Outline your Christmas day

[WipsGlitter]

There's me DH and two DSs. Kids get up early for Santa then play for a bit while we go back to bed. Get up, breakfast and then it sort of feels like we're hanging about until it's time to go to my sisters - around12.

We're there for an hour then back for lunch. The rest of the day is fine TV, wine, snooze etc.

It's just that early morning but that seems a bit flat. We don't go to church and wouldn't have the neighbours in for drinks or anything like that (I'd love to do that but am too scared no one would come!)

We could maybe go for a walk if it was nice weather. Or go to my sisters earlier.

Any ideas?!

This year we are going to be somewhere between 7 and 11 people.

We get up when Ds gets up (he's 2 going on 3 and this will be the first year he understands what's going on and isn't trapped in a cot). Stockings get opened, everyone who stays gets one although this year my parents/PiL will get a combined couples one. Hopefully there is enough stuff in them to distract whilst I make breakfast which after some negotiations with DH will be eaten picnic style under the Christmas tree (bacon sandwiches, smoked salmon bagels, leftovers from the Christmas Eve buffet).

Then we open the presents.

The old lady next door doesn't get picked up until around 3 for her Christmas, so I've invited her for drinks at around 11.30 for an hour. Then everyone else is being thrown out for a brisk walk along the sea shore whilst I get the meal ready.

After food, it's board games, drinks, more food and playing with ds (and his cousins if they are here).

On Boxing day, we head to the in-laws to do it all again with DH's other sister and her children.

Could you see your sister on Boxing day instead or ask her to come to yours? This is the first year I'm hosting primarily because I got sick of running between other people's houses and it wasn't relaxing at all. I did however have to present it as a fait accompli though.

@copperspot your Christmas sounds wonderful!

I love these sort of threads ]

Chez Gherkin it tends to go as follows.

DC (2 and 4 this year) wake up, DS will likely be up early this year because he woke up early last year because of the excitement for the first time. They come to our room and we all 'open' our stockings in bed (DC find their stockings hanging on their bedroom door handle when they come out).

We head through to the living room to see if Santa has been, and then the kids open their presents - one at a time rather than a free-for-all. We don't do a massive pile for each of them so it would be over very quickly otherwise. DH and I open our presents, which the kids like to help with, and then we have breakfast. Usually it's just their normal porridge and fruit because I like to know they've had something decent to eat before the Christmas food begins.

We get dressed, kids play/have a christmassy film on in the background while we do showers etc.

My parents and brother and sister come over around 10.30/11, and we have presents round 2 with bacon muffins, tea, coffee and cake/mince pies.

Around 2 my parents leave and for 2.30 we head to the PILs for dinner with PILs, SILs/BIL and DNs. Kids normally get fed their main first because there's not room round the table for 11, and DNs have historically not let SIL eat in peace so it works better that way. Then the grownups eat while kids play games/watch something/have a go at the activity I take down for them. We all eat dessert together, and then do presents. MIL does the kids presents as a bit of a free for all first, and then when the kids have their things to play with (she always does a toy, pjs, and a couple of little bits she thinks they'll like), grownups exchange gifts. SIL/BIL/DNs usually leave after this because they have to get back to their dog. We stay on a bit longer for drinks/games and eating sweeties.

Then home for telly and bed Boxing day is far more chilled out.

For me the main cooking is sorting out bacon for 8 when my family are round. Every year I offer to help FIL with cooking the dinner but he says he works best under pressure, so I tend to be the one in charge of keeping children entertained while we're there.

In previous years we've hosted but guests haven't been early risers or have come at 2. So from my experience I would suggest making your morning less flat by:

Starting on Christmas Eve with church - even if you are secular the music will be lovely

Have a Christmas Eve box waiting for when you come back with daft onesies or PJs & watch film

On day itself have special breakfast - bubbly or orange juice plus smoked salmon & egg on muffin

Then put on classic fm - it's brilliant on Christmas Day as you hear people dialling in and talking about getting ready for guests to arrive or journey themselves

Play a Daft board game. Keep telly off.
Then get showered & dressed & leave for lunch

Merry Christmas

Get up and straight to the cemetery before we do anything else to get it out of the way.

