Do you prefer Christmas, or the build-up to Christmas?

[2kidsintow]

I definitely prefer the build up myself.

I'm one of the teachers responsible for music in my school so we start learning songs for the Carol Service as seeon as we go back to school after the October half term.
Our tree goes up the same time the advent calendars come out. My DD(7) is VERY excited not to have a cheap choc calendar, but to have a playmobil one.

We take long drives on the way home from school etc to count the Christmas lights as they appear. (I always remember competing with my sisters as a child to see who could spot the most lights!)
They go to their Christmas fair, then mine the week after and then there are all the parties and the concerts.
We go to the Christingle service in our church.
When school has finished we have a lovely few days of last minute getting ready and we bake and make different things.
We go and do something nice together too, and am thinking of taking them to Arthur Christmas this year, as well as the Winter Wonderland at the Zoo.
They go to see an excellent Father Christmas on Christmas eve at the Grosvenor Garden Centre.
They have new PJs etc for Christmas eve night and put out the reindeer food. Am going to parcel up the bits for that night in a nice box for them after pinching the Christmas eve hamper idea from MNetters on here. (Thanks!)
Christmas day is lovely, but the magic is all in the build up for me.

Build up! I love December

I like all of it. The prep, the day and the bit afterwards which is all windswept trudges on the beach and hot chocolate from a flask.

I like December. And late November. And the first half of January. I can really eke the whole thing out.

Build up here too
I find the big day exhausting! But the activities I enjoy the most are the ones mentioned in the OP! Thats what makes me feel Christmassy!

Build up - can't wait to get the decorations out, buy and wrap presents, listen to christmas music and go to DS's christmas concert (of course only if he is joseph ).

Christmas itself. I love Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The rest is all pants.

Prefer the build up definitely. I always start to feel a bit depressed after Boxing Day. Hate New Year too.

Build up! Then DD1s birthday on 27th. Downhill after that...

My daughter is Mary in her Church service (proud and slightly smug Mum emoticon)

Definitely build-up! It's the anticipation I love - all the shopping, baking, decorations, wrapping, smaltzy films etc. Once Christmas Day actually arrives I always feel a little flat :( And I loathe New Year's Eve (all that pressure to have a good time!)

Ooops....and I sound it too. That was in reply to Icapture's comment about her DS's concert.

2kidsintow - I would definitely be proud and slightly smug

I prefer Easter

Love November, December and January. My absolute favourite time of the year. This year is even more precious to us as we're going to be in the UK for Christmas. I simply cannot wait!

Christmas Tree is going up next week when a special visitor arrives for a few weeks and then it's concerts, carols, parties and preparation. Love it, love it!

"Love November, December and January. My absolute favourite time of the year"

Come and live where I live then and you won't love those three months so much. The last couple of weeks the light level has been so low and depressing. No bright, sparkly mornings, just gloom, damp, drizzle and dusk all day. I hate, hate, hate winter. We have had no frost at all so far this winter and we are having real problems with flies this year because it has been so mild.

Our Christmas tree will go up when DD breaks up from school for the Christmas holidays, not several weeks before. I feel that having Christmassy stuff around from so early on just devalues Christmas and stops it being special.

I don't dislike Christmas, I just prefer to keep it at Christmas.

I love all of it.

I love the build up and admit I make a meal of it.

We are kicking off this Sunday with DD's xmas fayre. She is one of Santa's elves in the grotto for the little 'uns. I'm trying not to notice how foxy she looks in her green tights and red leotard and tell myself it's all clean fun.

The magic is mostly in the build-up for me. Though every year I fight it! This year I'm going to let myself enjoy it, rather than just anticipating the day. I'm going to listen to as much christmas music as I like, eat christmas pudding and cake and mince pies before christmas day (I dont' usually allow myself to do that!) and generally just relax into the whole thing a lot more.

For me the build up is the best and Christmas eve is my absolute best day of the year. The elves have delivered a hamper so the dc are so excited they are fizzing. The house smells of freshly baked gingerbread. We have a lovely Christmas eve dinner (just DH, myself and 5 dc). When the dc are all in bed dh and I will cuddle up with a bottle of Baileys and a film.

I love Christmas day as well though. I cook for 12 and we have loads of family in and out all day.

Boxing day is just for our family, we don'rt have visitors or go out. Nobody gets dressed. Meals are of the buffet help yourself type. The dc stay in the playroom most of the day with their new toys. Dh and I just eat and lounge around.