How do i "DO" christmas

[ringaringarosy]

Growing up christmas for us was just basically my mum and stepdad buying us some stuff,and having a turkey roast dinner on christmas day,we had a tree up aswell,that was it,no traditions or anything,they didnt really do santa,my mum used to say that she bought the presents and then santa took them away and bought them back again on christmas eve,which didnt really make sense so i didnt believe in it for long.

My kids are 5,4,3 and 1 now,and up til now weve not made a huge fuss out of christmas or father christmas,but as the older ones are at school they are starting to ask about it,i am feeling quite christmassy this year and would like to start some traditions and start the whole santa thing,ive bought elf on a shelf and have a hamper with christmas books,dvds etc in.

What do i do about santa,are all the presents from him?we never had stockings,what are they for and who are they supposed to be from,when do they open them?

Im also due december 19th which is why im sorting it all out in my mind now so i can relax in december and nest!Ive bought all the kids presents and all the kids on dhs side,just not grown ups yet.

so basically,how do you do christmas?and what do you tell your kids about santa?

[MmmmWhiteWine]

For us Christmas works like this -

Christmas Eve = trip into our nearest big town to see the lights, ride the carousel, soak up the atmosphere. Stop off somewhere for dinner on the way home...nothing fancy, just Pizza Express, Frankie & Benny's or similar. While we've been out the elves have magically left new PJs on our DDs beds along with their stockings, ready to be hung up (either me or DH "forget" our keys once we're in the car ready to go out and have to dash back in to leave the pjs/stockings on the beds while the girls wait in the car). Once back home we all get in our pjs, leave out whisky, shortbread, carrots etc by the fire, watch a bit of Xmas telly then off to bed for the DDs and open a bottle of fizz for us, while we wait for them to go to sleep so that we can creep up and fill their stockings.

Christmas Day - girls can open their stockings as soon as they wake up, then once it's a reasonable hour we all go down stairs together...no-one is allowed down before the others - and the girls open their presents from Santa and DH and I do ours too. They're also allowed to open any presents from family we won't be seeing later that day. Tea and bacon rolls all round after the present opening. My DPs normally come over early afternoon when we do more fizz, more presents and some canapés. Then dinner around 3ish...then a walk, games and they go home about 9ish. DDs off to bed, we clear up and open more fizz (do you spot a theme??), TV and collapse!

Boxing Day - a do nothing day, PJs all day if that's what folk want to do, grazing from the fridge, eating chocolate, watching TV and drinking more fizz. My favourite day!!