How many Christmassy things do you do?

[Forleasenavidad]

Lay in bed feeling so tired as we’ve all been ill recently, not covid but that other awful one that felt like covid.
I’m very into Christmas and usually do a *Lot with Dd, 4, think all the baking, activities, days out etc. This year, she’s seen a Santa (wasn’t keen) made a gingerbread house and we’ve done the tree. There are so many things left to do, see the lights, fake snow, ice skating, meet up with friends tomorrow…but I’m just so tired 😬can I knock some on the head? How much do you do?

Not massive amounts. We did a local elf hunt last weekend, and decorated our tree. Been struck down with this awful coughing bug and haven’t been out of the house since Wednesday. I’m conscious that I’ve got loads of Christmas shopping still to do, plus Christmassy things 😩

Not too much, I think doing stuff every weekend would feel really overwhelming for us! School already do nativity, Christmas dinner, christmas jumper day and Christmas party. We just do a visit to Santa, put up the tree together and make our special Christmas biscuits. Between Christmas and New Year we usually go to the theatre too. I don’t feel guilty at all for not doing more than that!

Sounds perfect to me. Personally, I think less is more and children need to enjoy and appreciate the small things. No need for huge amounts of Christmas ‘must dos’. That is just my opinion though!

We've done an overnight trip to a theme park most years at the beginning of December, which we've been able to continue now DS is in school as they generally have an inset day. Includes seeing Father Christmas. But that's one big thing and pretty much it! We also put the tree up that weekend.

We might eat out/get takeaways a little bit more often in the build up to Christmas, we take a walk and look at local Christmas lights and we'll put Christmas music on and dance around a few times..wrapping presents etc or a Christmas film. Now DS is in school they do a school pantomime and little class party etc so he gets all that build up from there anyway...I don't feel much need to do anything else.

We don't make any particular effort to do Christmas get togethers with others either.

Wow. We don't do anything! And never have. We just enjoy Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. There's usually enough with work and school events, so I've never seen the need to add anything else. Otherwise... as you've found out... you're too knackered to enjoy it.

We’ve got one thing a weekend on the run up- we did a school Xmas market, then panto last weekend and we’re seeing Santa this weekend. Next weekend we’re going to carols at the local national trust property, and then it will be Christmas! We’ll do some Christmas films on the run up and they do lots at school so feel this is plenty for them.

I try and strike a balance. There's so much I would love to do but I also know that down time and relaxing is also just as special.

We have a panto booked, ice skating a couple of times, sledging at an indoor ski place and a couple of parties, but otherwise it's a lovely time of year to nest and relax and maybe do a bit of baking /watch a film but also I just don't want us to feel so rushed we don't enjoy things. Ignore social media, people post the highlights reel.

@SwedishEdith why would it be a wind up? We love being busy, we always have done, my teens still enjoy family time and yes we do still do childish things like legoland but we all enjoy it! I recognise we do a lot but we aren’t forcing anyone else to 😀

Kids remember and value such random things, it's really not necessary to run yourself ragged and spend lots of money. If you've all been ill just relax at home. Your kids are just as likely to remember and enjoy playing games at home or making their own Christmas cards, as the expensive panto or ice skating.

Why put pressure on yourself ? It's all for Instagram and memories it's ridiculous, kids don't need all these Christmassy events.

We're going to see Santa at a theme park. That's my limit.
I couldn't deal with all that panto garbage and DC wouldn't enjoy it anyway.

Muppets Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve, a walk on Boxing Day to a local beach that has a massive sand sculpture every year.

DS is early teens now, but we used to visit FC in the fancy department store in town that did lovely photos. And we'd walk the dog in the woods and find the Caga Tio (crapping log, yes we're in Catalunya). Yesterdayhe rang the doorbell himself, as he'd walk down the mountain and up the lift to our flat all by himself.

DS is very happy and now he's sitting under the tree waiting to be fed.

To be honest, it's a relief not to do a thousand things on the run up. It'sy busiest time at work and by now we're all shattered. DS has a school concert thing on 21st that he's practising for.

Here he is!

Yeah I agree about the substituting normal things for a Christmas version… Even things like watching TV - well we watch the Christmas episodes of things they like. Often I put Christmas music on and we all have a bit of a dance. Or when we’re out and about as usual we’ll make an effort to point out the trees and lights we see. It feels Christmassy but it’s literally just taking a walk.

To be honest, the majority of the Christmas things we do are for the benefit of all of us. Pre DC, DH and I always used to go out and buy our tree each year and then we’d come home and decorate it together with Christmas music on. Post DC we do exactly the same. They enjoy going to choose and buy the tree too of course and it’ll be lovely if they remember it but it’s not just about them and if they didn’t remember, fine.