Back home to open presents off each other (just me and do).

After that go to my parents to exchange gifts. Df does bacon buns then I make DPS exchange presents from each other as a love to watch.

Then we will go to DPS parents and exchange gifts then take everything received home and try and make some tidyish piles. We will probably have something light to eat and may open a bucks fizz.

We will go back to DPS parents about 2.30 for Christmas lunch. This will be served around 4,30pm. Around this time my siblings and dnieces and dnephew will be piling up at my parents for their party tea. I will rush through Christmas lunch to get back round there and join in the festivities and exchange more gifts. Love it but wish I had more time with dnieces and dnephew on the actual day.

Kids wake up at some God awful hour, we persuade them its still night time and return them to bed.

Around 6:30am they get up again and get excited at finding the chocolate coins Santa dropped out of the hole in his coat pocket in the hallway and down the stairs.

They come in our room and open stockings, then we get up, brush teeth and head downstairs collecting the coins into the stocking on the way.

Open gifts and then one of us starts to put the turkey and ham on whilst the other wrestles with removing toys from their impenetrable packaging (this is usually settled with a round of rock paper scissors, loser gets the packaging).

Then kids play whilst we drink, continue sorting food, phone calls around various family members and enjoy some music.

Xmas day is only ever me, hubby and 3 kids. Occasional if she's in the country my mum will pop in to see us and the kids but often not. Boxing day we have an open door policy and usually end up with a few friends, my sister, her kids and my gran round and we do a giant buffet and lots of games.

My dd is at her dad's eve-day and same with dps kids (we take it in turns each year) so this year it's a chilled one. Presents, dinner for 2 around 3ish and then family doo at night xx

this year we will have a baby with us but usually starts with DD gettin up about 4 , she'll then be on line with her sister in law. I follow down about 6 and have coffee and we'll watch a film until 7.30 ish when DS1 appears. I then make the strongest coffee up to DH to dynamite him out of bed.Then it's mince pies & coffee whilst we open presents. After that it's breakfast . I'll then go and hide in the bathroom whilst DH starts dinner. Then I'm down to help finish lunch. We'll start eating around three and finally get down about 6 when we fall asleep in front of the telly

My husband and whoever can face it goes for a run with our beast around 6.30am -7.30am
Then we’ll all snuggle in our bed with stockings and my mug of tea.
Do it yourself breakfast for everyone -family and extended family. Toast, yoghurt, fruit salad or cereal type thing.
Off to Mass en masse. Squabbling over who is in which car. Beast goes in his boot.
After Mass we all go to our friends house in town for salmon and champagne. All our children grew up together/we holiday together and even grandparents know each other now.
Back home to sort lunch. Those not cooking walk beast again.
The Queen/Lunch -timings are interchangeable depending on how hot the Aga is.
Presents.
Last walk for beast.
Film or scrabble/risk/Sequence. Might be a bit of singing if one of us starts playing piano; just depends on mood.
Supper if anyone wants to eat will be sandwiches, sausage rolls, toast or whatever.

We will have me, DH. 3 kids age 10, 7 & 4, my parents, and MIL (plus dog) on Christmas Day.

Children bring stocking through and open them on our bed, about 7am.

Downstairs after stockings, 4 year old might have a small bowl of cereal, and adults will have coffee/tea.

Full English served at 10am, with veggie option for the veggie.

Presents after breakfast, then about noon my parents will leave to drive to my sister's house. Picky lunch about 1.30pm, mostly for the kids.

Play with new presents, take dog for a walk etc.

Christmas dinner served about 5.30pm.

Veg in front of crap telly, maybe play a board game or something. Bedtime from 7pm onwards.

We have Christmas dinner at 5pm. That way we go for a walk between 1-3 ish (while the turkey cooks). Could you pop the Turkey in before you head to your sisters op? Put dinner off til later. Have a light brunch before heading to your sisters?

We get up and head out to yard. Dh and BIL do cows, SIL and I check stock and walk dogs. Nieces and nephews have had Santa presents by this point.

