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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

How do you get that Christmas buzz (without silly spending)

33 replies

bacon · 05/12/2013 21:50

You know what I mean, people keep telling me how excited they are - but I cant say I am and I dont get into the spirit until a week before (max) more Christmas Eve. What gives you that buzz of excitement - is it the actual day, the parties, the decos, the endless spending, time off work or what?

I dont drink and there are no parties. I intend to take the children out for one or two outings but that is it we dont have endless cash.

Do you have to work at getting that excitement I mean put in loads of effort? At the moment I still have loads to prepare, still working out what to get for the difficult members of the family and decs go up next weekend.

I feel churned up already with stress for no reason!

OP posts:

Rosieliveson · 05/12/2013 21:53

I like spot of decoration spotting. A wander around the neighbours looking at the lights people have put up. Putting up our tree always does it for me too

Helpyourself · 05/12/2013 21:59

I just got ambushed by the christmas spirit at a carol concert.
Wasn't planning on going, I'm shattered and it was expensive (charity) but weeeee!

Preciousbane · 05/12/2013 22:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

evelynj · 05/12/2013 22:11

We have an activity advent calendar with lots of festive things to do. Not often expensive-write cards, wrap presents, make. Paper snowflakes. There are some favourites-go to the zoo & say happy Christmas to all the animals & having a picnic tea on a blanket under/beside the Christmas tree). My 4 yo ds loves seeing what the days activity is & I love the excitement everyday & creating our own little family traditions :)

Lovelybitofsquirrel · 05/12/2013 22:11

Listening to my Christmas CDs on repeat much to dh's delight

fuzzpig · 05/12/2013 22:16

For me it's all about the music. Listening to carols on CD and playing them on the piano, especially now that the DCs are learning some at school so we can all sing together!

fuzzpig · 05/12/2013 22:18

Great thread BTW, there is too much pressure to spend at this time of year and 'buy the perfect Xmas' - it is useful to remember that it's often the simpler and basically free things that really make the season.

My 6yo DD's favourite thing about Xmas? Pancakes for breakfast :)

Taffeta · 05/12/2013 22:19

Putting up the tree, making mince pies, putting on the Christmas tunes. Pref all at the same time.

Mrswellyboot · 05/12/2013 22:21

Watching children in the school play. I normally don't like Christmas and rarely put up a tree. This year I have a new baby and I have bought red cushions, a large santa, extra decorations and a mini elf suit for him!!

Also baileys means Christmas ... Yum...

Mrswellyboot · 05/12/2013 22:22

I am stealing Evelyn's idea, lovely!

harrietspy · 05/12/2013 22:31

It's the repeated rituals for me. We have a special very simple tea with candles on Sundays in Advent - same since I was a kid. I love getting out the box of Christmas books and cds and the special red and white oilcloth for the kitchen table (bought 10 years ago in a sale for a tenner). We don't start decorating the house or get the tree till mid December, but we've already started making paper snowflakes for the windows.

It's not about spending money, as the op says. It's about doing happy things we've done many times before.

CreamyCooler · 05/12/2013 22:49

I love watching Christmas movies, wrapping presents with Christmas radio on and there's nothing like eating the very first mince pie and cream of the season. I also love Christmas magazines and reading stories such as "I had my triplets on Christmas day".

ZeViteVitchofCwismas · 05/12/2013 23:06

Going anywhere with lovely decorations I adore seeing glimpses into houses at this time of year very nosey, music, school nativity, window shopping, near a large town, the window displays.

I really really liked the idea I heard once of on Christmas day only having candle light. I loved that idea, cant do at mo, with young DC but one day....

ZoeZoeZoe · 06/12/2013 00:01

There's a few good Christmassy websites and activities here

tyne-teas.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/seasonal-things-for-kids.html

evelynj · 06/12/2013 21:35

Ooh, like the only candlelight on Christmas Day-that is one to add to the list. Also the Sunday candlelit dinner is nice.

I need some more activities for this years calendar so keep 'em coming. Going a drive round looking at the lights is a good one too.

Somewhere I read about a national tradition of holding hands & singing & dancing round the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve-think we'll do that this year singing 'oh Christmas tree'.

