What do you do on Christmas Eve?

[SummerRoberts]

In our house we tend to have Christmas films on all morning and last minute wrapping/preparations going on.
I always make Nigella's Christmas rocky road and put into little gift bags as sort of a little Christmas Eve gift for everyone.
Then we set off it my mums with all the prezzies, duvets etc.
We used to have a Chinese takeaway as our traditional Christmas Eve dinner while we watched a family film but the past few years we've gone for an extended family meal at the loveliest country pub. They make it look so gorgeous and we usually get the big table next to the open fire.
Then we get back to mums, get into Christmas PJs, make some cocktails and even though I'm almost 28, mum will make us all feel our presents and try to guess what she's got us and never confirm or deny
What are your family traditions for Christmas Eve?

Oh Christina, that’s not in the spirit of Christmas is it? Come on Scrooge, share the Cumberland!

Wow, that sounds unbelievably good Christmas Eve, Crumbs. Lots of community spirit, too

You get your hands off my Cumberland or i will shove my mistletoe a place!

Are you totally insane. Compiling lists of food and sticking an elf on a shelf. Wake up. Take a look around you.

You alright randomer

Life goes on even if two adult-sized toddlers are trading insults and nuclear warheads.

This is the Christmas topic.

My DPILs stay with us over Christmas. For logistical reasons we always have Christmas dinner at 6pm on Christmas Eve. I go to work in the morning. When I get home DH has got the turkey in the oven and DD and DMIL get started on prepping the sprouts. I work on the veg and trimmings at a leisurely pace during the afternoon, possibly while watching Arthur Christmas which is our favourite Xmas film. We eat dinner and then I read the DC How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

On Christmas Day we get up late, and eat our own body weight in turkey sandwiches and leftover Coca Cola ham.

Thanks for asking.. Yes mostly OK. I just feel this crazy spending is so sad when people have nothing. It will never happen but if we did without elves or crackers we could invest the money and do something good. Fundamentally I don't believe stuff makes anyone happy.

@Crumbs1 is that how they do Xmas eve in the Vernet Hotel?!

I feel sorry for you - but this is not about "stuff". It's about what people do with family and friends over the Christmas period that makes them happy.

You're welcome to be a grinch - but don't judge everyone by your miserable standards.

randomer

Oh God. Here we go again. I am not judging. Have your furry pj's, your reindeer poo, your elf, your lists of food. Whatever. Just wake up. We are equating all this stuff with happiness. We are creating landfill and people are eating grass and living in filth.

randomer this isn't about "stuff".

It's about celebrating life.
Do you do nothing joyful in your life because others are suffering?
You obviously have internet access and a device, why don't you sell that and give it to the needy?
I presume you only have one set of clothes and live on lentils and rice- because to do otherwise would be too indulgent wouldn't it.

We get subjected to kids' TV all day. We put stockings on beds and leave out mince pie, beer and carrot. I wrap presents and put them in stockings, then fall into bed.

Mmmm joyful... Sun through the trees, Mozart, cosy at home with family, smile from a stranger, a great coffee... Not overly fond of lentils or gross consumerism.

randomer- I am not sure you have found the right thread to have a pop.

Posters here generally are talking about activities, spending time with family, baking, hanging stockings watching movies.

If you are looking for a " grossly consumerist" thread you may be better placed in the " christmas present list" or " how much have you spent so far" one.

Your cold comfort farm hat will be better admired over there.

That's just plain nasty

When ds was younger, we enjoyed putting out a home made mince pie, a carrot and a dram of whisky for Santa. In the morning, he would find half a move pie, a nibbled carrot and an empty glass. He would also see "Santa" footprints in the kitchen and hallway (flour sprinkled around a boot).

On Christmas Eve, we still enjoy watching the NORAD Santa Tracker (it was fantastic when ds was wee - he loved seeing how Santa went around the world - a great geography lesson ).

We also love the film "Polar Express". It kept ds "believing" still until he was about 12: as we said to him, "the magic is there for as long as you want it to be"

The thing I like most about Christmas is that, for most of us (recognising that some people do still have to work), the world pauses and you are able to do nothing spend quality time with friends and family.

randomer- you clearly have an agenda.

I'm just not sure this is the right place for it, criticising people for buying slippers.
I am sure many people do feel that christmas is over commercialised, and that it's crass when we have starving people.

Maybe you could start your own thread- I am sure many would agree with you.

This is not a thread about christmas gift buying, it;s about celebrating christmas eve.

Mozart doesn't give me joy: his music may have been exciting at the time but far better examples of the genre followed him.

Interestingly I think planning food for a big family get-together (for us it's the only time we see certain cousins etc all year so it's a big jolly catchup) is definitely an experience thing rather than a stuff thing.

This thread is rather funny.

I imagine there are lots of creative writers.

Count the hours till I can go home.

(This popped up on "active").

Which parts are unbelievable then crowdie

PS before Christmas got stretched out, a few of us used to have dinner somewhere nice in Central London but even my childfree friends are now under so much pressure to spend Christmas Eve and Boxing Day with family, they usually just do it. I go home Boxing Day but friends don't tend to reappear till 27th, sometimes later if they have many rounds of rellies.

We had some really fun dinners out but I'm guessing it's rocketed in price now, has it?

Randomer I didn't start this thread to discuss what presents people buy or how much we can spend.
I started it because I absolutely love Christmas Eve and was wandering what others get upto.
I'd be happy to do no presents. Christmas for me and also what looks like everyone else on this thread is about having fund and food with our families.
It's been such a lovely thread, let's not ruin it.