I’m sure you don’t.

My memories of Christmas and the things I enjoy doing the most with my DC and make me feel most “Christmassy” are the free things that make up the whole build up. I’m sure you do most of them too.

1. Getting the tree and decorating it
2. Watching out for all the trees and lights in people’s windows on our walks.
3. Christmas films and Christmas episodes of TV shows
4. Christmas music in the car or on the radio
5. Writing and posting our cards. Sometimes the DC make the cards themselves.
6. Receiving cards and putting them up on string around the sitting room
7. Advent calendar
8. Christmas versions of food - mince pies for snacks, Baileys as a night cap etc!

and my favourite

9. Getting all the Christmas books out in December each year and reading a Christmas book as a bedtime story every night.

We also go and visit Father Christmas and there is a massive build up at school. I feel like we “do” plenty honestly.

We don't really do any of the expensive day trips out lol, although we can easily afford it. I didn't grow up with those things as christmas traditions.

My mum and dad like to take the kids to a local children's music/drama place that does kids christmas plays - short adaptations of popular stories like the Snowman, its relatively inexpensive.

We take the kids to buy a christmas tree.

We have a bit of an extended family get together in the week before christmas (too many of us to be all together for a sit down meal on christmas day, so its just a drinks/nibbles type gathering).

We watch some local lights put on (free).

We have an advent calendar at home with pockets on that we put sweets/choc in.

We'll do christmas crafts at home, make cards & biscuits as gifts, listen to christmas music etc.

The kids write letters to father christmas.

We don't do:

• visit santa type attractions
• farm things involving reindeer etc
• ice skating
• christmas markets (except school christmas fair)
• pantomimes

Similar, these are my favourite childhood memories
-decorating the tree.

• Christmas stories.
• going for a walk and looking at the lights
• singing carols in church.
• making paper chains.

All free or very cheap and minimal planning!

That said, it's fine to enjoy doing activities but you can have a fabulous Christmas without them

When DD was little we'd see Santa, do some baking, make a new decoration for the tree, go to a Christmas fayre....and that was it. No light trails, ice-skating or any of the other stuff that people believe to be so essential that by not doing it they are somehow depriving their DC of a "magical" time. Christmas can be as full on or as laid back as you want. If you're not up to doing things then don't. It won't ruin Christmas for your DC as much as having a parent who is so frazzled that they are miserable.

We do lots, my children love it and are definitely old enough for the things to become proper memories. Each to their own but we are a family who loves all the activities and Christmas events. So for us it’s trips to our local city to see all the lights, Santa or train ride, light trail, carols and seeing lots of friends in the run up to it all. Plus all the usually decorating the tree and baking. They are only children once and I think it’s nice to make this time special. Obviously that means different things to different people

Christmas comes every year! you don’t have to do everything, there will be more opportunities other years.

I also try not to make my children feel that what makes children special is a lot of expensive activities that they may or may not be able to afford as adults.

Also a lot of these things aren't environmentally friendly and might be frowned upon in 20 years time, so we try to have traditions that are much more easily maintained.

Nothing really. Can't be bothered. The young adult dcs get a few gifts and we have a roast dinner. That's about it. No stress 😃

Last weekend we went to a Christmas fair at a local school and visited santa
Today we've been to the local am dram panto, and tomorrow DD is in the nativity play at church. Next weekend we'll take a walk around after dark to see all the lights, and do some Christmas crafts.

Mine are adults now (23 and 20 , still live at home )

When they were little : (in no particular order)

DH and I booked a day off woek to go Christmas shopping while they were at school
I did the Christmas food shop one evening while DH took them to the cinema
Trip to London to look at the lights , count the Hamley's bags , trip to Hamleys and food somewhere
Pantomime (tried to do the night my parents came down so they went to bed tired and their grandparents were there the next morning)
Craft like decoaration making at a nearby visitor centre
On Christmas Eve feeding reindeer or geese nearby
Watching the NORAD updates
Putting up the tree and decorating .

Now , as older DC
DD and I go to a play or concert
We're )DD,DH and I) are going out next week (comedy)
We all went to the cinema last week
DH and I went to a Christmas Market (without them, they'd have been bored rigid)
Shopping with DD , London/Bluewater /Lakeside

DS birthday is in December
We try and do somethng every weekend in Dec but often it's not all of us .

We have to include a drive past the most decorated house near us , it is seriously lit this year , I would not want to see their leccy bill.
Every year is different , I'm convinced they employ one of those companies that "Do" Christmas for you then take it all away .

Xmas tree
panto
lights
santa