Christmas Eve plans

[vivicrocodile]

What do you do on Christmas Eve? I'm not talking about Christmassy stuff necessarily - not last minute present wrapping or leaving stuff out for Santa- but it's a nice family day for many people, so what do you do?

Pre-COVID we used to go to a little theatre each year. It was a bit rubbish but the kids loved it. The theatre closed for good during the pandemic, so that's no longer an option. I'm looking for other ideas.

What do you do?

We usually do the cinema but not many good films of late . Weve also done an escape room , the zoo and thos year to a nice hotel for lunch and mulled wine

A walk somewhere lovely with a cafe nearby for chips and hot choc then home for pj's and film

National Trust property done up for Xmas.
Cinema and early dinner out, especially nice when a cosy film is showing.
When they were small, trip to local forest to look for Santa's reindeer (there were always lots so few disappointments) or santa express steam train.

They are adults now though, so night out on the town with them. Which is not a helpful suggestion.

We go for a walk in the afternoon, usually the beach then home for an easy tea, the Christmas eve box, new pjs and a film

Rush around pick up kids (adults) from stations/own houses then drive to mums, sorry nothing exciting. We will go to midnight mass

Chester Zoo, live round the corner and have memberships so it's become tradition.

It's the day after DD's birthday so after that and before Xmas Day not a lot. Will probably go out for a walk somewhere. Would be beach if we were at home, probably a NT place as we are at my parents'.

Lasagna for dinner which has become a random tradition. I will go to Midnight Mass with my parents, DH, DB and SIL will be at home with all the DC.

DD who is allergic to going out for Christmas Eve will be working, so going out with DD who likes going out for Christmas Eve to our favourite restaurant.

The local CofE Church do a lovely children's service in the afternoon so I usually take the kids to that (our own church doesn't do a service on Christmas Eve these days sadly). Other than that, not much. DH is working, I will probably be catching up on housework/getting on top of laundry etc so that we don't have to do any over the following couple of days (both working the 21/22/23, then I'm working Christmas Day, the only day we are both off is the 26th so want to make the most of it)

To the panto! It's our tradition.

@waxonwaxoff oh no it's not!

We get dressed up and go out for a fancy late lunch (kids are 9 & 14).

Working. 5m finish. Home to do the veg, glass of wine and relax.

5pm i mean!

Always jealous hearing about lovely Christmas Eve plans, we spend the day cooking, prepping and cleaning etc for the day ahead (and 20 additional guests )!!
We do manage to get the kids out for a quick walk and a drink at a pub but it’s a chaotic mad day which ends in me doing late night panic wrapping once the kids have gone to bed (bloody teenagers and their late nights), and then pacing to drop off stockings (bloody younger ds who I think knows the truth but hasn’t fessed up yet!)… i try to be in bed before 2am. It doesn’t always happen

Normal working day so hopefully finish on time at 5pm, then last minute food shopping when we realise haven't got something, then dinner & relax

Visit family with presents, because we just stay at home on Christmas Day now.