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Christmas

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

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Original poster

Christmas Eve Traditions

73 replies

Joanne1991 · 08/08/2017 21:40

What's everyone's Christmas Eve traditions here's my Christmas Eve tradition.

I'm 26 and have no children so Christmas Eve for me I visit my dad with his presents (I still live at home) (my Mam and dad are divorced) then I come home have a shower pyjamas on then we settle down to watch the telly with a tub of sweets.But this year Christmas for me will be different as i will be visiting my boyfriends family on Boxing Day so I'm looking forward to that as it's my first Christmas being with Nathan but I'm stuck on what to buy him for Christmas

OP posts:

glenthebattleostrich · 08/08/2017 21:44

We do panto on Christmas Eve then host drinks for neighbours and friends.

When people leave about 7 we scatter reindeer food and put out Santa's drink and snack as well as carrots for the reindeer. Finally we put on Christmas PJs, put out stockings and then bed for DD, reading the night before Christmas as she snuggles down.

DancesWithOtters · 08/08/2017 21:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Milliemoo37 · 08/08/2017 21:47

On past Christmas Eva, I've had a few Snowballs (Advocat(sp?) and lemonade) with some more drinks. It's usually the time we have different flavours of vodka. When I used to live with parents, we each got a pair of new pyjamas so we wore these and watched films and ate junk.

This Christmas will be my first with me, DP and our baby as I'm due in October so I'm not sure what I'll be doing this year!

SuperBeagle · 08/08/2017 21:53

We watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (and I think we're going to add Office Christmas Party in this year) and have a bonfire and toast marshmallows.

It's the same thing we did pre-kids. They've slotted into our already existing traditions.

RuggerHug · 08/08/2017 21:59

Watch it's a wonderful life and the muppets Christmas Carol with DH before we go to the Indian. Then I would head to my parents to stay. This is the first year with DS though so will probably be mostly changed this year but to what exactly I don't know yet

Alexandra87 · 08/08/2017 22:11

We have a lovely breakfast then get dressed in our xmas jumpers and go to the pub with friends then back to there's for a buffet lunch. When we get home we find our elf has gone back to the North Pole and left us our xmas box of treats. We get bathed/showered (using a bath bomb - me and new shower stuff - dh and ds's that our elf left in our xmas eve box) then into our xmas pjs and snuggle up and watch a xmas film with some treats (also out of the box) then dc leave treats for santa and reindeers and we sprinkle reindeer dust outside. The dc go to bed we play santa then follow them up in anticipation of being up early the next day. We also track santa on norad all day. Can't wait I absolutely love love love xmas especially xmas eve!

Snausage · 08/08/2017 22:32

Making new traditions here! Before DS, I'd go to the pub with girlfriends and we'd give eachother gifts, drink vast amounts of alcohol, dance until 1am and then stumble back to mum's.

This will be our fourth Christmas with The Boy; the first one I hosted, the second was at mum's and last year was the first Christmas since my DlittleB died, so was weird and sad. This year I'm doing Elf on the Shelf, so he will leave DS a lovely box on Christmas Eve. I'm getting us all new pyjamas, I'll make a big pasta bake like I usually do on Christmas Eve, we'll watch a Christmas film and put a mince pie and whisky out for mummy Father Christmas. I do stockings for mum, DP and DS, so I get up at about 3am to put them on beds.

We spend Christmas with my family because DP's family aren't very close. In any sense. DP also will be working nights over Christmas, so we can't go to his mum's. He's a bit of a Scrooge anyway!

wobblywonderwoman · 08/08/2017 22:36

Usually I go out on my own Christmas Eve morning and but the Turkey and fresh bread veg and milk. Then go for a coffee and a mince pie.
Once home, usual preparations and sprinkle reindeer food. Sometimes mass but mostly leave it until Christmas day.

This year I am doing Christmas eve sacks with pjs and small gifts for 3 and 4 year old

Copperspot · 08/08/2017 22:39

I don't have kids and i've been single for a while so christmas is spent at my parents. We still do the traditions from when i was a kid

We go for a long dog walk, with a drink at the pub half way round.
In the afternoon the alcohol gets opened and it's officially christmas time and all the sweets / posh nibbles are 'allowed'. We watch muppets christmas carol and my parents slowly get pissed and have a heated discussion about how much is too much veg for xmas dinner / when the turkey has to go on, etc.

