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Christmas

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

Original poster

Sorry, I have another christmas question!

68 replies

ludaloo · 21/10/2006 08:51

I just wondered if anyone had any ideas, or anything special they do on christmas eve? I have 3 very small and excitable kids, who drive us nuts all day! The evening is worse still as they get hyper!
Growing up it was tradition for us to open one present the night before christmas...I guess to keep us quite for a moment! We do the whole, glass of milk and mince pie for santa and a carrot for Rudolph (although dd1 insisted we put them for ALL the reindeer but I didn't have enough to spare, so they all got celery!!) I think opening a pressie might make matters worse though...they will want more!
Any ideas on how to while away those LONG LONG hours??

OP posts:
Original poster
ludaloo · 21/10/2006 09:39

Thanks for the polar express link Radley...all ordered! £7.99...bargain! free p&p too!
Thanks for finding book saltire (I can't do links either!) off to look now!

OP posts:
FrannyandZooey · 21/10/2006 09:42

We go to a carol service (usually there are short early ones suitable for young children on Christmas eve), then go for tea in town somewhere - avoids cooking when you have loads to do at home anyway. When it gets dark we drive round our estate looking at all the Christmas lights (they go utterly berserk with lights on our estate ). Home to put out the reindeer food in the garden (oats mixed with glitter - an MN special )

Then home, into pjs, downstairs again where we have lit candles and put on a cd of atmospheric mediaeval carols. We cuddle and sit quietly in the candlelight for a few minutes before bedtime. It feels very special indeed and gives that magic Christmas feeling.

MissyBabee · 21/10/2006 09:46

i really want to get that polar express but i guess i should wait 3 or so years

Original poster
ludaloo · 21/10/2006 09:48

"bought "a night before christmas" too..£2.65 even bigger bargain!!!!!!
Phew...hopefully a nice christmas eve this year!!
Good film, nice book, bacon sandwiches!
THANK YOU EVERYONE

OP posts:
Original poster
ludaloo · 21/10/2006 09:50

oooohhhhhhh oats mixed with glitter (oh god I'm gonna pop with all these brill ideas!!!!)

OP posts:
saltire · 21/10/2006 09:53

missybaby, just get it for yourself, it's great

MissyBabee · 21/10/2006 10:20

am toying with the idea, saltire

MissyBabee · 21/10/2006 10:23

think i'm going to start a little ideas book for myself and i'll have a section called christmas, and then i can put all these ideas (like santa tracking, night before xmas, oats/glitter etc etc) down so that when i'm stuck for ideas as dd gets older, i can do all this stuff.

then just put down other ideas - MN is so brill for sharing ideas - as i go along, e.g. as thoughts come to me of what to put in dd's treasure basket etc.

ooh, it's great being a mum

Kittypickle · 21/10/2006 10:32

This year it's going to be making a gingerbread house from the kit that GLTC have followed by a walk in the woods round the corner if not too wet to collect some pine cones or something to put on the table on Christmas day. In the afternoon it will be visiting our neighbour with their present in the afternoon. They are like surrogate grandparents to my two and traditionally Bruno the bear who is about 60 something comes down dressed up in his special Christmas outfit to say hello. Then it's going to be Polar Express (thank you Radley), tea followed by marshmallows in melted chocolate in front of the woodburner. Present each at bedtime will be a new pair of pyjamas to be changed into after bath. Carrot and mince pie out, Christmas poems from my old children's poetry book and have ordered the Night before Christmas for this year, bed. Norad tracking carries on at points through the day.

MissyBabee · 21/10/2006 10:35

ooh, kittypickle. this sounds soooo wonderful!

JodieG1 · 21/10/2006 11:00

Here's a good link to make maic reindeer food

www.dltkkids.com/crafts/xmas/magic_reindeer_food.htmdescription

It's better not to use glitter when you make it because it can be harmful to birds and other wildlife.

JodieG1 · 21/10/2006 11:00

Should say magic reindeer food

Radley · 21/10/2006 11:02

Misybabee, you can have my copy if you want, its not an original though, it is a copy, but watchable.

MissyBabee · 21/10/2006 11:07

ooh, that would be nice radley - thank you!

like the idea of animal friendly reindeer food jodie, since we have a fox who we put food out for now and then and he'll definitely go for the reindeer food!

MissyBabee · 21/10/2006 11:07

i can't get the link to work jodie

JodieG1 · 21/10/2006 12:01

Ok trying again

Reindeer food

danceswiththedevil · 21/10/2006 12:05

Oh I love Christmas

ShowOfBloodyAndSeveredHands · 21/10/2006 12:15

It's embarrassing how much I love Christmas and Christmas Eve is the best bit.

I echo everything said on here. Carol services, walks on the beach, drive round and look at people's decorations (Who can see the most Christmas trees was a favourite with us). We always watched A Christmas Carol (think the film's called Scrooge) with Albert Finney but better for older children as scary in places. Plus, my Mum cleverly convinced us that we should tidy our bedrooms for 15 minutes or Father Christmas wouldn't come. Pyjamas on early, candles lit, Christmas music on low and Dad reads to the whole family...(all together now)...

"'twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse..."

This year I will be 25wks pg with my first at Christmas and I'm already planning the future Christmases with excited little people around.

[excited]

Bucketsofbloodydinosaurs · 21/10/2006 19:20

Hatwoman, I can see great merits in your Christmas Eve meal, think I'll suggest that for next year (lunching at my mum's this year.) Another bonus if you did it for teatime is that the kids will be so stuffed they should sleep like logs. Was planning to find a Christmas morning carol service anyway so far nicer to come home for turkey sandwiches and a day of real slobbery with the kids.
Cheer.

hatwoman · 21/10/2006 19:56

yes buckets (are you dinasaur btw?) - we do it at about 7 pm. then do the mince pies for FC etc, quite a late night for the girls. Christmas morning we'll go for a long walk and lunchtime we'll have nice warm soup, good bread, maybe jacket pots, cold meats (we tend to do ham, as well as Turkey) and a few trimmings (extra nice pickles etc)to make it really nice, and of course sit atthe table, have christmas crackers etc - but all with minimal effort in mind

UCM · 21/10/2006 20:22

I think it may have been Greensleeves who posted that she does a snowman night as one of her traditions. Makes snowman biscuits with icing and lets kids decorate. Make snowman decorations from card for the tree and then watch the snowman vid with Hot Choccy. It sounded like the most wonderful tradition ever and I am going to nick that idea for my DS this year.

Greensleeves · 21/10/2006 20:23

Yup that's me

they have snowmen PJs for Christmas eve too

it's lovely!!

Greensleeves · 21/10/2006 20:23

....Christmas Eve is Snowman Night

KBear · 21/10/2006 20:33

M&S always sell a beautifully illustrated version of The Night Before Christmas - in case anyone's looking for one. £5 I think it was last year.

UCM · 21/10/2006 20:36

GS, I just love the whole idea of that, it sounds magical