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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Ideas to calm over excited children on Christmas eve.

48 replies

MammaTJ · 15/12/2013 00:18

Last year I printed off some Christmassy pictures for the DC to colour and then we laminated them to make Christmas place mats.

We have Christmas biscuits to decorate this year, as well as paper chains to make.

Any other ideas for Christmas focused quiet things for the over excited ones to do to take things down a notch for half an hour or so?

OP posts:

mrsjay · 15/12/2013 10:27

This wouldn't work with my dd age 9 but good for little ones

yes by the time she was 8 she did still get the santa call but i am sure she just humoured us

OpalTourmaline · 15/12/2013 10:32

Making and decorating an ikea gingerbread house. Being given an annual to read. Crystal growing tree or snowman. Christmas jigsaw.

OpalTourmaline · 15/12/2013 10:33

Hanging choc tree decs on the tree

fanoftheinvisibleman · 15/12/2013 10:35

We don't do quiet and focused on xmas eve!

My friend is bringing her bigger gang (I have an only) round for gift swapping, general rowdiness, mayhem and a chippy dinner and then we go round to my mums where we sleep even though it is two streets away. The whole family comes including my grandma who also sleeps over and everyone is further whipped up into a frenzy of excitement!

Chistmas eve is actually my favourite day as we have always packed lots in and I love the anticipation. Ds has always gone to bed with no problems at all. I on the otherhand (insomniac anyway!) haven't slept at all for the last few christmas eves . I am worse than a child!

Original poster

MammaTJ · 15/12/2013 10:35

Swimming, the pool got knocked down a few years ago. We do have the sea though. I know DD would be willing enough to go in, not sure how hardy DS is though.

Ikea, there is not one near. I have moulds to make one though. That worked well a couple of years ago, they are 7 and 8 now, so a bit more able to make a mess- do it themselves.

OP posts:

fanoftheinvisibleman · 15/12/2013 10:43

Morrisons have the kits too though if you didn't want to bake your own.

welshnat · 15/12/2013 10:44

A friend of mine gives her kids all of the family presents and wrapping paper and they will sit there wrapping for over an hour and not a peep. Plus you get the wrapping done for you. They are 5 and 6 so may not be perfect but they are so proud when they can tell the family they wrapped them all by themselves.

maddy68 · 15/12/2013 11:22

Take then to a pantomime Xmas eve, they get knackered by it, get sleepy in the car on the way home. Job done :)

Purplemonster · 15/12/2013 11:34

One year when I think I must have been running aroun under mum's feet a bit too much she plonked me up on the kitchen work surface and told me she thought the reindeer might fancy some muesli this year as well as their traditional carrot.

She poured out a massive bowl (lots of reindeer to feed) and said they won't like the bits in it though so you'll have to pick out all the nuts/raisins/tropical fruit/bits of coconut. Genius! Kept me quiet for aaaages as I diligently picked out all the bits!

NorbertDentressangle · 15/12/2013 11:37

Buy then some new Xmas onesies/pyjamas which they can open on Xmas Eve. They'll then be desperate to get ready for bed!

(worked for us one year)

WelshMaenad · 15/12/2013 11:40

Phenergan?

I am joking, .

Mine are 7 and 3, we will take them to my mums, inflict them on her and dad for a bit. Park if it's dry. Dd likes making jam tarts with my mum.

Home, elf hamper. (New jammas, hot choc, marshmallows, story book). Warm bath, hot choc, mince pie /jam tart, milk for Santa, carrot for reindeer, story, bed.

Maybe then phenergan if they remain feral.

OpalTourmaline · 15/12/2013 12:27

Garden centres sell the gingerbread kits too and yes seen them in morrisons too.

Eastwickwitch · 15/12/2013 12:34

Pencil, I used to take mine swimming at 6pm on Christmas Eve (hotel pool so always open). Great way to exhaust them.

Original poster

MammaTJ · 15/12/2013 12:46

Morrisons for the kit then! We do have one of those in this ends of the earth town!

Phenergan? I have tried that out of desperation in the past! 8 year old DD does not do sleep! Phenergan just makes her sleep deeply for three hours

OP posts:

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 15/12/2013 13:06

We used to have a party on Christmas Eve - so they'd be nice and tired - and then after everyone had gone, we'd light a load of candles in the front room, turn the lights off, and read 'T'was The Night Before Christmas', some of the lessons from the Nine Lessons and Carols, and sing a carol or two, before they went to bed.

It's turned into a tradition that the dses still love - I am waiting to see if they still want to do it this year (they are 16, 18 and 20).

Original poster

MammaTJ · 15/12/2013 14:01

Sound like fun, but I will probably still be quite busy doing last minute tidying and veg prep, so party is out!

Giving them Christmas pressies to wrap is genius! I am rubbish anyway, so DP ends up doing it all! He might appreciate the break from it!

OP posts:

AlpacaPicnic · 15/12/2013 15:38

Play 'who can drink the most espressos in one minute' then take them to the local abandoned animal shelter to play with some puppies...

usuallyright · 15/12/2013 15:55

we always let our kids have a sleepover on 23rd December and don't mind if they're up late chatting etc...they always sleep well on Xmas eve since we started doing this.

LingDiLong · 15/12/2013 15:58

Home Bargains and Lidl have the Gingerbread House kits too for about £6. I got the Home Bargains one because it had everything in it but the Lidl one involved buying extras. Haven't tried it yet though so I can't tell you if it's any good!

thebody · 15/12/2013 16:00

tot of brandy in orange squash usually promotes quiet time.

RedPencils · 15/12/2013 18:50

Purple monster - your mother is a parenting genius

I love the gingerbread house kit idea. We'll be doing that.

bakewelltartandcustard · 15/12/2013 19:43

My DP's grandmother advised us to do what she used to do. Christmas was never mentioned, no preparations, then one morning she would wake the children and say, "Father Christmas has been".
They knew how to have fun back then!

MummyPig24 · 15/12/2013 20:05

I'm definitely going to run the kids around on their scooter/bike whatever the weather. We have done soft play before when ds was 3 and dd 9 months but not since. Plus dh is working so I won't be able to get there.

So I plan to do a bit of baking or something in the morning, have lunch and go for a scoot or ride, and then we have the Christingle service at 3, which is a 15 minute walk away, so we will get back around 4.15 and try and settle them down for tea, bath, hot chocolate and bed. We haven't had problems getting them to bed on Christmas Eve before so I hope this year is no different.

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