Go back into own houses for shower and change, head to SIL next door for late morning. Other BIL sometimes there, PIL always there. Sometimes my parents depending on what my sister and brother are doing.

Lunch mainly prepped Xmas eve so everyone mucks in and we eat about two.

Back out to feed cows, walk dogs and then all back in for presents. Kids have never minded waiting and it breaks the day up for them a bit.

Games, wine, cheese in evening. Done.

Teens (13 and 14) wake up(if they’ve been to sleep) about 6/7 ish. We have our stockings Christmas Eve, filled with pjs, bath bomb, slippers, DVDs and snacks, so it’s straight downstairs to open presents. Have breakfast or chocolates, teens go upstairs to skype friends/play new computer games etc and I’ll start cooking about 12ish whilst dp watches something on tv. We don’t have turkey as no one likes it so either beef or pork. Dinner about 3ish then it’s tv/games/Lego building (dp is a fanatic so will have a few new sets) gateaux, ice cream, sweets and crisps for tea then a movie. then we all gravitate and do our own thing - I’ll have a bath, Kids will go to friends or have friends round sometimes.

It’s all change this year though as we have a new ds who will be 6 months old, so will play it by ear. I can’t wait to do all the Father Christmas stuff again, and the teens are excited to do it for him too, and are trying to come up with some new traditions to make it more special.

Boxing Day we either go to dps sisters or my sisters, and see whichever we don’t see on Boxing Day for New Years. Dps parents are no longer with us, and I see my mum earlier in December as we live 7 hours away from each other.

I'll be up at 7 to go and feed, hay and water 6 horses, then walk the Spangle. Home to open presents with DH and DD. Then DD will ride whilst I muck out. Walk dog again before driving to my friend's at 3pm for dinner. Getting a taxi home at 9 to take the hound out again before chilling with chocs and cava.

Christmas starts with journey down to my mums area - we have pushed the boat out this year and hired a house. As me and mum said we can imagine we have won the lottery!
We - me, h and 2 children age 8 / 5 - drive down 23rd. Christmas Day itself is wake when the boys do - usually around 7. They drag there sacks in and open in bed with us. Then we go down. My brother is usually up and starting breakfast - he has an and is always so excited and wants to show me his stocking presents. After breakfast and everyone is dressed we open the tree presents. Around 9 30 / 10 I put the turkey in. Last year turkey went in then it was presents if I remember right. Boys play. Adults - there are my divorced parents, my siblings as well as h - mingle and help with any toy construction. Some go for a walk. Sometimes they take the boys to the beach if they are not playing nicely. Vegetables get done by whoever. Dinner will be 2 - 3. Everything is laid out and you take a plate buffet style then sit and wait for everyone else. Crackers pulled to start! Must eat your dinner with a paper crown Pudding usually about 4. Tv is reviewed and usually noted as crap as usual. The games come out / always a silly festival nonsense. Mum was talking about pinning antlers on the reindeer or something. The boys love seeing the adults silly. Nibbles in the evening. The boys have been known to eat toast. They go bed about 8. Then we usually find a film to watch. This year we have 2 TVs so that will make life easier.
All in all it is relaxed with no fixed timings we just go with the flow. My sister said last year in the evening whilst mellow with me having children has kept the Christmas magic going - I liked that.

Dcs usually get up early, 6/6:30 (ages 10, 7 and 3). Then we go downstairs to open Santa sacks.

Breakfast followed by showers then we open the presents under the tree.

In laws arrive for drinks about 11. They go home to eat.

My brother arrives at some point then we eat at 1ish.

Then it's an afternoon of playing with new games and toys and watching new dvds.

Dcs usually ready for bed about 7:30/8 and my brother will head home then too.

Why don't you invite your sister and brother in law for breakfast and fill the morning with people? Ask and see what she says, maybe for one year you could do a joint Christmas dinner or eat out or ask someone who would be on their own round. Change it up a bit, routines and traditions are fine but it's good to do things differently too.

Get up at 6 am and have a bath /get ready.

Watch dd open presents lots of cuddles/photos.

Go to work for a 7 hours shift !

