whats your family tradition?

[JanenEvie]

Hi all
Well here to the ever fast approaching first christmas with my DD who's 20 weeks!
We have just been discussing what traditions we should start for our new family, sadly neither of us really had any
So I'm asking what your's are to steal ideas and use them as my own

Cheers all

Arguing over presents.
Cooking too much food and stuffing yourself silly.
Falling out with the in-laws.
Forgetting to buy batteries for the kids' new toys.
Where do you want to start?

fishfingers mash and beans on xmas eve

wake up and take stocking into mum and dads room (except now I'm the mum!!!)

then go into living room with eyes shut to see if father xmas had been

open lots of pressies whilst listening to xmas cd

then have great big tru british breakfast

play with toys and ring round family

then open presents under tree

snooze and play

have dinner

more snoozing and playing!!

stockings are always handmade and I now do muffins and xmas pies on xmas eve. I have the xmas decs up from the 1st.

Message withdrawn

Sound like you all have an interesting crimbo

We always spend xmas eve just the three of us and go out for a meal at around 5-6pm and then come home and watch tv and eat rubbish all night!We light loads of candles and just chill before the horror of the relatives descends in teh morning!

Never go out christmas eve except to mass, (well i go to mass DH "helps" santa)
But always snuggle down on the sofa christmas eve and watch a christmas carol while eating sasumas and sweets.

Have big christmas eve meal, get the milk and mince pies out and read the night before christmas to the boys at bed time.
Boys open stockings in bed then DH goes down stairs puts the coal effect gas fire on and the tree lights and the christmas cd and the boy come down and open gifts.
Adults (most years my mom and sis are there) then get to open some gifts,
Dh goes to pub for lunch time drink (only time he goes to the pub) with our neighbours and moom helps with dinner.
My 10 year old gets to say grace and we all eat far to much.
More pressies
Lay out tea cold meat etc
more pressies
eat far too much again
Me and sis attack the wine and chocks
watch what ever rubbish on T.V or play a game
Bed late with the hope of a boxing day lie in before we have more family over more food and more pressies!

Eat lots, drink lots, watch crap tv, go to bed content.

Christmas eve listen to classic FM all day while getting things ready. It's christmas carols/music with requests all day. Phone in in the morning to make a special request for our family and then listen all day in case it's played. It never has been yet, but always enjoy the anticipation. Going to try again this year. It's lovely with all the requests for families driving home for Christmas etc.

We also have all the presents form father Christmas in our bedroom (we have a fireplace in there) so it's lovely and relaxed at 6.00am we sit in bed drinking tea and watch them open presents.
I love this I'm getting all excited. I think I'll start another christmas thread as I have a question...

We all go to my parents house the day before christmas eve. Christmas eve the fathers/granfathers take the children out somewhere whilst the women prepare as much of the next days food as possible, bake mince pies etc. We then go to Winchester cathedral for the carol service. Before bed we hang the stockings and put out biscuits,milk and carrots by the fireplace for santa and the reindeers. After kids have gone to bed we put the prsents under the tree., remove the biscuits etc

Chritmas morning we get up and open presents then my dad cooks scrambled egg and smoked salmon with bucks fizz . The rest of the family comes over later and we eat about 3pm . We always go for a walk after lunch too.

Go to my parents a couple of days before xmas (we live 2 hours away from parents and pil who live near each other, which makes life easier). Go to mil xmas eve she has an open fire and put a letter to santa up there for ds (13 months). I don't think he is bothered but more for the grown ups (grin).

Sleep at my parents and dh and i do stockings for each other and ds. Leave out milk, whisky, mince pie and carrots for santa and reindear.

My parents put the gifts around the tree so when we come down they are there and we open stockings in bed.

Have breakfast and go to church. Get back and open the gifts under the tree (only allowed to open one before church, I know my mum is mean!!).

Go to mil for xmas dinner, open more gifts, eat loads etc. Go for an afternoon walk, watch rubbish telly, cold meat, cheese meal. Veg & sleep.

Getting all excited now (grin)

Christmas is always spent at my parents, so the same traditions as when I was small which are...

