What do you do on Christmas Eve?

[bandthenjust]

Im after some new traditions.
I usually go out for coffee in the morning, then have a 'leisurely ' stroll around the shops. Party food/buffet thing in the evening.
Last year, we stayed in, played board games and stuffed our faces.
what do you guys do?

Usually a nice easy dinner or takeaway, then put on a Christmas film and drink some wine. I prefer a relaxing Christmas eve, after the chaos of the build up to Christmas day!

We have done the same thing for 11years now. 7am DS and I go to collect the turkey and some Ayrshire bacon , home and make everyone bacon and toast.
The elves have left a hamper with new pj's for all, lush bath bombs, hot chocolate and festive shortbread, popcorn and a film.
Lazy morning then into town around 1pm for a wander before meeting friends (2 other families ) at 3pm for a late lunch/early dinner.
Home around 5.30pm, bath, pj's, movie and hot chocolate before bed!
Everything wrapped in advance so a few gins, fill stockings, pop out gifts and bed for us too!

The past few years I've gotten up early and done a 7am Tesco/M&S trip with my mum and sister and then gone out for breakfast, spend the rest of the day chilling, cooking stuffing and visiting relatives/delivering presents. Put my daughter to bed and have some cheese and wine and maybe a takeaway and watch something festive on tv!

I used to go to the cinema every year on Christmas Eve with my Daddy whilst my mum did last minute bits around the house, would be good to do with my daughter but she's only 2 so a bit young still

Same on 24th Dec as 25th. Fuck all, usually.

I prefer Christmas Eve to Christmas Day!
Laid back morning - lay table - make stuffing for Xmas day and chocolate truffles/ Mince pies. Soup for lunch!
Then crib service at 3pm followed by walk round the town to look at xmas decks. We then head home - fire on, crackers and cheese for tea, watch a movie hang stockings and head to bed.

Used to go to parents in law get back 11pm and we stopped this after a car crash on way home 2 years ago as we were both so shattered we couldn't enjoy the big day. Have gone back to the above which is what my family did when I was little.
Very enjoyable day :)

Normally I would watch a film with the DC (Home Alone 1 or 2) wrap presents (for about 3 hours) and stagger up to bed about midnight. In the past DC and I would track Father Christmas on the NORAD website (which I recommend for anyone with really young DC). Sadly I am on my own this year (1st time) as DC will be with their father and the wicked w*h that is their gran (but that is a whole different thread!). I think that I might treat myself to a takeaway though. That sounds like a good idea.

We go to the matinee of the Panto. Our Panto is at a theratre on the beach so we also go for a walk down by the sea beforehand. When we come out it is dark and the towns lights look great reflected in the sea.

Keeps us busy, tires everyone out and feels very festive.

We always went swimming. The leisure centre was lovely and quiet and played Christmasy tunes. It was one of those pools with waves and flumes. Afterwards we'd head to McDonalds to sample the Christmas menu then home and watch a Christmas film.
I started it originally to tire the children out so they slept better on Christmas Eve. We did it every year til they went to university! Occasionally their friends or boyfriends came when they were older.

I'm always off. I prepare biscuit dough and the teens bake biscuits for Santa. We will go the cinema if there is something on, then out for dinner. Then home and feet up.

We tend to all mull around Xmas eve day but the night we all get into our new pjs and have a baileys or hot chocolate and my mum reads us the night before Xmas- she's done it every year (same book) since I was a baby I'm now 27 ( I have younger siblings she doesn't just read to me lol) then we always have a Chinese and watch something Christmassey- the best thing about Xmas for me is that because I've got younger siblings I've never ever had a Xmas without one of them believing in father Xmas- I think this may be the last year and I'm devastated!

Up early to collect the turkey and the fresh veg etc then home for a cooked brunch.

During the afternoon we'll watch films and track Santa on NORAD and then eat our main meal early before going to the first Mass of Christmas. I usually get roped into a taxi service afterwards then home for buffet food and bubbly while watching Elf. Always Elf.

Once DS is in bed we lay out the prezzies and finish the champagne watching a film.

Usually work on Christmas eve , if I'm at home me and DS would do a gingerbread house and we would all go out for a walk, then come home to soup and home made egg nog. This will be had when I get home in the evening this year, and DS and DH will probably get a little present to play with whilst I'm at work. And a list of jobs/things to cook!

