The unusual moment you look forward to most?

447

Ooh there are a few.

Trimming the edges of the yule log before I roll it up on Christmas Eve and passing the warm leftover bits around.

Sitting down for tea on Christmas Eve. This has been a defining moment ever since I was little and my Nana came to stay. She always arrived at teatime and Christmas started properly then.

That moment when Santa has been and I'm sitting on the sofa with just the tree lights on and all the wrapped presents laid out. It's a really lovely feeling.

When I lived with my parents I always looked forward to when they brought home the Radio Times, going through and marking all the Christmas programmes I wanted to watch (Top of the Pops obviously) and hoping that the Christmas Day film would be Wizard of Oz. We no longer have live TV (streaming only) and it's just not the same without the Radio Times!

Also from when I was younger, the endless stream of visitors, family and friends turning up with presents and the tin of Roses being handed round, and one of my mum's friends bringing her home made mince pies that she put a thin smear of icing on top of - she died a good few years ago and her mince pies have never been equalled.

The tray of snacks we eat together whilst the dinner is cooking
We didn't get to do it last year

Fingers crossed we are all together this year

Zzz

Possibly the most random one. I love taking the bin out at the end of Christmas Day. We live in a flat so our bin is out the back and there's something magical about being outside at night in the cold after a long day of eating and drinking and peering in other people's windows as their celebrations wind down.

I'm always last up to bed on Christmas Eve after tidying up and setting out the presents. My favourite moment is just before I go up, I take a photo of the room with the twinkly lights and presents and savour the anticipation of what's to come in the morning. I don't know why I do this, but I love it!

Boxing day, when the stress and strains are all over for another year.

I love boxing day lunch when I can drink too much red wine and spend the afternoon reading a new book.

Top of the Pops obviously

Oh, yes. 1980s Christmas afternoons - Eagerly waiting for my favourites
songs to come on, while my grandpa in the background muttered about what a load of rubbish it all was .

We have a CD of Christmas carols, the first of which starts with a dramatic chord (I am not musical, it might be called something else), when that track is played and that chord sounds that's when Christmas begins and I feel Christmassy. The children have been badgering me to play it this weekend, because they know I love to put it off as long as possible in a sort of delightful anticipation (we generally play it just before we put the first bauble on the tree). They can play all the other music whenever they like, but when that track is played for the first time I get such a thrill and I remember all the happy memories of Christmasses past. I often shed a little tear at that point so I like it to be played at a moment when I can truly appreciate it.

Eating cheese and biscuits for dinner with presents and wrapping paper all over the living room floor. And shouting “you can’t come in!” When anyone tries to open the door…

What’s your Christmas look like OP?

Nosy!

I love this thread

My favourite thing about Christmas is early in the morning when I hear the children wake up and the rustle of their stockings when they realise Santa has been.

Both come running into our rooms an we curl up together as a family while they unwrap the presents inside their stockings.

Listening to O holy night, at midnight mass. Haven’t been able to make it the last few years between covid and other things and won’t this year either because of covid but hoping things will be better next year.

I used to love driving over to my Aunt and Uncle’s on Christmas morning to drop off their presents and always without fail seeing at least three children (and parents) out on the pavement with their new bikes along the route to their town.
Sadly they have both passed away so now we get to be lazy but I miss that mid-morning trip. Probably did it for 25 years.

Walking the dog on the beach, something we do anyway twice a day every day, the dog doesn't know it's Christmas so he'd be annoyed if we didn't go.
It's 40 minutes or so of peace.

This thread has me weeping. I want every single human being to feel these moments of wellbeing, happiness, love. Love.

The sweet smell of tinsel and dust on the Christmas decorations when getting them out of the box for the first time. Knowing they have not seen the light of day for nearly a year.

Any one else sniff the tinsel straight from the box ?

There's plenty of lovely smells at Christmas, usually food related.

For me there was a moment in time. Dec 10th 2019. Early evening. I'd brought my dearest darling home from hospital following major surgery. She spent a week of very difficult recovery and here she was home. Safe, the house warm, we'd eaten a light simple meal of fish and mash and veg because her digestive system was still delicate. Soft lamplight, we were holding hands on the sofa watching TV, and both of us had tears streaming down our faces. She'd come through an awful time. There was uncertainty, probably more treatment ahead. But we'd arrived in this perfect pause, this perfect moment. Safe, together, Christmas around the corner, hearts full of gratitude, peace, love. I will never forget it. It was to be her last Christmas.

Walking home from the church after the crib service - the church is at the top of our street and I love pointing out all the decorations on the houses we pass on the way down. Then we order a massive Chinese takeaway (we’re Jewish ).

I’ve no family except my DCs, Xmas is what you want it to be. Some relish their families others hate them. I love the unexpected gift of bubble bath I get every year from my kids. I always looked shocked and pleased. What I’d really like is another duvet so then I’d have 3 on my bed and be super toasty. I shall but my own.