmas starts for us with the light switch on in mid November. Then 1st December the elf arrives and starts to get up to mischief! First Sunday in December the decorations go up.

Christmas Eve I work, dd and dh have a lovely day getting last minute gifts, things for Christmas Day and have a hot chocolate and mince pie in town soaking up the festive mood, then collect me from Work. Home in time for the crib service.

We can each open 1 small present from under the tree whilst we have a hot chocolate (or whiskey for dh!) and then dd puts out the mince pie and whiskey for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph.

Once she's in bed we get the table ready for a North Pole breakfast that the elf leaves as he goes back to the North Pole. He leaves breakfast and a gift to say thank you for having him.

Christmas Day, is eating, present opening, eating and more present opening on repeat throughout the day! We have visits from inlaws and generally just go with the flow all day. At some point we head to the pub to say merry Christmas to our friends in the village.

[teaplease906]

Christmas Eve we give kids box with pyjamas, reindeer dust, hot chocolate mix, dvd, something to wear on Xmas day. We all have a nice dinner takeaway and watch dvd.

Xmas day we get up, wait on dh every year, open presents and have breakfast. We then either head to my parents then husbands or they come to us and then shared dinner with parents.

[Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar]

Can you remind me what a North Pole breakfast is, ginsparkle?

[Gatehouse77]

Christmas Eve

We decorate the tree/house whilst watching films and eating chocolates!
In the evening we eat supper by candlelight followed by hot chocolate and (homemade) lebkuchen tree biscuits whilst ready no Christmas stories.

Christmas Day

Kids open their stockings and we exchange gifts between just us before breakfast.
Lunch main course.
Open the rest of the presents.
Pudding.
TV and whatever you fancy doing.

[Chipshopninja]

All go out to buy real christmas tree around 15th
Walk a few days before xmas to collect holly and ivy and then decorate the house
Xmas eve elves come and leave new pjs and a dvd for xmas eve night
Read the night before christmas in ned together after bath
Stocking presents as soon as we get up then presents between me and OH then off to family for the afternoon

[Asthenia]

Christmas Eve: Day spent wrapping last minute presents/baking mince pies/picking up my elderly Granny. Evening we all go round to our local posh Chinese (usually around 15 of us). Leave out Christmas sacks, a homemade mince pie, 2 carrots and some whisky for Father Christmas!

Christmas Day: up early, presents, get dressed up, cook (everyone comes to ours). Dinner around 2pm which usually lasts about 4 hours. Games in the living room.

Boxing Day is like Christmas Day part 2 but with a long walk somewhere. We have left over turkey and my mum cooks a ham. We still do games and stuff in the evening!

[Blahblahblahhhhhhh]

Xmas decco's up the first weekend after dec 1st.
The night before Christmas told Christmas eve.
Don't do Christmas eve boxes. I understand why people do. But we think they get enough on the day itself.
Xmas day. Light breakfast (bucks fizz if not working). Presents. Lovely lunch (not necessarily turkey) then games. Wine (inw) Christmas tv specials. More wine (inw) a fuck ton of washing up. New pj's and bed.
Boxing day.
Start over again for the in laws benefit but less wine. More Christ and endless cups of tea.
Oooh and at least one hour alone with the Xmas specials (call the midwife. Sherlock ect)

[elQuintoConyo]

Christmas Eve is lunch with in-laws.
Caga Tio (aka the Shitting Log) who gives DS a few presents including a Christmas dvd or a Christmas book. Some sweets and something small like a torch.
Dinner is whatever.
DH and i tidy up and set up stuff for the following day. We then turn off all the lights except the tree lights and have sex
We don't leave mince pies/brandy/water etc for FC.

Christmas Day is:
DS opens his stocking on our bed.
Downstairs for breakfast (it is different every year, this year pancakes shaped like gingerbread men as DS is getting a small gingerbread man frying pan in his stocking!).
Showers and dressed and walk the dog.
Open tree presents.
Have a light lunch, soup and bread like Oliver Twist
Dinner served at about 5/6 just us 3. It is the main meal, changes every year, not very traditionally British, although I do try and get a couple of Christmas puddings from the British Christmas market - and some custard if they have't sold out!
One of us washes up, the other walks the dog again.

Boxing day: big long dog walk on the beach, lots of playing with toys. I'll text/whatsapp pics of DS playing with presents he was given to those who gave them (actually might take a few days.

We get a new tree decoration every year, usually something i sneak off and buy on our holidays (could be Easter, could be next weekend!). I always wrap it for DH's stocking.

We don't do EOTS, Norad, Christmas jumpers, Christmas Eve boxes, special duvet sets or pyjamas. We have had the same fake tree since 2006. I have handmade the majority of the decorations, including 25 stockings advent calendar that is wound down the bannister - each is big enough for two large chocolate bars, but we fill it with bonbins, notes, Playmobil character or Lego blindbag on DS' birthday.

We do a lot of crafts, DS is busy doing stuff at school (6yo) plus we see the town's tree lights go on. We visit one FC in a big department store, great guy very patient, 2 excellent quality photos free. We always get one with DS and one with DS and his same-age cousin. They are lovely to get out and see every year.

Oh, and DS' stocking has space for 18 photos. Every year we take a photo on Christmas Day and before I put the decs away in January, i print the photo and stick it on the stocking. This is DS' 6th Christmas - he is already laughing at his younger pictures! When he has moved out and set up home somewhere he can have his stocking and friends/girlfiends/boyfriends/grandchildren can laugh with him.

[pigtailsplaits]

Usually our tradition (well last 4 years) have been tree and decorations up last weekend of November.

1st Dec the elves come.

Xmas eve we watch xmas films, I tidy up. Then have a " party tea" (dd1 and dd2 and myself) then about 6 they girls have a bath with bath bombs and then get new pjs on.

The girls then feed reindeers then dd2 goes to bed at 7 and dd1 goes at 8.

Xmas day I get up at 6 to get a coffee and put chicken on and prep veg. About 7ish the girls get up see if Santa been then open presents, they eat chocolate for breakfast. We have dinner then I tidy up and the girls play all day.

This year is the first xmas I'm spending with dp and his family. It's the girls first xmas spent with other people. Plan is decorations up last weekend of November

Elves arrive 1st December.

Xmas eve I tidy the sitting room and move all old toys out. Then we go to dp mums for tea. Home for baths and feed reindeer and bed.

Xmas day dp and I get up at 6 have a coffee. Girls up at 7ish open presents have breakfast of chocolate. Go to dp mums house open presents and then about 12 go to dp grandmothers for dinner and then back to DP mums house to play with the toys and see dp son.

[MsVestibule]

New pyjamas on Christmas Eve.

Father Christmas presents first thing in the morning.

My dad dresses up as Father Christmas after dinner and hands out the 'tree' presents, i.e. those from friends and relatives - it spreads out the gift opening and means that we all have something to look forward to after dinner. He's been doing this since I was born, and 46 years later, is giving them out to his grandchildren 😊.