Last year we went to watch muppets Christmas carol at the local cinema, and then went to winter wonderland. We were there for about 1pm, had mint hot chocolates, and lots of sweet goodies. We walked around and went on the children’s rides then headed home. It was really lovely, not made busy either although I’m sure it got busy in the evening.

Ooh and we always read the night before Christmas whilst having hot chocolate, all snuggled up together. I like the idea of doing a hot choc bar this year with different flavours and toppings for us all to chose.

Food shopping for any ordinary things that we've run out of, if it's a Saturday, breakfast in the Sainsbury's café, usual mince pie, beer, carrot left out, then DD will play Father Christmas and fill the stockings, I get the mince pie and the beer (DD doesn't like mince pies), the carrot goes back with the rest for Christmas dinner.

Usually have a big party for all the in-laws so the day is spent prepping and cooking then the evening is very busy with lots of people.
Then once everyone leaves it's new pyjamas and bed for the kids. Then wrapping, assembling and prepping Christmas dinner for me and DH. And Baileys. Lots of Baileys.

We have done other things, cinema, walks, Santa train etc but the kids prefer the busier party years.

Watch It's a Wonderful Life, drink mulled wine and eat mince pies. In new Christmas Eve PJs.

Do as much prep for Christmas lunch as we can.
Watch a film on the telly.
Go for a nice walk.
I love Midnight Mass so usually try and go to that. Although this year that is one week before my due date so I'm not sure I'll make it!

Hang on just one cotton picking minute!!! There's an entire topic devoted to Christmas??? How did I not know this.

Literally cannot describe my level of excitement right now!

In answer to the OP - I prep veg and put in salted water, wrap sausages in bacon and put in fridge, play a hell of a lot of Christmas music, set the table for Christmas dinner. Then set out bits for Santa and the reindeer with the kids and do last bits of wrapping with a nice glass of baileys. Oh you are making me so excited for Christmas Eve! It's my favourite night of the year!

Every Christmas I mean to watch It’s a wonderful life but I have never managed to do it!!

If I'm not working over Christmas I spend time fretting that everything is just so because I am crap at things like Christmas dinner/roasts. I don't do them often (obviously not Christmas dinner!) and timings freak me out.

This year I shall have an app that bings and pings until I get it right. I'm having a practice run soon. I hate the pressure of Christmas cooking.

After I've frazzled myself getting worked up about a glorified roast I have a long hot shower put on my Christmas pjs and try to relax.

I am such fun on Xmas eve!!

I bake and make loads of Christmas treats! The DCs’ godfather visited last year as well, which was lovely. The crib service was on 23 Dec last year, so we missed it as we were busy. Im hoping it’s on CE again this year.

I’m keeping all of the time after finishing work on 20 Dec free this year, as it felt too chaotic being too busy last year. It means I can spread my baking out a bit too.

So, it’s essentially baking, filling the house with Christmassy smells, crib service, reindeer food outside, bath, CE box (with PJs, present sacks, stockings and Santa plate in), PJs on, stockings and sacks placed in optimal positions, then mince pie (made earlier), carrot and drink put out on the plate, followed by a Christmas story (Night Before Christmas) and bed for the DC. I love it!

Like a fair few of the posters on here, The Night Before Christmas is also read here at bedtime! I like a Christmas Film (Muppets Christmas Carol if poss) although we tend to start early in December with these.

I used to like going shopping on Christmas Eve for last-minute pressie bits (not starting then, that would be stressful!) but since we moved I've only done that once. It might be fun at a bigger mall not far away if the weather is OK for driving, you've got me thinking about that one again.

I try to avoid food shops on Christmas Eve (unless they are big supermarkets that open at 12.01am on Christmas Eve) and will have already collected the turkey ready for dinner.

It will change a bit this year as the red suited one plays less of a part these days. Although I suspect DH will still push for the glass of whisky and mince pie/carrot to be left out as he tradition demands. I have pointed out in the past that as a child, I only left milk and a bit of carrot but this is one tradition of his that we keep rather than that of my non-drinking single mother

Oooh, can't wait!