First 'proper' Christmas - sounds silly, but how should I do it?!

[pipkin35]

OK. Have an 18 month old girl and nearly 3 year old boy.

Now, this will sound ridiculous BUT, we've never had a Christmas at home, just the 4 of us.

All the years me and OH were together before kids (10 yrs), we went to his parents. When DS was 1, we were at his parents. Last year we went to my best friends for the day (down the road) with the kids. She's not around this year.

Neither of our parents will be around - OH's in London, mine in Torquay - both planning on coming to visit after Xmas.

I am fine with that and can't wait to just start our own traditions but have a couple of questions on how to do it all!

Do I do stockings yet? Is there 'much point'?
Do I spend all day cooking - or just M&S the lot?
DD is up and awake at least 2.5 hours before DS.
What are your own traditions - or what did you do with similar age kids etc...?

I adore Christmas. Have bought a fake tree and was planning on putting it up after the 20th (cos that's DS 3rd b-day) - was going to get him to help me decorate, or is that unwise do you think?

Ideas welcome!

oooh, this will be our first proper Christmas at home too!

It will just me me, DH & DD (2), so am also looking forward to starting some new family traditions. The only one we've thought of so far is that we aren't going to have the roast turkey dinner (I'm veggie & DH says he will be sick of eating turkey at xmas dos by then) so we are having whatever we want. At the moment the menu is toad-in-the-hole (with roast spuds & sprouts) followed by chocolate brownies & ice-cream .

ooops - sorry OP, I got so carried away reading all the other posts, i forgot to answer your questions!

I'm going to get DD (2) a stocking - she'll like getting things in & out of it if nothing else! - I want to get a nice one with her name on which she can have every year - does anyone know where I can get one from?

Defn don't spend all day cooking (unless that's what you really want to do!) You will be needed to help play with the new toys!

As your DD is still quite young I would wait until DS is up before starting Christmas. (she won't know any different!)

I was going to let DD "help" me decorate the tree, but am expecting to have to re-do it when she has gone to bed!

I have similar aged kids though we've had more Christmases just us 4. My advice is to not stress about everything being how you want it - let the traditions build up over the next few years, rather than trying to do them all now. You'll soon see what works for your family :)

One of my favourite Christmas traditions that my mum did when I was little was that while we were eating on Christmas eve she would sneak off and put a present of new pj's on our bed. She'd pretend that Santa had sent one of his elves so we'd look our best on Christmas morning. Got us off to bed promptly to so my parents could enjoy a nice glass of wine in front of the fire while they put stockings out.

Obvs your 18month old is a bit young but lovely for 3 year old.

We have a 4yr and 2yr old: my 'tip' would be let the dc hog the day, shove them in bed at normal bedtime, then when dcs are in bed crack open a nice crate bottle of cava or wine and open your presents in the evening when all is calm, so you can relax and enjoy your gifts, too!

happy first 'family' christmas, btw!

Pipkin - you know how it all seems suuch a long wait then it's all over... well I love to extend the joy without taking anything away from 'the big day' by having a hanging set of 'advent stockings' - mini stockings on a string, 24 of them, one for each day of December. The children (each has their own) venture out every morning to find a new small gift in the stocking for that day (tissue wrapped chocolate raisins... that kind of thing). Works really well - even for the now 13-year old .

bessie26 - i got DS a lovely embroidered Christmas stocking and Christmas sack from ebay. There are loads to choose from and are very reasonable x

mrs karpet what a sweet and poignant story

btw i am a rubbish cook and even rubbisher at the whole roast thing for 19 teenagers plus the toddlers but i think it's part of the experience..

maybe i'm old fashioned!

I think we might go for a walk on the beach this year in the afternoon. It'll be all nice and empty and bracing and work off Christmas lunch.

That's the thing with children so young, they still need to get out and run off steam or everyone gets cabin fever = hideous Christmas day. If it was down to me I'd just lie on the sofa watching films with a tin of Roses.

NotanOtter "...roast thing for 19 teenagers plus the toddlers..." - by crikey how many??? You are a saint.

What ever you do buy the food well in advance the first Christmas we had as a family by our selves we ended up having ham egg and chips as surprise surprise all the shops had been completely cleaned out of turkeys by Christmas eve also all the nice ready meals i had planned on buying had all disappeared.

Timeforabiscuit -- I'm RC too, from a 'staunch' family, and wondering why that excludes Santa Claus and Hallowe'en? We didn't make a big fuss over the fripperies to the exclusion of the religious aspect and always knew the religious part was central. The nativity scene was the centre of our Christmas decoration growing up and it was clear that Mass was the main event on both Christmas and the Feast of All Saints.

I remember reading somewhere that the importance of Santa Claus lies in the message that there is a force of good out there somewhere who gives unconditionally (I always hated the lump of coal for bad boys and girls and what I read reinforced that opinion) and is looking out for you personally.

mrs krumpet ( slllllllight) exaggeration by me!