Organised Christmas peeps - what do you do on Christmas Eve?

[racingheart]

For the first time ever, I am so organised I've been wrapping presents as they arrive. Had a little dip today though, as I wrapped DCs stocking fillers. I love sitting up on Christmas Eve with a glass of champagne wrapping them.

What do you do on Christmas Eve if you're all already sorted? (Want some luxurious new ritual to look forward to.)

It is hard going when you have to work at Xmas. I refuse to go shopping on Boxing Day out of solidarity with retail workers.

The worst is when Boxing day falls on a weekend, because the bank holiday isn't until the Monday so you work a really antisocial day but don't get extra pay or time off in lieu. I remember a very grim New Years Day when we had about 5 customers in total and we were all hideously hung over.

Right. This is embarrassing. But I've never cooked a roast for more than 2 people. Can you really prep veg the night before? How? Peel, chop and leave in cold water,

Toomany
Not at all embarrassing. We have all done our first Roast Dinner.

yy, prep your veg the day before. I can PM you a link to a blog post with tips for a v easy Xmas dinner if you like.

We will have no choice but to be organised by then this year, as we are having a sort of Xmas day at a dear friend's on the 24th, so we won't be back til quite late!

I hope we can somehow fit in new jammies etc from the elves, the DCs will hang their new tree decs up before bed. I have got White Christmas on DVD as a surprise - DH loves it but hasn't seen it for years (I saw it for the first time last year at a work do) so I hope we will snuggle up and watch that after the DCs are asleep.

I'm not wrapping yet as I think they'll get tatty (our cupboard isn't very tidy at the moment!) but I will do them mid December. However on Xmas eve we will need to set up the playmobil castle (their main present) by the tree. Goodness knows where we will hide it til then.

Crib service and last minute rushing around.

I will be at work, another NHS'er. DH will take the DC's and dog off somewhere for fresh air.

In the evening we might go to Church or might leave it until christmas day depending on how everyone feels.

Sorry to those who work. I used to be a journalist and often worked Chr Day or Boxing Day , tho rarely on Chr Eve oddly.

Agree retail is the worst, a friend works for Next and barely has any Christmas off.

toomanydaisies yes no worries with veg in cold water the day before. I have to do two kinds of potatoes, carrots, parsnips, sprouts, get all ready in cold water 24 hrs in advance. Also stuffing and stuff bird, prep sausages and bacon etc etc. Also make delicious chocolate mousse cake yummmy. All fine in the fridge/cold kitchen overnight. A trifle is fine too IME.

OK. I've decided the new organised Christmas Eve is going to be a fun outing, preferably to the theatre or to a pretty carol service, followed by the PJ hamper. I've given in to it. I've heard about it for years but never done it, and now I even know what basket it's all going in. DC are almost too old for it, but always up for a bit of magic and fantasy.

knackeredmother

Who looks after the kids?

Really hard to get childcare on Xmas eve ime

Before I had DC I used to love working over Christmas. Kept me away from the chocs and the general tv sloth.

Sorry to change the subject, but I'm so excited. I've just booked Winter Wonderland tickets on Christmas Eve. Never done fun stuff on Christmas Eve before, as I've always had it marked as a day of slaving away for the big day. Really looking forward to it! We'll have food at the market, go to the ice sculptures and finish off at Cirque Beserk before coming home for hot chocolate and stockings. Can't wait to tell DC.

Last xmas eve I was in hospital with my newborn DD2 who was in SCBU. So all tradition went out the window.

Normally, I stay indoors with the DD now DC. We bake mince pies, fairy cakes & biscuits with xmas music on. Then sit and watch an xmassy film with some hot chocolate. Then go to the crib service and come home for bath, Pj's, hot chocolate and xmas movie. Then we put all the bits n bobs out for Santa & his Reindeer and get the DC tucked up in bed so DH & I can sit with a glass of wine ready for the chaos which is Christmas Day.

This Christmas will be slightly better as we will have DD2 home. (she was discharged 2pm xmas day last yr) We are round my parents so we don't have to cook either :)

Dh usually works Xmas eve so I make biscuits, snowflakes with the kids, watch Xmas films all day. Follow Santa using NORAD.
Dh comes home we have dinner, watch a new film then it's time for pjs and putting out treats for Santa and the reindeer.
When the kids are safely asleep we fill the stockings and smuggle the presents into the living room. I love Christmas Eve, I love the build up!

