Talk to me about a traditional Christmas around the world

[Thisandthat2017]

As the children are getting older - 10, 11,19 - I am looking for new traditions. Out with the elf, the reindeer dust, snow cones, Xmas eve box, Santa watch... As much as the younger two would play along, it all seems a lot of effort now the magic has gone. So I am looking for something that will still create build up and togetherness.

I was thinking of creating Christmas from a different country on Christmas eve. Following typical traditions. Does anyone do anything like this? If so I would love to hear details. I want to make Christmas feel special again!

Lots of places have the main event on Xmas eve. A German friend does raclette for Xmas eve.

You could do St Nicholas, the children put their shoes out by the fire or outside their bedroom door on the 5th December. If they are good then in the morning their shoes will contain sweets and gifts.

You could do a picnic on the beach for an Australian summer - either go to beach well wrapped up or put towels out in your living room and wear shorts. Although according to my Oz relatives it is mainly British tourists that do that.

Christmas piñata - can be bought already filled, bought to fill yourself or made entirely yourself. Take turns to bash it blindfolded until the contents falls out.

Secret Santa (the cracker version) - buy a fill your own cracker kit. Draw names and secretly buy a cracker gift, make a hat and write a joke for that person. Then secretly put them on the table by each place setting for Christmas dinner.

Have a bonfire/BBQ on Christmas Eve and make festive s'mores - use gingerbread instead of digestives. Then go to midnight mass.

Instead of putting chocolate coins in the stockings, hide them really carefully around the house and garden so they have to hunt for them. If you want to make it fair, then buy a different different brand of chocolate coin for each competitor, so they have different foil wrappings and keep one coins back to show them what each looks like. Hide the same number of each competitors coins and you could make it a race!

Prepare and play some party games/board games. If they moan at this, then ask them to each prepare a game or go out at as family to buy a few new board games.

Last year we played blow football with straws and maltesers, made a giant race track for remote control cars (including a ramp up onto the dining room table) and made a mahoosive marble run for maltesers using left over wrapping paper tubes and tubes from the turkey foil.

We've always had a jigsaw for Christmas, and when the children were little it was usually just for the adults. Last year I decided to involve the children and bought a 3d Hogwarts puzzle. I didn't even get a look in!