I love every single little bit of Christmas. Christmas Eve is still my favourite day but it's so many things on that day that make it what it is. Steaming the pudding, taking dd to church, going for a long walk, lamb casserole, friends round for mulled wine and a sing song, little traditions of putting out things for FC, sprinkling reindeer food, new pyjamas, reading The Night Before Christmas etc. So many lovely things. The anticipation isn't better than the actual day but I enjoy it most.
Other little things I strangely enjoy are...
The Christmas Radio Times. I can't tell you with how much glee I skip home with it in my bag. I buy a new highlighter and I sit down with a cup of tea and a mince pie and I read it from cover to cover. The children then come and have a look what's on for them. We rarely watch television but the joy of seeing what new things are on is something I remember from my childhood.
Opening the boxes of decorations from the loft. They smell of Christmas and the children have always forgotten we have some of it and there are squeals of 'remember I made this last year?' and 'oh look the angel from the tree and her wonky arm'.
Going to get the tree. We go on a Sunday and we stuff it in the car. It leaves no room, tickles the children's legs and it smells amazing. We take it home and decorate it while eating warm, freshly made sausage rolls and soup and listening to Christmas music.
Christmas light switch on in town.
Christmas markets. We have several excellent ones locally and we go for a wander wrapped up in 78 layers each.
Going to collect fircones and holly and drift wood and then spending a weekend making decorations, drying out cinnamon and oranges etc.
Oh all of it. I love ALL of it.