Good morning Mumsnet! What's everyone up to this Christmas Eve?

[lucysmam]

I've just finished my first cuppa of the day, in silence, pottering about the kitchen. I'm just about to make a coffee then head up to get dressed & see if the girls are awake for our annual walk to the market for our Christmas day veg and to see what the cheese monger has left.

It started when they were little, as a way to tire them out, and we've continued now they're older.

When we get in, we'll stick some Christmas music on and prep tomorrow's meal, and make some more mince pies 😋.

The rest of the day will be spent pottering about, and we'll probably have a takeaway for tea before showers and an hour or two with my book, for me.

Presents will be put under the tree before I go to bed & the girls will probably stay up a good while longer than me 🙈.

What about all of you? 🎅

Morning!

I nipped out for petrol first thing, and now have sat with the Christmas lights and a nice coffee.

About to make the brisket and make ahead gravy for tomorrow whilst my DH takes the dog and kids out for a big walk.

Will drop presents off to my niece and nephew on our way to the cinema this afternoon - Zootropolis 2, despite my 'kids' being 18, 16 and 14!

Takeaway and board games tonight.

I'm surprise how few people are working today when its not a bank holiday!

I'm working, but finish early and I WFH. DH and I are mad and after work, will whizz around 2 local supermarkets to see if there are any last minute bargains. 😆

Watched a bit of telly in bed and got up at 8.
Put two loads of washing away, had a bit of toast, cleaned round the kitchen and unloaded last nights dishwasher.
Waiting for my mum to arrive in the next hour or so. Once she's in and settled, we'll probably just slob around with books and tablets/phones. She's bringing a couple of boardgames, so we might play one of those.
An M&S pizza for lunch. Saving all my "fancy cooking" for the next two days!

Making the kinder chocolate cheesecake! Never made it before so this is highly risky…. 😬

Morning all, happy Christmas Eve! I was unfortunately taken out with a hideous cold last night and couldn’t do anything I had planned, but after an early night and a decent sleep I’m getting ready to have a clean through, finish wrapping, wash and dry hair and watch White Christmas before my mum arrives. Off to the pub for a couple of hours this evening with mum and my friend, then home for Carols from Kings and hopefully another early ish night!

Happy Christmas Eve everyone. I went to spinning class at 8am, home since 9 and just finishing first coffee of the day now.
Kids are watching a Christmas movie and I’m about to start on the ham and need to get a couple of loads of laundry done too.
Later on this afternoon we will visit my in laws and then my sister.
Plan to be home by 8ish tonight and try to wrangle kids into bed!!

I've just woken up.

Still in bed.
Today's plans are cleaning the kitchen and prepping veg for tomorrow. A bath at some point. That's about it.

I'm enjoying a rare moment's peace. DH and DS are playing table tennis, DD is reading, MIL has gone for her morning nap and my DPs are prepping the turkey - they always cook it the day before.

Later we will be watching Christmas movies, going for a walk, and then going to a nearby street which does a big Christmas lights display for charity.
This evening we're having beef stroganoff, which I've already cooked so just needs defrosting and sour cream adding. I'm hoping to talk everyone into watching the Christmas Eve ghost story in the BBC later, and at some point I shall do my nails. The DC will be periodically checking in on NORAD to see how Santa's doing.

I'm frankly astonished that I've been undisturbed while reading and writing this thread, it's unheard of. I'd love to nip and get a quality street but I daren't move and break the peace... 🤣

Woke up early and couldn’t get back to sleep, was reading the twitching threads on here and was so tempted to think about nipping to the shops BUT instead I had a strong word with myself and instead paid the final balance on a credit card that has been hanging round for 21 years! That’s my Christmas present to myself so by 8am I was having a bubble bath with a new book and a Baileys coffee to celebrate.

Ive done a bit of work, walked to the shops to get some tablets for my son whose getting over a cold then hoping to go to the crib service at 4pm.
Following that we usually go for a cocktail at the local nice pub with my parents and then back home for party food and Home Alone.

Love Christmas Eve.

Morning all! Been up and out to the shops for the last forgotten bits, dh went out to get something too, home now and having a quick clean and tidy, rousing the dc to get up and have brunch. Meeting the family for a walk in a bit and then everyone back to ours for mince pies and whatever anyone wants to drink.
Then some dinner prep and last minute wrapping this evening by the fire and hopefully Home Alone or something equally festive feeling.
Although I’m currently sitting on my bed looking at a pile of washing to be put away and ignoring it for 5 minutes of peace on MN!!

Morning all! Happy Christmas Eve! I was up early as usual, am home alone as DD is at her boyfriends, and won’t be home til this evening. I finished wrapping her presents this morning, then made the stuffing for tomorrow, plus a vegan chocolate pastry star wreath for dessert tomorrow for my nephew who is allergic to dairy. Just need to dust with icing sugar and tie a bow to it once it’s cooled.

I’m planning to go for a walk in the park soon as it’s a lovely day, then will come home and watch a Christmas movie, have a long soak in the bath, then prep a buffet for this evening for me, DD and my mum who is staying over tonight. Got some lovely looking party food in M&S so looking forward to that!

Happy Christmas Eve everyone!!. We’ve been up early, made our biscuits for Father Christmas to eat tonight, and gone for a walk.

We’re off to visit family today, my absolute favourite tradition that I’ve done since I was a child. We leave my grandmothers house as it gets dark and drive home looking at everyone’s Christmas lights. Takeaway for dinner and the kids will get their Christmas Eve box so we’ll have a cosy evening with bath bombs and new pj’s. It’s the first year our eldest has really got Christmas, so it feels so magical this year.