In the evening we order an indian, watch it's a wonderful life, then get into my new xmas pjs that mysteriously appeared on my bed. (Im 31).

My mum still waits until i've gone to bed to put presents under the tree then in the morning tells me that santa has been. Bless her. She doesn't wrapping paper our lounge door anymore though

Scoleah · 08/08/2017 22:41

We Normally Visit the In laws (Get presents from there to fetch down for the Kids) and take theirs to them. Then once were all gone and settled, Bath, let the kids open one present (new Pjs) then do the carrot etc for Rudolph and a glass of milk for Santa! X

TartanDMs · 08/08/2017 22:42

Until last year we went to the Christingle service, then came home and watched Nativity! and Love Actually whilst wrapping presents. Last year for the first time we went to DSS2 and his girlfriend's house, he cooked dinner and we watched Love Actually there. I always finish work at lunchtime if it's a weekday. DH and i exchange a gift at midnight then go to bed. He usually works Christmas Day because DS is a teenager, so he is on the Rota instead of the men with younger children, which I really hate. This year is his first Christmas at home in 7 years.

Copperspot · 08/08/2017 22:44

Thinking about it i actually enjoy christmas eve more than christmas day! I think it's the anticipation of santa and the comforting routine of traditions.

Scrumptiousbears · 08/08/2017 22:49

It's so hard for traditions in our family. Me and DP work shifts so often are not off together. Our DD will be 3 and 1.5 this year. The oldest will understand Christmas more this year so we will start some traditions of our own hopefully.

PrincessPlod · 08/08/2017 22:55

Delivering last minute presents then home for tea, all have bath or showers and some tv before putting out mince pie and carrot then bed for kids. I'll sort out presents then have a glass of wine and nibbles then bed. I always fancied midnight mass but never awake that long. We did a Christmas Eve box for ds last year which included top, DVD, paper chains, colouring and wooden nativity.

Crumbs1 · 08/08/2017 22:57

Finish work by lunchtime then guests arrive although children here before that generally.
Village promenade nativity starts in pub with mix of adults and older teens in lead roles. Children tend to angels and shepherds. Live sheep with fairy lights and a real donkey. It's silly but gets more sensible as we move along candle lit path to church for very brief service and the finale. Glasses of wine welcome in church as view is better to have everyone. Hark the Herald can be loud to say the least.
Father Christmas arrives in church and gives out presents and children (and adults) put their gifts for the baby into his sack. In reality these are presents for the local prison visitors centre and are whisked off to be ready for fathers to give their children over the holidays.
Then back to one of three or four houses for traditional Christmas Eve open door supper - lots for where you go picked on way out of church. It's always the same food Gammon or Quiche, Jacket potatoes, salads. Then a pannetone bread and butter pudding, mince pies or a star shaped pavlova. Each host does exactly the same. We finish with drinks in the Square at 1100 and a final Carol.
We get a fair few non-villagers but that adds to the fun - although they find it a touch bewildering to just pitch up to someone's house and some aren't quite brave enough. Supper is genuinely for everyone with each host catering for around 20 -30 people. My favourite evening of the year.

userofthiswebsite · 08/08/2017 23:16

Sweet thread...

Wayfarersonbaby · 09/08/2017 00:48

crumbs that sounds idyllic! whereabouts in the country are you?

oldlaundbooth · 09/08/2017 00:52

At my parents we used to have roast ham, mash and cauliflower cheese for dinner then I used to go out partying on Christmas Eve

Those days are gone though!

DD will be nearly 1 and DS nearly 4, so we might do my mum's special ham dinner. Live abroad and next year, Christmas 2018, we're having Christmas in the UK, I can't wait. The cottage is already booked!

