Those of you who go to church...

[maldivemoment]

...how do you fit everything in on Christmas morning?

Our Christmas morning always feels so rushed as we're (husband & I & 2 small children) opening presents then trying to get out the door to get to Mass, which is at 11. Then we either go to my folks or in-laws so children have hardly any time to look at, let alone play with, their toys! Children tend to waken around 7.

I always feel rather envious of others who have time for leisurely breakfasts and putting on lovely new clothes after a lovely warm shower using new Christmas 'smellies.' Once gifts have been opened and we've had the quickest shower imaginable, we throw some toast at the children, I run a brush though my hair and we're out the door.

Sigh...how do others do it?

We go to Children's Mass on Christmas Eve. It certainly isn't 'Mass Lite' either - we are in church for a good couple of hours even longer once I've gone round all my friends and wished them a Merry Christmas

The following morning is breakfast/presents/cooking etc

We have a vigil Mass at 6.30, and every year we all say it's too late and could we not have it a little earlier because it's long and we don't want to rush the children into bed on Christmas Eve and Father says he won't do it earlier, otherwise it won't be a vigil so won't 'count' and then he moans that people rush off rather than going into the hall for mince pies.

I've never been on Christmas Day. I find it hard enough fitting in all the visiting! We go on Christmas Eve instead, and sometimes to our local church rather than 'our' church (where we got married etc.) which is an hour round trip. Unless you are the vicar, I think it's okay not to make the service! :)

Our mass is also on Christmas Eve. Otherwise the morning just wouldn't work.

It also is a special way to tube into the real Christmas mode and separate the presents and mad business from the church do I think it works well to have calm carols and mass then return, film, put mince pies out for santa etc. Perfect.

Plenty of time for stockings and breakfast between waking at 6:30 ish and leaving for church at 9:15. Back from church 11am. Light lunch/brunch. Tree presents. Walk/trip to park if dry. Boardgames if wet . Big meal starts around 5 or 6. Kiddy bedtime around 7 or 8 though the meal can carry on around or after that as long as anyone has any room.

I normally have Christmas at my mom's, and there is no chance of church for me there, as she is a total, Dawkins-loving atheist (despite her having bought me up exposed to the church as one option among many, good liberal that she is (I love her) and me ending up a Christian). Church at Christmas would definitely be a step too far for her, though she accompanies me occasionally at other times of the year, and is positive about it (my home church is v liberal, though).
We did steal a Christmas at home last year. How we played it was to get up, leisurely breakfast, open a number of presents, stop when we had to leave for church, village pub thing after church, then back for more presents and a light lunch! Had proper dinner (roast pheasant) in the evening. Ah, bliss!

Somehow we manage opening presents before church, then the dc's and I go to church whilst my oh packs the car up with the newly opened presents to go down to my parents.one thing we do is in the stocking are new pants, socks and sometimes a top so they start getting dressed as they unwrap and they have to have had breakfast (favourite mini cereal pack in stocking) and be dressed before under tree presents. Having said that after a very busy year we are staying at home just the 4 of us this year and not seeing any family until boxing day, which I am quite looking forward to.

We go to evening mass or midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

As a child, I woke early enough to open most presents before church. This was useful as my Dad's sermon inevitable included a 'did Santa come' element at one point...

DS is 3, it's just him and I who go, and we tend to span out presents throughout the day. DH cooks whilst we're out.

Vicarage family here -

all four kids always went to Crib Service, then Midnight Mass, even as toddlers; kids back in bed by 1.15am.
Wake children up at 7am - open a larger present (including a DVD) and a few stocking presents before Dad leaves at 7.15am for early communion.
Kids get dressed and watch DVD until he returns at 8.45 - main opening present-time then + breakfast-time.
Service at 10.30; home by noon. Open any presents still unopened.
Christmas dinner begins at 1pm.
Collapse for rest of day.

Whatever present-opening can't be fitted in in the morning, take them with you to parents/in-laws.

Wow, DandyDan you manage to get toddlers to Midnight mass! I take my hat off to you.

I've taken all your suggestions on board and had a "right...we're going to do it differently this time..." chat with my husband!

I may report back on boxing day...

Thank you & Merry Christmas one and all when it arrives. x

Your mistake, surely, is going visiting after church. Prepare all the vegetables the night before. Let the children open their presents first thing and give them something to eat while they're doing it. Parboil the potatoes before you leave the house. Put the turkey into the oven. Go to church. Come back and invite any in laws or parents to come to you and have a glass of something or other. Put the potatoes into the oven at that point.

Thank you Imperial but in-laws in v poor health (life limiting illness and this may be their last Christmas ) so travelling is out of the question for them. In an ideal world I'd do exactly as you suggest...

Stockings
Breakfast
Mass (9am!)
Home, food started
Presents
Lunch at 1/1.30
Then I do not enter the kitchen again all day, we'll go for a walk, play with presents, this year some friends are coming over at about 3 for mince pies/cake and tea alcohol

I'm sorry to hear that. I'm in a similar position so completely understand.

When do your ILs eat, then? Do you help cook their lunch?

I think I'd cook my own Christmas lunch at about five pm, then, and I'd save some of the children's presents for then, too.

Thank you Imerial . We (us & 2 sister-in-laws + children) are all doing a part of Christmas lunch, packing it all in the car, driving to in-laws (about an hour away) then reheating food, decanting it into some kind of serving dishes then hoping it all comes together In reality we're probably have Christmas lunch on our laps but you know what? I don't think I actually care...We'll laugh, share gifts, watch TV and probably cry too. C'est L Vie...

Hugs to you too. I'll raise a glass to you on the day..

We had four children and they came to Midnight Mass every year since being tiny babies. They're now in their 20s and still never miss coming - possibly their favourite service of the year.
I agree with the pre-prep advice: if you can, set the table for Christmas the evening before and prep the veg. Parboil potatoes and parsnips at breakfast time before Xmas morning church and start cooking turkey so it's ready by 1/1.30pm.
However you manage your day, I hope you have a lovely and relaxed time with your family.

We have Christingle 4pm Christmas Eve.We erm don't have separate stocking, just 2 sacks of pressies. I take chocolate milk and pain chocolats to church which is very full village church, about 10.10 for 10.30 start, leisurely simple roast dinner. Kids take 1 pressie to church and the vicar asks them about it.

We go on Christmas night, Christmas eve is way too busy to even get a seat!

Hi there!

We do:
stockings (kids only)
breakfast
church (10.30am)
late lunch
family presents round the tree in the afternoon.

If we're staying away from home with family who aren't up for church on Christmas Day, we'll head for a Christmas Eve crib service instead. (They're usually short late-afternoon services aimed at children and quite magical for them).

Currently - DC are 6 and 2 - we do stockings and breakfast first thing, and try to get to the 9.30 mass. Then back for 11 to welcome the guests with some nibbles and try and get dinner on the table by 1.30. Then the remainder of the presents after dinner. It spreads out the present opening and means they appreciate the stocking fillers more. Also, going to church means we get out of the house in the morning, which is a useful antidote to being cooped up for the rest of the day.

We try to do the crib service on Christmas Eve (about 4pm) because - again - it gets us out of the house and fills the time nicely before the time comes to get ready for bed.

Having said that, I'm looking forward to when the children are older and we can either do Midnight Mass, or go to the evening mass on Christmas Day, after lunch and all the present opening. I would generally prefer to have a bit of a lie-in/ leisurely breakfast on Christmas Day and potter around the kitchen getting lunch ready, but it's not going to happen any time soon!