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Christmas

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

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Original poster

I need a christmas eve tradition - tell me yours please!

87 replies

IlanaK · 17/12/2006 19:29

We want to start a christmas eve tradition this year, but can't think of one! Our boys are 5 and 2. We want to make it something a little special. One thing i thought of we are having to do the day before as Christmas eve is a sunday (baking little cakes and taking them around to all our favourite shop keepers in our street who indulge and talk to the boys throughout the year). We don't want it to be anything commercial, but we would like to get out of the flat and not have it be just something inside.

Any ideas anyone???

OP posts:

mustrunmorenakedthroughthesnow · 17/12/2006 19:31

We sprinkle magic reindeer food on the front garden, to help Rudolph find his way (museli with glitter mixed in). Then we leave the mince pies and carrot out in the front room and put stockings out. Then we open one little present each to curb the impatience.

mustrunmorenakedthroughthesnow · 17/12/2006 19:34

Woops.. hit 'post' tooo quickly! Meant to add that ds1 has expressed a desire this year to give choc coins to all the people he likes (I guess similar to your shopkeepers), so was thinking of getting him to make containers (maybe glittered sections of an eggbox), put a couple of coins in each, and cover in clingfilm. It will only be a few neighbours, tha newsagent, and the coffee shop man (Ahemm not that we go for a coffee alot or anything)

JollyOldSaintNikkielas · 17/12/2006 19:50

We go to church for the Christingle service, then as soon as it finishes its bed time!

expatinscotland · 17/12/2006 19:51

I start drinking around 8PM.

Posey · 17/12/2006 19:54

We usually have a walk in one of the parks, either Regents or St James. Not a tradition as such, but really lovely if its crisp and bright. If we do Regents, then we'll pop into the zoo and say a quick hello to our fave animals (am saying this as I know you aren't far from there).

Original poster

IlanaK · 17/12/2006 20:04

The zoo is a lovely idea, but is it open that day? We are just around the corner from it so it is doable. We wanted to start a tradition this year for a walk in the park on Cjristmas day so don't want to do it on Christmas eve. Actually, does anyone know if the Royal Parks are open on the day itself?

Can't do the reindeer food thing as we live in a flat - no garden! We could sprinnkle it off the balconay, but the cars on Marylebone Rd might be a bit suprised! Can't do church as we are Jewish (well, me and the boys are. Dh is christian - hence doing christmas itself).

Thanks for the ideas so far!

OP posts:

pedilia · 17/12/2006 20:18

expat that is soooooooooooo naughty!

Posey · 17/12/2006 20:20

Oh yes the zoo is open (well has been thus far in my kids' lifetimes!) We just started doing it as we found ourselves kind of wasting Christmas Eve waiting for the big day itself. All the preparation was done, so we needed to fill our time. Its really atmospheric, and not very busy.

ediemcreedie · 17/12/2006 20:20

Can you invent traditions?
Surely they just evolve?

helsyslittlehelper · 17/12/2006 20:24

That's a lovely idea.
Most of our Christmas Eve traditions are for DH and me and involve drinking too much, failing to sort out presents until it's really late and trying to put santa sacks in rooms quietly at about 3am whilst p*ed .
We do go to Christingle and have a nice tea with the girls beforehand, though. And we look for Santa on the NORAD site.

brimfull · 17/12/2006 20:36

watch the telly,drink,eat crap

Overrunderthemistletoe · 17/12/2006 20:40

Its a big night for us, as dh is half german, and they make a lot of it. Usually have a fish supper, smoken salmon or seafood.
Put carrots and water out for reindeer and beer and minced pies for Father christmas. Children are 2 and 3, so get them in one room, while dh puts presents under the tree. When he is ready he tinkles a bell, and voila Father Christmas has been. They have their main presents then, and the stockings appear overnight

sis · 17/12/2006 20:46

watch the snowman with ds. It is usually on tv on Christmas Eve but we also have the dvd - in case of emergency!

SantaGotStuckUpTheGreensleeve · 17/12/2006 20:46

We do Snowman Night on Christmas Eve chez Greeny . First we put on our new snowman PJs. We make snowmen out of card/cotton wool/glitter etc, stick them to loo rool tubes and station them all round the house. Then we make and decorate snowman biscuits with icing/white choc/coconut/sweets/raisins and eat them. Then we watch the Snowman video and have hot chocolate with white snowman marshamallows. Then we put out mince pie/carrot/sherry and the kids go to bed.

morningpaper · 17/12/2006 20:50

present on pillow which is brand new christmas pyjamas so they go to bed and open their stockings in nice new jim-jams

it's a bit dull

morningpaper · 17/12/2006 20:51

my new pjs look a bit crap after Greensleeves Grand Snowman Extravaganza

Original poster

IlanaK · 17/12/2006 21:36

Ok, I have talked to Dh and we have decided the zoo is a great idea. It fulfills all our criteria: not too far away, non-commercial, gets us out of the flat, and most importantly it has a great cafe which serves wonderful hot chocolate!

Thanks for hte suggestions!

OP posts:

Posey · 17/12/2006 21:39

Well look out for us there then won't you? Think I'll still recognise you! Lets hope its a lovely cold crisp day.
Have a good time

Floatinginthemoonlitsky · 17/12/2006 21:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

anniebear · 17/12/2006 21:42

arrrh some lovely traditions there

olittletownofberolina · 17/12/2006 21:45

We have the problem that my parents are absent from our lives, ILs are VERY different from us and I am CofE and dh a humanist - so Christmas is a bit difficult . In Germany Christmas Eve is the main event (presents etc.), but it feels too literally 'foreign' to me somehow to want to do it that way. This year we are having Christmas Eve just quietly to ourselves, dh, ds and me, and I will go to Midnight Mass once ds is in bed. We will visit friends on Christmas Eve morning and I think a nice walk would be just the ticket for the afternoon.

UCM · 17/12/2006 22:06

I was just about to post about 'Snowman Night' chez Greensleeves but she got there first.

I have bought the 'jamas', got some raymond briggs chocolates, bought the dvd of the film and instead of snowman biscuits am letting DS & neice loose on gingerbread houses, but will be doing snowman decorations definitely. I think that it's the nicest tradition ever!

maggi · 17/12/2006 22:20

We have big juicy steaks for dinner. It really is the only time of year we can afford this so it does make it special for us. Also it'sabout the only time of year that I do any baking and I pack it all into Xmas eve. Our favourite is coffee cheesecake, a really beautiful family version that it is posible to eat as breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Our dss (4 + 6) put out a mince pie a glass of squash (we had a discussion about Santa having too much wine) and a carrot for Rudolph.

SantaGotStuckUpTheGreensleeve · 17/12/2006 22:22

Aw, thanks for that UCM, was feeling a bit nettled after morningpaper's rather dry remark - but then, I am just feeling nettled today generally.

olittletownofberolina · 17/12/2006 22:23

Greeny there's something in the post to you that might help extend/complement the Snowman Night tradition

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