to not have a single fecking Christmas tradition?

[Mintyy]

Other than getting a bit flustered about 10 minutes before serving up the lunch and grumbling that no one sends Christmas cards any more? And having a gin and it around 11.30am?

With you here, Mintyy - and my shelves are elfless, too - perhaps we'll get drummed out of MN?? (Haven't had a gin and it for about a hundred years; making mental note to revisit.)

I had no idea there was such a thing as a Christmas tradition until about 5 years ago on Mumsnet.

I love a gin and it. Shouldn't save them just for Christmas!

Yanbu!

I've got to feckin work so tradition has gone out the window

Not a single tradition? No turkey, presents, cards, music etc? Nothing that you the same way from year to year?

We do have presents. Does that count as a tradition though?

YANBU. DH is becoming a bit of an old fart pedantic about doing things in the exactly the same way every year. "But don't we always do at that time, in that place..." It's driving me crazy.
Personally my only tradition is the feeling of relief when I finally finish shopping, cleaning, writing cards and wrapping.

I've ditched loads of 'traditions' over the years

Chocs on the tree... Overpriced
Crackers.... Bits of rubbish/tat that just lies around all day
Cards... Nobody really bothers anymore
Christingle....kids don't want to go to church
Baileys/sherry.... Disgusting and sweet
Christmas cake.... Nobody even eats it
Real tree.... Inferior quality
Nuts to crack.... Too hard and bruises fingers
Dress up on Xmas day..... Nope.

Lots of those are from my childhood which my mum maintained. I'm sure there's more!

I have a tradition of going batshit around the 19th because DD1 has tracked down her Xmas presents again.

Those are traditions Mintyy i especially like the gin one.

Do you want some traditions of are you happy with what youve got?

I get the impression from the Christmas threads that many people have Traditions (with a capital T), whereas we just have stuff we do at Christmas. (I should make it clear that I love Christmas but don't feel it necessary to turn it into a carefully-choreographed Event to enjoy it).

The word tradition is totally misused in relation to things people do at Christmas. If you just decide you want to do something every year, it's not a fucking tradition until it is established (and, IMO, second generation).

What's a gin and it?

Gin and Italian vermouth. The height of sophistication in my mis-spent youth!

"gin and it"

Definition- a cocktail comprised of gin and whatever you point at on the bar. Otherwise known as a 'gin and that'. As in "I'll have some of that (i.e. tonic water, ginger ale, coke, lemonade, more gin) with my gin".

My tradition is leaving wrapping until Christmas Eve and finishing at about 3am!
That's about all I can guarantee
We never eat turkey, music comes courtesy of whatever we have on our phones and I don't send cards.
I love Christmas but don't feel the need to force traditions.

May I lower the tone? When DD was little I found her pants hanging from the top of the tree. Kicked off when getting dressed. It is now tradition for kids to kick said pants highest up the tree... care to join in?

You can have our Christmas tradition if you like? Basically Boxing Day = pyjama day and eat whatever left overs are in the house - no cooking allowed! Sit in your pyjamas all day and watch TV.

A lot of traditions are just constraints. Your gin and it sounds like an excellent tradition.

Lol at that list mum I just cannot be arsed doing any of those things even when DD was small I made a cake about 10 years ago and I think it was only me who ate it, I was still eating it by fucking Easter. I am sure my DD will still have fabulous memories even if we didn't put out the milk every year etc.

I'm not even bothering with the tree this year.

Christmas dinner is whatever is on special if we're not at my brothers, as last year we had a joint Christmas with my brother and his family, DD only ate bloody plate full of salad. So fuck it if I am going to spend a fortune on Christmas dinner.

The only tradition we have is go swimming at the lake because I need a cool down when it's 30C (am in NZ).

we will start kicking pants, momtothree the minute we get our tree (shame we're hosting this year. To that end... Please may they be clean???)

As for "traditions", OP, sounds like you've got them in spades:

Getting a bit flustered about 10 minutes before serving up the lunch
Grumbling that no one sends Christmas cards any more?
Having a gin and it around 11.30am?

And then later you coughed and admitted there are presents as well. Sounds like a great Christmas.... we'll all be round (cos I can't be buggered to host!)

Gin and it is gin and Indian Tonic - Called that I think as loads was quaffed in The Empire as an antimalarial as it is full of quinnine.

I don't do much for Christmas but until I've heard the carol service from kings college chapel, it hasn't really started:-)

Our newish tradition is to wrap presents on Christmas eve eating cheese and biscuits and drinking port. Good excuse and makes it more bearable.