What are you plans for Christmas Eve?

[thecatthepupandme]

My two girls are 13 and 10, so one believer and one non believer. My little one is very excited and because this will be our last Santa Christmas I want to really enjoy and make the most of it. Usually we have a walk around the park the. Head into town for a hot chocolate before heading home and starting the Christmas prep.

We have a buffet dinner and then put our Xmas jammies on to watch a movie before they head to bed.

We also got a lovely advent Christmas book ( Santas crazy countdown) to read the month of December so were excited to start that on the first dec

What does your Xmas eve look like ?

Fry-up for lunch, mainly because of

Treize desserts for tea

When the boys were young we would go to the children's service at church. Walking back as it was getting dark was a good opportunity for spotting lights. A couple of times we've rung for the cathedral's afternoon carol service. We sang for Midnight a couple of times, before S1's choral scholarship took us away (that was a great experience, pity Covid happened in the middle, but still fantastic). Which of course means stuffing stockings at 1:30am...

We always used to buy Whittard's Christmas hot chocolate, which we would start on Christmas Eve. For a couple of years it was the most delicious spicy white stuff, then that disappeared and although they have what they call Christmas hot chocolate it's things like plum - though I see this year's is called gingerbread flavour, that might work.

This year neither of them will be here (!) and the church who does "Midnight" have decided they quite like having it at 6:30pm, so H & I will go and sing at that then spend the rest of the evening bitching about it to MiL while eating treize desserts and probably drinking something (I suppose if we were singing at a proper Midnight we wouldn't be able to drink as much, every cloud and all that).

I alternate Xmas with my children’s dad, this year it is his turn. So my partner and I will get cosy, order in some food and watch a movie. Have a lovely lie in and wait for the children to return Xmas day afternoon.
we then have Xmas day evening as their Xmas eve and do the Xmas day on Boxing Day.

We're going to 'midnight' mass, but its actually a 8pm service for at least 90 mins, maybe longer! DS is a bit older now, so we are going late then can have a more relaxed Christmas Day morning and we will eat mid afternoon at the earliest.

Otherwise, we'll get some fresh air at some point and I'll prep the veg listening to Classic FM. As easy a dinner as possible or DH can cook.

We’re going to the Christmas market in our nearest city. We’ll have a lazy morning, head in about 2pm and have a wander around the market, get some food and then we’ve booked the Ice bar experience (we wont be drinking but the ice sculptures are fab!) and ice skating. Home by 7pm and in to our pyjamas for a Christmas film and hot chocolate!

We have a 4 and a 5 year old. I'm thinking about a cinema trip in the morning just so they're not running around the house like maniacs! We always go to the pub around 3pm-ish. It's a 10 minute walk from our house, my mum, dad and brother will meet us there. They really make an effort for Christmas in the pub we go to, twinkly lights and decorations everywhere, mulled wine and cider, board games and an open fire, it's always a lovely atmosphere. Back home for either a takeaway or picky dinner. Bath for the kids and Christmas Eve boxes and then chocolates, drinks and a movie on the sofa for us. I can't wait!

Prep veg and ham during day whilst DH searches for the sellotape. DS finishes work at about 4 then down the pub. No.drinking for us or the traditional party food tea as we are collecting DD and BF from airport at 10.30 pm. Home, drink, bed.

My whole family normally goes to my granny's house for the night and help her out with the cooking etc, catch up with the family, then all the kids are allowed to open their christmas eve box before we go to midnight mass

Mine are 20 and 23

We still do Santa stocking and put them out.
We bake in the mornings for our tea- sausage rolls, pastries, and have a picnic tea. They now invite their friends over to join us. It’s nice watching them get excited about being together.
We watch a Christmas move and play games - more adult ones now than before, after tea.
We have been to Panto in previous years to kill the time and keep them up a bit later.
Best day of the year!

We're going away to the Lake District for Christmas so I'll be doing last minute packing, calming down excited children and then driving to Kendal. Cannot bloody wait 😁

Whatever else we have planned (and it can and does change!) The one constant is that I watch The Bishops Wife on Christmas Eve afternoon.
We also watch a spooky film in the evening, this year it's the 1989 version of The Woman in Black. Imo the 2012 version is no comparison to this one. Spine tingling at its best!

I like to visit the crib in a quiet church.

Usually we take the kids (7&3) swimming or for a long walk/play at a country park (to tire them out!)
On the way home we pick up a McDonald’s drive through and once home we watch a Christmas movie. Me and dh prep some veg but nothing too time consuming
Then bath, pjs, putting out the mince pie for Santa and then stories before bed. Then me and dh relax, have a cheeseboard and sort all the bits for the next day.

This year is a bit different as we’re going to a farm/Christmas grotto on Christmas Eve so that will take up most of the day.

We're on a longish car journey and have just been chatting about this!

We'll be in Norway, so that's their "main" day. We then do British Christmas the day after, but the kids believe Father Christmas is in the 25th.

We wake up super early and get the house ready, take the animals for their walks. Come back and do a quick clean, and then friends and family are over for breakfast. Everyone brings food for then and food to cook for later!

Breakfast is salmon, pate, nice breads. Then it's basically a little party! Everyone dresses up and later we visit the cemetery. We're not religious, but it's a tradition and a nice walk, and so many people are there burning candles.

Back home we make a bit of a feast and everyone helps. Some people make ribbe, some lutefisk, and lots of other bits and bobs. That goes on for some time! Then we all exchange gifts (non Father Christmas ones), and everyone eats nuts and marzipan and it's just lovely. Everyone helps us clean.