Get picked up by BF go to his for presents, dinner etc.

Return home watch a movie together.

put dd to bed and open rum!

Wake up when the DC wake up. Stockings emptied on their bed (they will be sleeping in DS1 bed, along with my DM who stays over). Get dressed. Then downstairs. Presents opened frantically.

Food in oven, kids play with toys. Breakfast (a light one, maybe pancakes or croissants). Play with toys, scramble around for screwdrivers/batteries etc. Cook food. Sit, eat. Wash up, relax, play a game or three, build a toy or 4000. Shower the boys, PJs on. Facetime SIL and DN, and GPs.

Cheese and biscuits, relax, Baileys. Bed.

In our house is me, DH and 3 children. 18, 8 & 3.
DD is away at uni and is really looking forward to coming home for Christmas so want to make it feel really special and cozy for her.

We get up when kids do, normally between 5-6am.
All kids bring stockings onto our bed and we do them there. DH & I do stockings for each other which is nice. Have Christmas music on.

DH then goes down first to put on lamps and tree lights. Then me & kids come down. All kids have a pile each. DD whose 3 is Happy normally with first thing and DS, 8 goes through his pile like a tornado. DD whose 18 is happy to take it slowly.

DH then makes everyone breakfast and everyone has baths, showers, gets ready, plays with presents.

We then go to visit one set of parents for 12 and go to other set for 2pm ish for dinner (alternate this yearly)

This year it's time to go to in laws who live about 40 miles away.
DH's siblings, partners and children will be at his parents house too so lots more presents.

I normally drive and then get home for about 9pm. Put younger children to bed and open up the baileys / Fizz / chocolates and watch a film.

Boxing Day is a lazy PJ day, play with all the presents, have some Fizz and Chinese for tea (looking forward to this 😂)

Wait for DS to wake up - as an 'only' child he's never been hyped about Christmas and often we used to have to wake him up to look at his stocking !

Breakfast then Church, followed by a walk if possible. Light lunch.

My parents & one brother arrive mid afternoon, Queen's Speech, mince pies, presents, eat main meal around 6pm followed by board games/cards. DB will take parents home around 10ish.

Kids open their stockings about 7 and we get up at half 7-8

Open presents, eat chocolate and potter about until 1 when we go to my mums.

Have dinner about 2 ish and open presents there. Have a turkey sandwich about 6 (not me as I'm veggie) then come home.

Kids play with presents while I watch Tele.

Love reading about everybody’s Christmases!

Kids on bed with stockings, dh goes to make tea. Kids play with stocking things while we all get dressed. Then we have breakfast and stocking chocolate - they get mini cereals in their stocking and we have pastries.

Then open main presents - this usually takes a while. Then we have an early lunch of bacon sandwiches or something. If we have family like last year then we give them their presents when they come, and open those from other people, then eat main dinner at 2-3ish, and go for a walk/bike/ride after, then film.

This year we’re not seeing family till Boxing Day, so it will be out for a long walk, kickabout in the park, then back for a play with toys, open gifts from relatives, and do the rest of the cooking. Dh and I trade off kitchen/playing with kids duties. After dinner it will be a film and snacks, Skype with family if we haven’t already done it earlier.

The going out always makes it feel special if not seeing anyone. I love it all quiet, exchanging merry Christmases.

Very different this year.

DH will pick me up from work at 8.30am. I will have a glass of bucks fizz whilst the children open their presents. I will then go to bed and wake up for Xmas dinner. I will probably open any presents I might get afterwards. Hopefully I will be awake enough to enjoy the rest of the day.

Boxing day we will have family round and it will be a busier day.

Just me and DH. We will get up, walk the dog, have a smoked salmon and blinis with bucks fizz, followed by a couple of Bailey's coffees. Open presents at some point, watch tv / a film, cook and eat dinner together. Lots of prosecco. Maybe a bit of dancing. Snooze late afternoon, more tv, cheese / red wine. Early to bed.

Our families are all far away and do their own thing (no big family Christmases on either side), and all our friends have families they spend the day with. So it's just us. We're quite happy with that.