This also reminds me that my favourite New Year's Eve was a few years ago when I researched all the different traditions from around the world & did them all (vaguely around the midnight for the various time zones), some were soooo random. It was really great fun & there were only 4 of us. Going to suggest it again for this year.

raisah · 07/12/2013 08:28

I cant wait for my 4 colleagues to open their gifts, I bought them these:

lyonscoffeeuk.com/products

They are hardcore coffee drinkers so will hopefully appreciate these coffeebags. I absolutely LOVE them & keep posting about them.

ExcuseTypos · 07/12/2013 08:58

evelynj the activity advent is such a lovely idea.

5HundredUsernamesLater · 07/12/2013 08:59

I try and get all the stressful stuff out of the way early. Presents all bought, online food shop ordered for delivery, house blitzed, then we spend the run up to christmas doing the fun stuff like making decorations and decorating tree, baking, carol service, pantomime etc. I actually seem to enjoy the run up to christmas as much if not more than he day itself.

ExcuseTypos · 07/12/2013 09:03

Some things my DDs used to love doing in the run up to Christmas- make paper chains, make tree decorations, Xmas baking-chocolates/biscuits. Watching a Xmas film together and going to a Christingle service.

We also used to have a pre Christmas toy clear out of things not really played with anymore. We would go and give them to a charity shop.
And of course this would leave room for some new things which may be delivered on the 25th

evelynj · 07/12/2013 09:13

Good one excuse-I can use that for an activity-3 toys out to make room. Its a hard lesson I think but my 4yo ds needs to lose some toys & this May be the only way to do it, (May lessen the blow by including a small pack of harbor that day tho!)

craftynclothy · 07/12/2013 09:19

Look out for Xmas events - like craft fairs, Xmas markets. You don't have to buy anything. There's often things on at places where you can go for a walk.

Xmas tree with Xmas lights on in the evening and a few Xmas candles (and fake Xmas tealights for the kids £1 in wilkos). Xmas food - stollen bites and fudge from Aldi.

Crafty stuff with the kids - paper chains, snowflakes, pictures, baubles. Dd made a snowman at Rainbows from a sock and some rice. I sew so I try to do at least one Xmas project (this year it was advent calendars)

This year Dh is having more time off work than usual as he hasn't used much holiday so I'm really looking forward to that. He's going to take the Dc to a Panto on Xmas eve. We also have a Xmas eve hamper for when they get back.

SugarMiceInTheRain · 07/12/2013 09:23

For me sitting in the living room with the lights off, somw Christmassy candles and the dairy lights glowing, listening to carols and eating lebkuchen.

lade · 07/12/2013 12:20

For me, it is all about having fun with family. I have a close family, and we all go to my mums on Christmas Day. We usually play a silly game on Christmas Day. This year, we are doing bingo cards. We're going to write everyone's catchphrases (or actions) on a bingo card, and dish them out to other people. If the person says their catchphrase, then you get to shout bingo and tick it off, the person who gets the full house first will win a prize (indoor fireworks - a crap thing my granny always bought us at christmas, they were always rubbish and we still laugh at them now) It'll be silly things like every year my mum always leaves the price on the presents, that'll be one box, and she always says 'is the food hot enough, and tries to microwave someone's food who she has randomly decided is too cold (it's always hot enough), or my dad who never eats custard except at Christmas when he says 'just a dribble'.

For me, Christmas is the presents, yes, but it also enjoying spending time with family; the laughing together, taking the mick and teasing each other, just enjoying being together, just having fun with no other pressures for a couple of days.

PedantMarina · 07/12/2013 22:36

Assault as many senses as you can:

Smell: poke oranges with cloves (and shards of cinnamon if you need that extra hit), poke a large pape*Sightrclip through the centre, wider at the bottom, and hang it from a ribbon

Sound: any christmas tunes you love, play them on repeat.

Sight: Are there any pictures/decorations you remember from your childhood? Do a google on "retro christmas" or similar, see what comes up.

Taste: Oh, go nuts.

D'ye know, the best memories of christmas are from when we were young? At that point, fortunately, we were in a position to be "christmas programmed", Just go back to that (but pick out the bits you might now like these days), and youl'll be fine.

PedantMarina · 07/12/2013 22:37

Sigh

Paperclip, I mean

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