Kids are usually knackered, so we clear everyone out and then get them bathed and in new pj's. Mince pie and carrot for Father Christmas, choral carols on, and we all cuddle down to read stories. Kids go to bed and DH and I run around like chickens with their heads cut off laying the presents under the tree, we have a glass of wine and a bath together, and collapse to do a very quiet family only Christmas Day in the morning.

16 & 18 and it's basically the law that I never stop doing what I've done since they were little ... wake up to wrapped new pjs on their bed, out for breakfast, back for Christmas Eve boxes from the elves (and yes I still have to say that 😂), boxes will have book/game/puzzle which we will do and something like hot chocolate or cookies to make, then evening Chinese while watching Polar Express.

Currently not sure if I’m working it or not. If I am I’ll be working from 4pm on eve until 1am Xmas morning so it’ll be a mad rush to clean Xmas eve day then get presents out at 1am when I get home. I like my house to be pristine for when Santa comes presents are everywhere once unwrapping starts in the morning.

If I don’t work it it’ll be a full day of cleaning the house whilst dh and the kids play together. Maybe a walk in the mid afternoon to tire them out. I think dh might actually be working Xmas eve in the morning. Then baths and into pjs. Dh and dd1 then go to collect a Chinese together with dd1 in her pjs whilst dd2 stays with me. Then we all eat and early sleep for kids. Christmas cookies and milk and carrot out on the tray for Santa. Stockings hung on bedroom doors for Santa coming. Then waiting up for hours until dd1 finally falls asleep praying dd2 does not wake back up. Dh goes to bed earlier than me and I get out all of the presents so everyone is surprised in the morning by the pile.

Usually up and ds will swim train for 2-3 hours. (Usually does 2 but would do evening as well).

Then baths and chilling watching Xmas film.

This year we have Xmas dinner at my dads on Xmas eve as brother year for in laws so breakfast and presents Xmas day at dads.

@GiddyRobin I’m in Norway too! Definitely not a fan of Christmas Eve being the main day with presents after dinner, but we compromise by opening half on each day. I thought it was just me and my husband who went on graveyard walks on Christmas Eve but maybe it’s a more common tradition than I thought?

Up to drop the dogs at the groomers, collect food from the butchers and M&S. This is the only chance for me to have a sneaky coffee before the hoardes descend (and eldest DD will probably come with me) Once the dogs are smelling sweet, it's back home to greet family arriving. No lunch, just substantial nibbles, and off to church for 3pm. It's a full on 9 lessons and carols, so we troupe off at the end for a curry booked for 6pm via the local pub for a swift one...or two.
Back home to put up stockings and open the Christmas p.j.'s. Some of us manage midnight mass (11.30) but basically everyone gets tucked up in good time.
Excited and grateful.

We decorate the tree in the morning. Baking in the early afternoon. Christingle at 4pm. Return home to watch The Grinch followed by a picnic dinner under the tree. Lay out a mince pie, whisky & carrot. Bath and bed.

Ooohhh someone who gets it! I feel the same, as much as I love being in Norway it feels a bit odd to me still. I enjoy it once I'm in the swing, but I'd love to have a year where it's not done like that. We do stuff on the 23rd that's a bit more "Christmas Eve" but it doesn't feel the same! Nostalgia, I suppose.

Yes! DH is the Norwegian one and he says it comes from a "visiting ancestors" sort of thing. I do quite like that though, it's weirdly peaceful even when the graveyard is busy. We're in a tiny village so you can see people set out in almost a procession, it's spooky in a nice way!

Ds & I are going to see dbruv. I haven't seen him in ages but when I did see him I got a weird feeling he was lonely despite having a wife and two dds. They are grown up now and I guess have other stuff going on.

We'll take wine & pressies and see where we get to.

Tire the DC out as much as possible with swimming or football. Always home in time to listen to Nine Lessons & Carols from King's on the radio, usually while peeling potatoes for the next day. Watch The Snowman (as I always did as a kid) and put the stockings up and mince pie out for Santa. Sometimes we have the elderly neighbours over for a sherry too.

This year it's an early beach walk with the dogs then breakfast followed by a matinee pantomime . Once finished there we are going to the pub for a slap up meal. Once all fed it's homeward bound for new pyjamas, hot chocolate and movies .

I'm going for a swim in a lake in the morning, then making sausage rolls with the children and going for a walk with the hot sausage rolls to keep us warm. Home in time for last minute tidying/wrapping and Christmas dinner prep while listening to Nine Lessons and Carols. A mysterious knock on the door will herald the arrival of a Christmas Eve basket. We'll eat a simple dinner of lentil soup, clean the kitchen and then have mulled wine/hot chocolate/mince pies with a festive film or TV programme. Baths for those who want them. Hanging stockings and Christmas Pjs for those who aren't going to church. We might leave our presents under the tree before bed, and I'll probably fill there stockings. Some of us will go to midnight mass. I will put them full stockings on the children's beds while they pretend to be asleep (they are in their mid-late teens).

Then I'll go to sleep.

We're going to the west end (London), going to a show and lunch, and then looking around - Covent Garden etc and Christmas lights on the way back to the station via Trafalgar Square. Then home for new PJs, new teddy and bath bomb - bath, PJs, photos, carrot and mince pie out for Santa, then we read The Night Before Christmas and bed. Then DH and I have a couple of drinks and watch a film once we've filled the stockings and moved all the presents under the tree.