How can I make Christmas Eve special for Dc's?

[Dappymummy]

I really want to enjoy the build up to christmas today but not sure what to do. Kids are 5 and 7. Can't really afford to take them anywhere ( lots of friends have been going to cinema or panto) so feeling a bit guilty. Plan on doing a bit of baking in a bit but what other Christmas Eve activities do you do to get the kids in the magical mood.

Take them to the park. Do a picnic lunch. Get board games out. Take them to see grandparents. Just structure the day do that they are kept busy and excited. If all else fails, turn up the Christmas music and have a disco!

Watch a Christmas film, put a Christmas cd in the car and go for a drive looking for Christmas lights. And traxk Santa! He's already started his journey on the NORAD tracker! Always gets me feeling Christmassy!

New pyjamas
A new story book related to Christmas
Make some paper chains and decorate a corner where you will set out Santa's snack, we used to decorate two paper plates and put a mince pie and a piece of cheese on one and some oats and a carrot on the other.
Write a thank you letter to Santa for visiting your house, do it in coloured pens and illustrate with a self portrait of the child (for Santa to take).
A Christmas colouring or activity book is good too, my dgc have a big 'find Santa' book a bit like 'Where's Wally'.
I'd also try to factor in a bit of outside time so park on bikes or scooters or duck feeding or just playing out. If you can meet up with a friend for a mutual play session and a cuppa that will be fun too.
Happy Christmas

How about tracking Santa around the world? You can do it online and my nephews have always loved doing that on Christmas Eve. There's also a space station visible in the sky at around 5.20pm for a few minutes...could look like Santa and his sleigh! Baking is a great idea, Christmas films, a walk, if you have a printer there's loads of colouring in sheets online so they can choose their own picture and leave for Santa, put some Christmas tunes on and have a dance! I like Christmas Eve to be quite chilled so not too tired for busy day (and early start) tomorrow. Hope you have a lovely day.

We're having a pj day, all in new pyjamas. Christmas films, nice food and a takeaway later. We've been manic the last few days so I've promised them no cleaning or laundry we'll just have a day of fun. We're making gingerbread and decorating them later.

Go to a local christingles church service: free, festive and fun.

We aren't religious but we always go and the DCs adore the carols and dressing the crib plus holding the candles.

We then return home to new PJs and putting the food out for Santa, hanging stocking etc.

Put the radio on and listen to Carols from Kings at 3 o'clock

^ that's a choirboy!

Probably a bit late for you to organise now but maybe next year! We put a xmas eve box for each DC on the doorstep (delivered by the elves) with new pyjamas, small toys colouring books, their sstocking andbath bombs.

Bake cookies for Santa,
Christmas movie snuggled up under a duvet with hot chocolate and marshmallows,
Walk to look at lights
Visit church for cristingle
Make reindeer food (oats and edible glitter)
Make Christmas cards for friends / neighbours
Prepare food for Christmas day
Listen to Christmas songs on the radio and have a sng and dance along

Lovely suggestions thank you. Please keep them coming it so nice to hear what you are all doing.

We collect holly,do Xmas crafts,watch The Snowman,ice the Christmas cake and make the gingerbread house.

To be honest I'm often belting around Christmas Eve so have always kept it rarely low key(thank goodness).

To be honest we keep it low key, so its a lazy Sunday morning here - going to visit several relatives this afternoon though!

Ds has gone out already with dh for breakfast and to prepare a car that dh's friend is giving to his wife for Xmas but when he gets back we'll track santa on NORAD and prepare for our Christmas Eve onesie party ( does 2 years in a row make it a tradition?). Could you go out to visit anyone for a bit? Ds loves that as much as expensive trips out. A nice novelty, I find, is a mid afternoon bath, then into onesies. It's even better if you have any special bath products to hand and as it's not nearly bed time, DS can take as much time as he wants.

Do you have anything in to make a party/ picnic tea? We'll also definitely fit in a christmas film ( whatever's on tv) and a special bed time story ( our's will be quick as we'll be home late but you could do a few).

Is there a crib service near by?

We're not at all religious but we go every year, our local church does a kid one at 3, they play games and learn bout jeues but in a fun relaxed way that's not over the top.

My boys love it, seeing the church, singing it feels very special.

You don't normally have to attend church to be welcomed ethier.

We are lazing this morning while the turkey cooks. Kids currently watching a movie whilst we lie in bed! Will hopefully fit in a walk before turkey finishes.
Sprinkling reindeer food in the garden after lunch (we made it last week- oats, small amount of sugar and glitter!)
Then we are off to church to take part in two crib services run by the youth group. My three are a narrator, Herod, Ceaser, a shepherd and a donkey (two shows so different characters) .
Back for picnic tea in front of the tele with all the candles lit and setting out of Santa stuff, bath and bed.
My favourite day of the year.

My seven year old dd is bouncing off the walls! We will listen to carols whilst having lunch. I bought a few simple crafts for her to make gifts for everyone, I will set her up at the table, while I prepare for our overnight stay at my mum's. We will read one or two Christmas stories as the afternoon grows on.

Once at mum's, we will make reindeer food ( our recipe is oaties and glitter mixed in sandwich bag) Reindeer food will be spread all over Nanny's garden. We will set out buffet for dinner. After dinner, it is time for her Christmas Eve hamper. We have bought new pyjammas, colouring book,crayons,SpongeBob Christmas DVD, Cinnamon scented bubble bath and a few Lego Mini-figs. After a bath, it is time for a snack, story and into bed with her new DVD playing.

Ofcourse, the best laid plans of mice and men

We do many of the things mentioned (movies, walk, hot choc, track Santa etc). But one of my favourite things is to snuggle up & let them tell me all about what they think Father Christmas is really like, what the North Pole looks like & how it all works.

Another tradition is lighting lots of candles just before bedtime & snuggling in pjs to read The Night Before Christmas. My DCs are 14 & 10 and they still love doing this. In fact eldest reminded me yesterday!

Our Christmas eve activities included a "this year we have" book. We would write down all the things we had done during the year and we would all do a drawing to put in the book. After Christmas the book was stored away with the decorations. Every year we would have a real giggle over them. Sadly one year my husband threw out the decorations by mistake so the books were lost.

Well we're all recovering from norovirus and I'm spending the day bleaching my entire house. Got through three bottles already. Due fucking bastard norovirus die!
However it's not a tradition I hope to continue next year.

We will go for an evening walk (as soon as it's dark!) to see all the Christmas lights in the neighbourhood. Lots of houses are decorated and it looks so Christmassy and not a little tacky in the cold light of day. In fact, thank you to all my lovely neighbours who have made a wonderful effort for the children!