Hello, all Christmas Lovers 'tis time to settle down and consider the Christmas Traditions. Then in December when everyone else is running about , tearing out hair and raging at Amazon/Post Office or supermarket of choice, we've got it sorted. 
(Bit of background here) I was born in the late 1960s so Christmas in my day was much more low key. Memories were a pillowcase of presents and buying tangerines from the market.
Then age 8+ my mum especially was very meh about Christmas, too much effort (though she didn;t actually do much) . Meals got made because we had a family friend who visited,and cooked , then I used to cook. Any decorations were done by us.
So when I had my own DC, I had a mental image of how I wanted Christmas to be. DH takes the mick says I'm over-compensating for my youth. I like to do things to build up to the Day. Doesn't have to cost much.
And every year as the DC get older, things change. We add a new Tradition each year, some get abandoned.
The DC are involved more now but when they were little I wanted them to think it was all 'seamless'.
So.....coffee in hand, here we go. 
I do a £2 jar from January. Try to save £4-6 a week, then we open it, put it in the bank and share the money out. (DH,DS,DD and me)
I save my Sainsbury Nectar points (and use the extra points vouchers) usually get £120+ in rewards for my Christmas food shop)
DS birthday is December so we don't do any decorations until 10-14 days before Christmas. Some of my decs are 23 years old, but every year we buy a couple of new ones.
We have a little advent calender (with decorations that are hung on a little tree) and room for a chocolate coin.So on Dec 1st it starts.
I do have an Elf on the Shelf that I made from a doll (A-Team - liam neeson one) before it was a Dr Who doll (Christopher Eccelstone- he was scary). I made clothes from felt 
. He hides round the house each night.
When DS was about 3-4 yo I made a little sleeping elf in a bed and we walked down the Playhouse with a candle in a jar to peep.
I put lines of candles in jars on the lawn to make a guide for the sleigh.
We did Reindeer Food (once) edible glitter, coloured sugar and porridge to scatter on the lawn. It sat like a lump of vomit for days 
hence only once.
We do a family day out to London. See the lights. Go to Hamleys. Count the Hamleys bags.
Winter Wonderland (though last year it was really busy)
DD and I go to see a ballet
DH,DD and DS go to the cinema to see a film while I do the food shop in peace.
DH and I have a child free shopping day at end November.
Then we take DC to Lakeside/Bluewater to do their shopping (with their share of the £2 jar)
On Christmas Eve, we used to feed ducks or reindeer, now they are older we go for a walk (park usually) and they come back to their Christmas Hampers in front of the fire.
Lunch is chips,salad,fish fingers for DS, veg grills for DH and I.
Trifle for us, ice-cream for DC.
We have crackers and poppers etc on the table.
We watch a Christmas Film.
Check out Santa Tracking (online)
DD does a tray for Father Christmas (which I eat)
We do a late night buffet- sandwiches and crisps things.
DS sleeps in DD room (grumble grumble) so we can hear them wake up and open their stockings. They can't go downstairs until the fibre optic little tree (on a timer) lights in the hall.
The lounge door is covered in wrapping paper that they burst through.
I do the same meal every year for Christmas Day (I don't like these new fangled 'different' meals).
Has to be dark and has to be finished in time for Dr Who.
I spend all day pottering about, cooking, setting the table, watching the soaps as I work.
Candles, all my nice crockery (I have a Christmas Cupboard ) , popper, crackers, lovely tablecover.
We don't eat Christmas Pud so I don't make one (or Christmas Cake but I like fruit cake and cheese)
The DC used to dress up(fancy dress) on Christmas Eve but they are too old now.
Christmas Eve Hamper (CEH) is in a nice festive box: new PJs, annual, jar of sweets, hot chocolate sachet,a Christmas mug, mini biscuits, bath bomb.
Christmas Morning Stocking:selection box, tiny Lindt reindeer or teddies. Underwear. Earrings for DD. Keyring for DS. Books (I Spy book or paperback)
All wrapped with extra sellotape to keep them busy
My DC are 11 and 13 now so every year it changes and in a couple of years my DS won't be out of bed until noon. The presents are getting smaller and more ££. (So that's why we need the stockings. Little 'filler' presents but useful and only a couple of £ each).
Come and add to the list (if you've managed to read this far)
And - Yes I KNOW it's July before anyone says it,
But this is THE CHRISTMAS THREAD.
From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.
MNHQ have commented on this thread
Christmas
The Christmas Traditions Thread ;) (in July, oh yes, for real)
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 24/07/2013 14:09
Monroe would you like another child? im almost 30 but available for adoption
We watch a Christmas movie every day of December. Starts off with my favourite that I really don't have the patience to wait for- National Lampoons Christmas vacation and we leave Polar Express till Christmas Eve.
Dc are all toddlers so we do a lot of crafts throughout December. Make paper plate snowmen and Santa's, paper chains, xmas cards, snowglobes etc.
We also do a lot of baking. The cake and mince pies are done in advance but we bake Christmas shape cookies, I make vegan eggnog, stollen, chocolate orange cake for Christmas day etc. And this year I will accomplish the gingerbread house and people!