• Christmas Eve go to watchnight service then come home and drink whisky/eat mince pies/stay up far too late

• Christmas morning get up stupidly early even though no kids of an age to get excited yet , dad goes downstairs first to switch on tree lights, open presents, have breakfast, go to church

• Smoked salmon sandwiches, bubbly & mince pies for lunch after church (mmmmmm! )

• Go for a walk if it's not tipping it down or sleep

• Eat Christmas dinner about 4.30 and then play stupid games. My dad has a special talent for buying board games with incomprehensible instructions.

• Go to bed fairly early as extended family visit for dinner on Boxing Day which is usually v. drunken and manic.

This year there will be the addition of 10 month old & approx 6 week old babies so it may be slightly different !

Lots of Irish coffee, starting around breakfast time usually seems to set me up for the day. No, not an alcoholic (don't usually drink in the morning!), but yes, I will miss it this year; being up the duff and all.

I like going to mass at Christmas. Gets you up and out of the house in the morning for some fresh air and it's a lovely feeling with everyone happy and joyous in the church.

bump

Pruni I like your Christmas style!

We make hats and eat santa muffin pizzas and yule log on Christmas Eve (dds very very not hungry due to excitement)

We all watch the Finney musical of Scrooge.

dh and I drink lots of port and kir royale and watch It's a Wonderful Life with obligatory crying.

STockings and presents first thing Christmas morning. Fruit salad and croissants for breakfast. But I might switch to pancakes now.

Tinkerboo wheres your other xmas thread!
So excited all ready!

I buy a single christmas decoration for each of my DCs each year.(bought my bump-due Xmas day- his first on Friday!)Plan to offload theirs onto kids as/when they move out.(DS1 is three BTW!)

We put out a glass of milk and cookies for santa and a carrot(which Rudolph always nibbles.

We have bagels with scrambled eggs for breakfast on Xmas morning and something bubbley.

THe rest of our day is dependant on which family we've been with. Totally differant protocols regarding present opening!

But it "usually" involves getting nicely merry and either playing cards with my card shark of a 93 year old gran or my ILs.

Hoping to have a Xmas day on our own next year to iron out the final version of Crimbo Spin style.

I buy a single christmas decoration for each of my DCs each year.(bought my bump-due Xmas day- his first on Friday!)Plan to offload theirs onto kids as/when they move out.(DS1 is three BTW!)

We put out a glass of milk and cookies for santa and a carrot(which Rudolph always nibbles.

We have bagels with scrambled eggs for breakfast on Xmas morning and something bubbley.

THe rest of our day is dependant on which family we've been with. Totally differant protocols regarding present opening!

But it "usually" involves getting nicely merry and either playing cards with my card shark of a 93 year old gran or my ILs.

Hoping to have a Xmas day on our own next year to iron out the final version of Crimbo Spin style.

I buy a single christmas decoration for each of my DCs each year.(bought my bump-due Xmas day- his first on Friday!)Plan to offload theirs onto kids as/when they move out.(DS1 is three BTW!)

We put out a glass of milk and cookies for santa and a carrot(which Rudolph always nibbles.

We have bagels with scrambled eggs for breakfast on Xmas morning and something bubbley.

THe rest of our day is dependant on which family we've been with. Totally differant protocols regarding present opening!

But it "usually" involves getting nicely merry and either playing cards with my card shark of a 93 year old gran or my ILs.

Hoping to have a Xmas day on our own next year to iron out the final version of Crimbo Spin style.

we also post all messages three times

Christmas Eve Christingle service at village church at tea time on christmas eve - they turn the lights out and all the children (church is packed) sing Away in a Manger whilst holding christingle candles.

Half eaten carrot (left inside for Rudolph) on roof of car in morning.

Plenty of OJ and champagne with breakfast of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. Helps me get through the day, you know.

Like it...carrot on roof of car! nice touch! might nick that one!

Ooooooh! it's very exciting ,isn't it? making up traditions for my children to have arguements with future partners about,as they try to keep everyone happy when their Annoying parents (us if I haven't lost you) come to visit!!