KnitFastDieWarm · 09/08/2017 00:58

Oh this is making me excited already! The entire period from November to New year is my absolute favourite

Christmas Eve is usually spent at one or the other set of parents. This year we'll be at my parents. The festivities start on the evening of Dec 23rd with a rousing session of carols in the local pub, which involves every vaguely musical person in the village and excessive amounts of mulled wine. Christmas Eve usually involves a walk followed by food prep with carols at kings on the radio. Then something light for dinner (fish usually). Then overexcited toddler into bed to be watched by grandparents while me and DH and anyone else who fancies it heads to the pub for a wine-fuelled notaslgic catch up with old school friends. Then santa time, cosy pjs and whiskey and mince pies before bed.

Can't bloody wait, I love Christmas!

icclemunchy · 09/08/2017 01:00

We have all the neighbours and some friends round for drinks. They usually start arriving around 6 with some coming after mass. Kids get to stay up late and they love spending time with people who they know but don't spend huge amounts of time with (we're a tiny set back road witha real community feel getting tithed twice a year to do the "garden" separating us from the main road"

Kids get into new pjs and bed around 9 doing reindeer food and mince pies for Santa first. Once the last straggling guests leave around 10/10.30 we play Santa and then off to bed.

As a result of the late night I've never been up before 8am Xmas morning

ProseccoMamam · 09/08/2017 01:24

Open two presents (always new fluffy pyjamas and a pair of slippers)
Have a cup of hot chocolate (the only night of the year we were allowed 'junk' before bed, very exciting!!
Watch Christmas films (usually home alone, or polar express)
get Santa and Rudolph's snacks ready then hang our stockings up and go upstairs to bed

This is the exact routine I will follow for my LO when he's older, it was absolutely magical for me as a child

mathanxiety · 09/08/2017 05:56

For the second year, the DCs will no longer have to go to exH's for Christmas Eve. We were really relaxed and happy last year and I am hoping this year will be the same.

Normally what we always did before divorce was do some dinner prep for Christmas (making stuffing, making tiramisu, doing the dough for cinnamon rolls for breakfast), a good deal of gift wrapping, running out for whatever items I had forgotten (small gifts or something like more booze parsley), Mass on Christmas Eve at 6, get home, have a dinner like spaghetti and meatballs or lasagne (made a couple of days before and reheated), with a chocolate pie for dessert, then open gifts from family and from each other that were wrapped earlier and placed under the tree. Then usually watch some Christmas movie (though we watched 'Frost Nixon' one year) and then bedtime for everyone but me. About 1am I would set out the Santa Claus gifts and fill stockings with Toblerone and other chocolates (usually little German choc figures), and finally collapse into bed at about 2.

We do the same now - I thought it would be nice to keep up our family tradition - only with more gift wrapping because the older DCs have real jobs and buy nice gifts.

UsedToBeAPaxmanFan · 09/08/2017 06:16

How come everyone seems to get Christmas Eve off work? I know this year it falls on a weekend but usually it's weekdays and yet people are talking about spending the day cooking, watching films or going to the pub. I'm intrigued as to why no one apart from me ever seems to work on Christmas Eve.

Sundaylunchhappy · 09/08/2017 06:39

Thank you for starting a gorgeous thread op! Love Christmas!

My dh and I will go over to dm's to help prep food for the big day and join in with traditional homemade sausage rolls and delias French onion soup.

Then it's off home for mince pie and hot choc for me and brandy for dh and poking eachother to stay awake for midnight mass.

Last Christmas before we have a dc so planning to throw myself into as much homemade decorations as physically possible before I have a tiny human needing my time.

Dh and I always book Christmas week off a year ahead because we are sad looneys obsessed!

UsedToBeAPaxmanFan · 09/08/2017 06:48

But Sundat how come you always manage to book it? My workplace wouldn't allow it and neither DH or I have ever worked anywhere where everyone who wans it is allowed to book it off. We have a rule that only 1/3 of the staff can be off at a time. All our requests re Christmas leave are collected in October and then decisions are made regarding who can have what days. Last year I had the time off between Christmas and New Year but worked Christmas Eve. This year i won't request any time off as Christmas Eve is at a weekend. But if I did request it it wouldn't necessarily be granted. Dh's office closes at 1pm on Christmas Eve but we close at 5pm.

So where does everyone work that allows them.every Christmas Eve off? I'm genuinely intrugged.

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