Usually we go to the mall Santa but this year we're going on the Santa steam train which I can't wait for.
We all wear Christmas jumpers and the DC wear Christmas pudding hats. Also have the Tots Bots Christmas nappies for a photo opportunity!
This year I'm making the garland and stockings. Also actually doing stockings for the first time. Usually just have a santa sack with their names on each filled with presents. But I've got smaller stocking presents for them to hang on the fireplace. I'd like to see carol singers this year too.
1st December elf on the shelf arrives with a note explaining why he's there, Christmas duvet, Christmas colouring book and Christmas books. Also they start the advent calendar and we have a little countdown to Christmas thing we change the numbers on.
Christmas Eve we bake choc chip cookies for Santa and have a special Christmas plate and mug for him to put them and his milk on and the carrot for Rudolph. We go for a walk and when we return eots has gone leaving a note explaining that he'll see them again next year and there's a little hamper for each DC with new PJS (this year all matching!), slippers, chocolate coins, marshmallows and a soft toy. Then we all settle down with hot choc, cream and marshmallows to watch Polar Express. Read The night before Christmas before bed.
We read a lot of Christmas books throughout December aimed at children- Jolly Christmas postman, Dear Santa, The Grinch etc.
DH and I have a lovely wrapping evening where mainly he wraps because I'm absolutely useless and I 'prettify' them. We usually wrap in brown paper with pretty ribbon and we scoff mince pies, watch White Christmas and swig some eggnog whilst we're doing it. ALWAYS drink eggnog out of the Lampoons moose mugs, how else?!
Because DC are so young atm DH and I do the decorating on the evening of 30th Nov when DC are asleep. Always have a real tree with a gingerbread man skirt, we buy a new bauble each year although this year I've bought quite a few new vintage ones. Decorations are a mixed bag of vintage/traditional and random stuff like handmade felt ones and Nightmare before Christmas. Got our first outdoor lights this year to wrap around the tree in the front garden. Cushion covers become Christmas ones!
We have a 'holiday tree' which is decorated for Halloween, Christmas and Easter. I put lights around it and for it's decorated with a mixture of the DC's crafts and little felt decorations.
Christmas Day the TV is banned . After waking early and opening presents, I make breakfast (from scratch) which is croissants, pain au chocolat and breakfast muffins. DC usually have a nap around midday and DH and I crack on with Christmas dinner. We have tried starters in the past but the main is so massive that the starter seems to ruin it and half of it gets left and wasted so I don't know if I'll do a starter this year. We try a different veggie main each year but none have overwhelmed so far so we're going to try a new vegan roast which has been released this year. Homemade onion gravy and lots of veggies. Dessert is chocolate orange cake and Christmas cake. Might try making a Christmas pudding this year. DH and I swig champagne with edible glitter. I'm decorating the table for the first time this year, I haven't bothered before because I thought DC would just pull it all down but I'm going to attempt. Got a robin and Christmas pudding tablecloth, fox napkin rings, fox and owl napkins, a stag head candle for the centre and russian doll salt and pepper shakers. Sounds like a random mixture which goes with us . When DC go to bed DH and I spend the evening playing board games with a chocolate hamper.
We go to the Christmas market every year but this year we might not take DC and just have an us day there because the DC never seem to enjoy it and just end up tantrumming around the market so...
And I probably missed something but I think that's it! So excited.
Best. Thread. Ever.
I'm so excited this year as DD is 2 and will have some idea of what's going on. It's also DS's first Christmas. We have been emotionally blackmailed into going to my mums this year, so we've decided to have our own Christmas on the 23rd which is also my birthday.
DP and I will decorate the tree once the DC are in bed and tell them that the Christmas faries did it. We always go to the local garden centres and the Christmas market in December. We also go put and pick a decoration for the tree. For DDs first Christmas, she had a 'baby's first Christmas' bauble. Last year she had one with her name on and I think she is old enough to choose her own this year. DS will be getting 'baby first christmas.' DP and I also have a DD free shopping day. (bf DS has to come with us)
On 'Christmas eve' we will let the DC open a present early. We will do a major clean up of the house and just get things ready for the next day. For dinner, we will have an indoor picnic on the living room floor with mixtures of all our favourite snacky foods. In the evening, the chritmas eve hamper will bring new pjs, bath bombs, hot chocolate with marshmallows in our matching Christmas mugs and mickeys once apon a Christmas DVD. We will sit and watch it before bed time for the DC. Just before bed we will put out mince pie/milk for Santa. We will hang the magic Santa key and a carrot for the reindeer from the tree in the garden.
Once the DC are in bed we will do last minute wrapping and fill the stockings while watching something christmassy and hopefully a few drinks. A box or two of Christmas chocolates may be opened too
On Christmas day, stockings are opened on our bed and christmas breakfast is always sausage sandwiches followed by pancakes. As we'll be getting a traditional Christmas dinner on the real Christmas day, we'll probably do something different for dinner. Not sure what yet. We will try to stretch the present opening by saving some for after dinner.
Sorry this is so long! I didn't mean to write so much, I'm just so excited!
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.