Any ideas for Christmas Eve?

[TaffyandTeenyTaffy]

We generally have a really busy Christmas Day and Boxing Day with my parents and the in-laws so I thought that this year we would try and have a quiet but special Christmas Eve at home. All we will have to do is deliver some presents to the family as we wont get everything in the car on the big day - but if I am organised I may be able to do that in advance.

So any ideas? Am thinking maybe walk the dog in the afternoon and home to hot chocolate, a movie and nice meal (not traditional Christmas dinner)....so suggestions for the morning and a wet weather plan for the afternoon - and meal ideas, please!

DS (Teeny) will be 22 months btw!

:) @ Mercy! May I come, please?

Inspired by this thread, I have just booked a table at local pub for lunch.

So, baking mince pies and sausage rolls in the morning. Christmas toons on. Maybe a short board game. Check Santa tracker.Walk to pub. Lunch. Walk back from pub, trying to spy Santa in sky.

Elf on the Shelf will have disappeared on our return, having left Elf DVD and slipper socks. Check Santa tracker.

Bath, PJs and DVD thence to bed, via mince pie and carrot for Santa, and leaving open loft hatch, hanging stockings on doors. Check Santa tracker.

DH will wrap my present, we will set out Santa gifts, fill stockings ( incl cat's!), eat mince pie and carrot, and I might prep a few veg for the morning.

Love Christmas Eve too.

Oh I love Christmas Eve, as other posters have said it seems almost beetr than Christmas day because of teh anticipation and knowing that generally people are getting ready and hopefully a growing sence of excitement... even dd who is 5 asks what is happening on Christmas eve rather than christmas day!

I like a previous tip where the last bit of cleaning is done on 23rd so you're not faffing trying to tidy up on 24th, so will take that tip! I love Christmas eve mass, we o to church anyway and it's not a huge church, the congregation are all lloevely so there is just a lovely general festive warm cheer within the church, and dcs love having both sets of grandparents theer (mil goes top a different church but comes with us at christmas so she's with the dcs). We'll be collecting the turkey (or I'll send dh out with dcs for it hopefully) then prep veg for christmas day. Church at 6.30, home about 7.30, dcs in bed then when they're definately asleep, santa will be coming!

As soon as the tree goes up with the twinkly lights (traditional for me, not multicoloured) then I'm definalety getting the festive glow!