What do you do on Christmas Eve?

We always go to the panto on Christmas Eve and out to dinner. When we come home the elves have been with the Christmas Eve boxes and there's usually games/ activities in there for us all to do.

Lol it really is! Now we're all a bit older there isn't the same madness of going out (pre DC) so it's more a let's just celebrate together affair. We also don't buy Christmas presents for adults any more, much easier. Xx

@byefelicia62 ice skating?

Crossaints for breakfast, nice walk, crib service, Xmas eve boxes and pjs, hot chocs and Xmas movies before kids off to bed and we Santa up the place!

Perk of university life. We close at 5pm on the 23rd and don't reopen until 9am on Monday 5th.

Ahh that's sad. Why?

How does everyone manage to get Christmas Eve off work? In our team, 1/3 of staff have to be in on Christmas Eve. I've never worked anywhere that it's ok for everyone to have the day off.

Oh also while prepping as we host Christmas day, it all seems to work out. Xx

Bloody hell that is full on. DS is the 27th and that is bad enough I can't imagine all of those too!!

Cry and wish it were the 27th.

I’ll get my coat…

Dc's birthday so full on! We have to celebrate it properly before because you can't expect anyone to turn up then. Usually family get together, at home, or just us. Then my sister's birthday Christmas day and DH boxing day! So always the same, birthdays and Christmas mixed together, it's mad. Not to mention the other 8 family and friends birthdays in December, relentless lol 😆

Haven't known it any other way for so long it's just our schedule. Xxx

Usually work but have this Xmas off. Both DC will be home on the 23rd (one from uni and the other from London) we haven't all been together for a while. We are going into our local town to the Abbey to light a candle for DD best friend who was killed this year which we are all so sad about. Then we are going for a glass of something fizzy to toast being grateful for being together this year. I am not a Christmas person but after what has happened this year I am just happy to have my DC with me.

Go for a long walk with kids and dogs to get plenty of fresh air before being in on Christmas day. Go for a pub lunch, come home and watch a film and then go to carols on the green in the village.

We collect the Christmas food first thing, and make sure everything is ready. Then I like a walk after lunch to blow away the Christmas crazies, then it is our traditio to have takeaway pizza and Christmas film with the kids. We've always done that and they still want to even though they're young adults now. then for the last couple of years my husband and I have gone down to church and then had a wander through town seen the.decorations and stopped for a cocktail after . It's really nice starting new traditions as life moves on

Usually having a childs 1970s type party, things on sticks, jelly and blancmange, egg sandwiches, sausage rolls and pasties as it's my partner's birthday and we started it when we met mainly for the benefit of my niece who was 4. She's now 15 and it is now a tradition.

@JDM625

It’s a gift! We get to keep it all. The one year I didn’t answer (was not deliberate- didn’t hear the door) my neighbour sent me a message to say she’d left a bag of mussels on the step. No kidding: 3kg!

When the kids were wee I remember crabs chasing them round the kitchen because they escaped from the bag.

It is a lovely thought but Christmas Eve is perhaps not the best time!

Always watch Santa Claus the Movie. Go to church. Open our Jolabokaflod chocolate and books and while away some time reading by the fire. We also bake our mince pies and sausage rolls Christmas Eve.

Nativity service at church. Bake cookies for Santa. Make a gingerbread house. DC get new Xmas pyjamas in the evening ‘from the elves’ and we watch a Christmas film with hot choc and cream, followed by The Night Before Christmas.

Prep all the veg.

Have a relaxed morning
Walk the dogs somewhere nice
Meet friends at the pub and those who fancy it pop across the road to the christingle service

Now that's my idea of a good Christmas eve ☺️

We go to waitrose ten minutes before closing to get any good reductions. Last year was a £95 rib of beef reduced to £25. Absolute bargain. Then home to drink gin and watch a Xmas film.

Go to the Christingle service at our local church. We are not religious or regular church goers in any way shape or form, but it is lovely, really family friendly and gives all the Christmas feels.

Genius! 👏 👏 👏

I usually head to the shops first thing as I panic I haven’t bought the kids enough things for their stockings (the kids in question are 21 and 20 😂 there’s also a 14 yo).
Dh spends most of the day in the kitchen, his happy place, prepping while watching Christmas films. The dc help with any last minute tidying and maybe sorting the table and chairs out. The older ones may also be dispatched to various shops for forgotten items.
In the evening we like a walk to the pub, have a couple of festive drinks (just regular drinks but it feels festive!) and then home for a quick and easy non messy dinner.
Film, fire and bed.