We have our four lovely guests arriving around 2pm for three nights. House is spotless, dining room is set for tomorrow, the house is twinkling and warm and I have sausage rolls in the oven and a mildly curry spiced butternut squash soup in the slow cooker. I have the radio on and am drinking a cuppa before I go for a nice relaxing bath. DH is sorting the bins and then going to the car wash then peeling potatoes to go with tonight’s steak dinner. All is well, calm and I am finally feeling Christmassy.

Afternoon all. I am in hospital getting my infliximab infusion for ulcerative colitis. I then need to deliver some presents and make cauliflower cheese to take to my partners tomorrow. Infusion usually wipes me out so bath and bed when my 7 year olds goes to bed and hope for some energy and feeling good enough to enjoy tomorrow.

Have a great day everyone 🎄🎅

Afternoon!
We were up early this morning and ice skating at 9am. Had a hot chocolate after, loads of nice christmassy snaps which I am really chuffed with. Popped into my parents to drop off my secret santa present and then home for breakfast/brunch.
Just sitting with DS watch despicable me (i think this might be the 2944728th time) and MNing. DD is upstairs on roblox I think.
Need to hoover through the house, and tidy up the front room a bit. I will have a nap at some stage this afternoon (I was up at 3:30am). DD will probably do the same. DS will just watch films and play with his cars. We'll play a game too.

Off to the pub later to meet my uncle and friends, and hand over DC to their dad's. This will be the first time I won't see them wake up on Christmas morning so I am feeling a bit sad about it. But we have had a wonderful few days together.

Good afternoon @lucysmam and followers, it’s a bitterly cold day here but at least it’s dry and fairly bright for once.
So far we’ve walked the dogs, took them down the bridleway and across the fields so they had a good run around, second load of washing is on, jacket potatoes with cauliflower cheese and sausage for dinner all prepared and DH is supposed to be vacuuming through but he’s sat watching Bargain Hunt 🙄
I’ve cleaned the kitchen and bathroom and made the beds, remaking the spare room one after DS and family were here for my birthday at the weekend.
Nothing else planned except some crocheting and art stuff later.
If DH goes out I’m hoping he can get some advocate and lemonade to make snowballs later.
Have a great Christmas Eve everyone x

Hello
I got up, sorted scrambled egg for our breakfast, and then took my daughter to work for 8 - several people were already there in their cars waiting for Waitrose to open! Set the dishwasher off before we left.
Came back and did the One Key minute quiz on Hits Radio with my son. Loaded the washing machine and set that off.
Went to a couple of shops to get things for a competition; my two are now each getting a box of Roses added to their stockings.
Returned home, wrote the last 4 local Christmas cards then went for a walk to deliver all of those. This took some time as none of the houses were particularly near each other.
Got back, hung the washing out (and brought some in) then my son made me a cup of tea and I had a few squares of galaxy and a cream egg with it. Should sort myself some proper lunch really.
Put the empty stockings on my bed for hanging up later.
Took the Tesco finest chocolate Yule log out of the freezer for tomorrow - bought this 2 or 3 months ago when they first appeared. Also some cauliflower cheese that DD came back with which appears to be earmarked for tomorrow teatime.
DH arrived back from work but has dumped his stuff and gone straight out again to the pub, I think.
There's a few cards that still need hung up -they're on the table so they MUST be moved and I may do a little desultory tidying. Or not. Or at least put clothes away.
I did buy some milk but I don't think we need anything else.
DD finishes at 4; I've said i'll pick her up then we'll go for fish and chips. If it's not busy, I might go into th shop, otherwise I'll just wait in the car.

Waiting for my DH’s mechanical part! We should have been on the road 2 hours ago 🙄😳

Afternoon everyone. Merry Christmas Eve.

Ivan been out most of the morning doing last minute things. Just had sausages on a roll and away to clean the kitchen. I have a few last minute bits to wrap then over to sister in laws for a gift exchange.

Tonight is mupppets Christmas Carol and snacks.

Managed to get up in time to catch the binmen this morning with a card and a tin of chocolates (they're lovely 'above and beyond' types). Had packed eggs on toast for breakfast, sent DH out for a few last minute bits and will need to go to the pharmacy soon for something MIL forgot to bring with her. Her other minor disaster was her hair oil leaking in her case and leaving oily marks on the trousers she'd planned to wear tomorrow so we've just spent an hour squeezing them with kitchen roll, sprinkling bicarb on them and now they're in the wash 😆

I've put the making of a pasta sauce on to cook (roasted butternut squash and garlic) and will finish that off later, and I have cookie dough chilling in the fridge which is getting made into speculaas this afternoon but not til everyone's had lunch and is less likely to be in and out of the kitchen sharking for snacks.

We're in...food prep's almost done...except someone me, it was me froze the cauli cheese in clingfilm to use up the last of the roll. It's bloody stuck solid 🙈🤣.

Working!

All done. Wallowing in a hot bath. Job's a good 'un.

We are celebrating as we celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve in Finland.
Tree presents have been opened, rice porridge has been eaten, we've visited FIL for lunch and now we're at home waiting for Joulupukki (Father Christmas) to arrive, he's due in about ten minutes.

I forgot to take the ham out of the fridge in the morning to warm up so its only just gone in the oven and god knows when it'll be ready - will have to have sandwiches soon to keep us going!