Christmas Eve

[NoThatsBad]

What's your plans?

A chilled out morning.

Lunch at the local pub with friends and their DC, it's become a tradition and been going about five or six years now.

Home to get the stockings hung up by the fireplace, reading books, watching a film etc.

Carol service at church.

Home to put out a mince pie and whiskey for Father Christmas and a carrot for the reindeer and try to chivvy excited DDs to bed.

Mad present sorting for DH and I then collapse with a drink.

My dh is half German and Christmas Eve was the only German thing his dad did with them, so we try to keep some traditions. We always have a nice meal and light our advent candles with readings and we talk over the past year. This year we have a carol service at church on Christmas Eve morning. My parents are joining us this year for the first time ever, and mil is always with us for Christmas (sadly fil is in a nursing home with advanced dementia).

Then dh will read "Kipper's Christmas Eve" to the children. The fact that they are 20,21 and 23 will not get him off!

Baking, food prep and a visit to the cinema

My SIL introduced the Icelandic Christmas Eve tradition of Jolabokaflod to our Christmas a few years ago. We exchange books then read them in the evening while eating chocolate. She isn't from Iceland but loves all things books.

Don't know yet. Don't have any plans. Christmas Eve tends to be a day for doing stuff I've forgotten to do.

Dh just found out he has his dialysis treatment at the clinic in the a.m as it's usually Christmas Day and they are not open that day (not surprisingly).

If I'm sorted I'll watch midnight mass on tv and maybe watch a film. DC are adults but live at home at the moment. I daresay I'll have a sherry or 2. And wine.

Bit of a party at the in-laws, where we're staying. Will try to eat cheese rather than drink wine in order to avoid being hungover for stockings at stupid o'clock on Xmas morning

We've hired a room at a local restaurant. There are 8 families going about 40 people in total.
We are having drinks and tapas and the kids can play in the square outside.
Then we willl walk up to the first mass of Christmas at 5.30 then head home to do the Santa stuff.

Husband is working till 8 pm so something light for tea then an early night to watch Die Hard in bed.

Work as usual - till 5 I think, then a few drinks in the pub, home to cook tea - Mums Birthday so whatever it is she likes - usually a Chinese , then clean the kitchen, make sure everything is at hand for me in the morning food wise - usually forget to get a lemon - and then head for the hot tub and a few more drinks listening to carols hopefully watching a clear starlit sky

Mr S is off so he will do a tidy up, head out to buy my pressie and walk the dog

Ive never had more then 2 days off over the holiday period and the holiday period is busy at work so its all about shutting the door and chilling

Taking the dog to the local NT park with the whole extended in laws / clan.

Home to make Christmas Eve pancakes with DC. Also bake something for Santa for later.

Change and go to church for Christingle service.

Home for bath and open Christmas Eve box (new pyjamas) and put them on.

Bake a cheese fondue with lots of dips. Watch Robin Robin on the sofa together. Sprinkle reindeer food outside and put out Santa’s treat. DC to bed.

Fop on the sofa with DH until they are asleep and then frantically bring all the presents I’m ready for the morning. Fall asleep watching White Christmas with a glass of wine.

Crib service
Then at home, I've ordered myself a new blanket and a posh box of chocolates which I'm looking forward to, just because.

A relaxing morning, and into our nearest city for burgers (kids), Ice Skating and the Christmas market at tea time.

Home by 7.30pm, hot chocolate and The Snowman, kids in bed by 9ish and then a Chinese takeaway and a couple of glasses of something nice for the adults!

We go to friends for a big drinks and nibbles party - it’s been the same core group of us for about 20 years now ( rather more children involved these days though!) and it’s a non negotiable Christmas Eve thing.
Back home around 5 to watch Muppets Christmas carol and then we have a quiet dinner for three. The last few years have been tapas which seems to go well before the next few days of excess.
Then it’s hot chocolate and The Night before Christmas (dd is a teen now but still insists) and off to bed. Although there is usually a quiet bottle of fizz for us before we turn in.

Going to the cinema with my husband and sister to watch elf, never done this before but we all have Xmas Eve off for once.

I don’t do anything exciting, husband is normally working so I do as much prep
as possible so by Christmas morning the only thing I need to cook from scratch is the turkey. While I’m doing that the kids sit glued to the Santa tracker on sky and when my husband gets home it’s an easy dinner (usually frozen pizza) and a bottle of wine while we wait for the kids to finally go to
sleep so we can get organised.

Lie in, pub lunch an hour away. Town to finish some shopping then home to cook the turkey and make the veg.

cup of tea and tv

I’m home alone for the first time ever over all of Xmas as dd with her father for Xmas this year. I have loved reading what you all are doing. Thank you for sharing

@AlexandraJJ what nice things do you have planned for yourself?

When is your DD home?

Church in the afternoon and the younger GC take part in the nativity, then everyone back to mine for beef stroganoff. Lots of games and carols. I love Christmas eve

As it's a Sunday I will probably go to church in the morning rather than Midnight Mass, wrap family Secret Santa presents with DH, walk to the pub for a quick one, home to watch The Snowman (I still have the dvd) then something fishy for dinner by candlelight.

Getting last bits ready in the morning - prep stuffing, bit of baking, Christmas music, lots of coffee drinking.

We're having a big lasagne for lunch as ds1 is working in the evening.

Then out for drinks at friends'
and might head to the pub where ds1 works for a couple, to meet other friends and ds when he finishes work.

Wobble home and put the stockings out and presents under the tree which still has to be done even though the dcs are 14 and 18 and go to bed later than us.

We used to go to church, but the only option is the kiddies crib service or midnight mass, neither of which really work for us these days.

Food shop is arriving the morning of Sat 23rd so hopefully that’ll be it for the eats.
May pop out early on Christmas Eve for a stroll and pick up anything last minute. Lounge around in the afternoon and watch the football, after putting the ham joint on to cook. Egg, ham and chips for tea, “Home Alone” on the telly and a couple of drinks before bed. Can’t wait, just me, DP and the Ddog.🎄

A lie in and fairly chilled out morning hopefully. We're at my parents on Christmas day but I've said I'll do the starter so I'll prep that as far as possible. Baking mince pies (one of which will be left for Santa of course) in the afternoon with a backdrop of a Christmas film or Christmas songs.

Early tea of buffet/party food then out to Christingle service at Church at 6.30pm. Then home, hot chocolate and bath for DD, make up the plate for Santa (mince pie, drink, carrot for Rudolph). Try and cajole DD to bed! When she's finally asleep I'll retrieve the presents from their various hiding places and put them under the tree. Glass of wine or fizz for me and probably watch a favourite Christmas special or two