DH usually always works Xmas Eve, comes home late, In-laws turn up late (hype up the kids), give him his Birthday presents then eventually go. Spend ages unwinding kids, frantically try and sort out presents once they are asleep. Go to bed shattered. WTF can't they just give him his presents before his Birthday, but no they have to watch him open them. Must learn to be more assertive.

Gumby, tell me about it. Christmas childcare is a nightmare. We have a nanny but she has her own dec so understandably wants (demands) Xmas off. Hopefully dh will be able to sort the day off. The last 2 years Xmas eve has bee a weekend then before that I managed to negotiate a half day or a night shift. I sometimes pine to work 9-5 in an office!

None of my family are working xmas eve, Dh is working for few hours boxing night evening (musician) Then apart from new years eve he is off all xmas. Work resumes about 5th Jan.
We never seem to do the same 2 years running, apart from putting presents out, filling stockings and preparing veg etc.
I am trying to be better organised this year and have started prepping house now.

Thank you for the reassurance re veg!

Oh god I wish I could be less chaotic and actually be able to enjoy Xmas eve! I'm usually to be found scrubbing the house from top to bottom, wrapping and doing food prep, with 3 kids at my feet hoping to do something 'fun'.

bedmonster, me too. My DC are 10 and this is the first year I've made plans to have fun all day on Christmas Eve. But we don't have guests this year until New Year, so it doesn't really matter if the attic gets hoovered and there's no turkey to prep.

DH is always off on Christmas Eve and I'm a SAHM, so in the morning I'll do the cooking and cleaning in the kitchen, DH will clean the rest of the house, the DC will play or watch some cartoons.

After lunch we will go for a walk with the dog, my neighbour will come in to the house while we are out and remove Avery (our version of elf on the shelf) and plant the Christmas Eve hamper......Santa shaped sachets of bubble bath, a glittery bath bomb, jammies, hot chocolate, DVD, reindeer food.

Then an early dinner of ham, mustard mash and green beans.

Outside to scatter the reindeer food and light the reindeer runway (candles in jars on each side of the path)

Then 'the Christmas bath'....aforementioned bubble bath and glitter bomb, candles and fairy lights and Christmas songs playing. (I'm such a saddo eh?, ah well)

Then into new jammies and downstairs to watch a Christmas movie, set out milk and cookies for Santa, carrot for the reindeer.

Then snuggled into bed for a reading of 'twas the night before Christmas.

Then DH and I will do any cleaning/prep needed for the morning, settle down with some drinks and nibbles to watch 'its a wonderful life'

Then put the Christmas presents out under the tree and go to bed. :)

I set my alarm for 7am and only then sneak through and put them on DC's beds.

my dh is working xmas eve so myself and dd are going to go for a walk xmas eve morning then come home for lunch,watch a film then go to church where the children go dressed as angels/shepherds etc and take part in the nativity.then we'll come home and put our pj's on after having a nice bubble bath,then eat pizza whilst watching another xmas film.then dd will get her little table set up for santa before she goes to bed.
i'll then get the presents set up,listen to xmas music and have a glass of baileys

I feel soooooooooooooooo Christmassy after reading this thread!!

Right. That's it. This year I WILL be organised. The DC finish the friday before Xmas and I am determined to have finished all my shopping by then. Hopefully DP (self employed plumber, ALWAYS busy in December) will be home at some point that weekend and he has promised me that he will be off on Xmas eve . So we could possibly have a nice Xmas eve. I fancy having our lovely neighbours round for a drink and set all the DC decorating gingerbread houses in the other room.
The odds of it happening however...

Bed monster my dh is also a self employed plumber- the pressure people feel to have those plumbing jobs done by dec 25 is mad isn't it! Good for self employed income though!

I know knackeredmother and I totally get the username! I barely see DP for the whole months of Nov/Dec, but to be honest, I can't complain much
And it does make me appreciate my heating when he gets a phonecall from a friend at 10pm on a friday night saying they've got no heating/hot water/water pissing from the ceiling causing disasters (although I HAVE had a dripping bath tap for going on 3 years now... mutter mutter tut tut!)