what do you do on Christmas eve?

[Lucyintheskywithdiamonds]

My dds (5 and 10) and I have Christmas eve by ourselves most years and it's the only day of Christmas that we do so I would like to have some traditions/special things we do/eat etc.

We already go to church at about 4 pm then see christmas lights on the way home. We always read 'annight before Christmas' as a bedtime story. Then it's stockings and mince pies out and bed.

But I feel that we should do something nice together the rest of the day. Maybe just make it a board games and christmas film day? I also feel that they should be having something special or traditional for lunch/tea.

Just wondering what other people do?

TIA

We always have our family over on Christmas Eve for some mulled wine and mince pies. The children watch a christmas movie, then when everyone is leaving all the children go outside and sprinkle reindeer food so that Santa can find where we stay (oats for the reindeer to eat mixed with glitter so that they can see our town).
My DH and I then put the DCs to bed, drink more mulled wine, and end the evening tipsilywrapping presents at midnight - the last bit is very traditional but not necessarily to be recommended.

You could track Santa on Norad!

We try and get out for a ramble in the forest or similar in the day, meet up with friends or family if anyone at a loose end. Watch a family Christmassy DVD with goodies and open the Christmas hamper after tea that the Elves have left. We try and make it as relaxing as possible as Christmas day is so busy and frantic although fabulous.

For the last couple of years we have gone skiing. It is great because it tires them out :)

Thanks, yes we do Norad as well. I guess we have built up a few traditions without realising it.
I think cheese and biscuits/hamper type stuff is a good idea for tea too.

The earlier part of the day is usually frantic cleaning and veg peeling lol!
With a bit of NORAD tracking thrown in.

We usually go to a neighbour's for drinks and food at 4ish. We always leave a runway made of tea lights on the front path to guide the reindeer down (as well as usual stuff like stockings etc)

Following with interest as we too do the 4pm church crib service / food for Santa and Rudolph but not much before 4pm - what is NORAD?!!!!

This current thread is nice. I added my Christmas Eve traditions there.

www.noradsanta.org/

Not available until 1st December

we always used to go visit santa, and have the lunch of their choice (normally mcdonalds ), and then home to write their letters and hang their stockings and watch a christmas movie.

now they are older, we all go out for lunch of their choice (normally frankie and bennys as it is walking distance, the children love it, and both DH and I can have a drink without worrying about driving). We also take a family pic of the children and get them developed in the hour sessions, get them framed, and wrap them for the grandparents.

They then open their christmas eve pressies (always new PJ's and dressing gown to get them ready for bed easy ), and settle down to mulled wine, movies, letter writing (they still love that tradition) and then bed.

All mine still want that, even tho the eldest is now 18 and in a serious relationship. Her BF will be joining us, as he did last year, and he is also this year being included in the new PJ tradition.

I hope, that when they are all grown, christmas eve stays like that. They will have other family and in-laws who will no doubt want them for christmas day and boxing day, so I am going to keep christmas eve for us. I hope.

Christmas eve is my very favourite day. the magical expectation and excitement.