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?

We do some kind of Christmas craft or baking. Make the gingerbread house, or a decoration, or some cookies. Just a fun little activity for the kids to keep them occupied.

Then we go to the Christmas Eve service at the church. We moved last year and the service was nothing like our old one. Dh hates it all though so I don't feel like I can ask him go drive us down to our old village.

I will prep some vegetables or whatever I can do in advance and get the house in order.

Then we come home and the elves will have delivered new PJ's. DC's get bathed and into their PJ's and we watch a short Christmas movie or show like The Snowman or something. They have hot chocolate and set out Santa's drink and mince pies and their sacks. Then off to bed for them!

Once they are in bed we have a drink and then santa works his magic!

I always used to go to town with my DM, we'd have a wander round the shops, possibly pick up some shoes or clothes in the sales (you always had to be done Xmas shopping before Xmas eve, you weren't allowed to be shopping for presents) then we'd go for a nice lunch/afternoon tea/a few cocktails. Then we'd go home, chill for an hour or so. Then have party food tea or a roast gammon joint with roasties and salad. Then watch a Xmas special of some sort on tv in my Xmas pjs and then bed (so she could finish wrapping/ put out my presents.

Last Xmas was my first without her so I went to the crem to take some flowers and quite a low key one. Since I've been with DH we usually do the Christingle service on Xmas eve but I skipped that last year too.

This year I want to start making our traditions so that when we have kids it's already "our thing" (and atm, I am the kid at Xmas in this house!)

When I was little we always ate out at a beautiful pub in our town that put on a magician to walk around tables. We never ate out or could afford fast food so it was a massive treat. It was cosy and decorated with trees and little Christmassy train sets on shelves. We were allowed 3 courses and were always stuffed to bursting!
From there we’d walk to the theatre to see the panto (and eat more from big tins of chocolates!)
As we lived quite far north it’d always be bitterly cold and most often snowed. After panto one of the characters would run back on stage just as everyone was standing to leave and announce that Santa was just leaving Norway and was heading straight for the UK, landing at our city!! Much panic would ensue and we’d run to the house, change into pyjamas and get right into bed so he’d not miss out our house for being awake!
DH and I went to the panto too until we moved but we’d snuggle up and watch a film, have our favourite foods and still set our Santa treats (which DH would always help with despite us having no children!)
DH passed away this year so it’ll be different. I’ve got a new (much lower grade-but very much easier) job which means I can’t have time off on Christmas Eve. However for now I think it’ll be good as I’ll see people and the office will hopefully be jolly. I don’t have other family near me/willing to travel but a friend has invited me to her house for Christmas dinner.
My plan for this year will be to have a cooked breakfast made up of delicious butchers products (rather than what I’d pick up in a supermarket), have a picnic lunch of good sausage rolls and premade salad (instead of leftovers or sandwiches like normal) and see if I can get a takeaway delivered or if they don’t do that I’ll have a nice stew in the slow cooker ready for me. I’ve got pets who will obviously get their stockings!! And my mum is sending one to me. I’m also going to make a little treat box for me so for the month of December I’ve got lush bath bombs, sweet books to read, yummy snacks or crafty things for if I feel a bit down/unloved.
I know it’ll be different and sad but DH loved me so much and I’m still his wife so I’ve got to plod on. If I aim for happy things then I’ll have tried my best to not be lonely and I’m sure he’d be proud.

Patronus

Your childhood Christmases sound wonderful.

Cinema is nice on Xmas eve. Our cinema has a Starbucks, so I usually have a glorious/disgusting Xmas coffee during the movie and maybe smuggle in some mince pies.

We then go home for some meal prep ready for Xmas day, often have a Chinese for dinner and watch The Snowman. I usually make a batch of proper cocktails too.

Used to go out for an Indian, now order in to have once presents are organised under the tree/last minute work done. Santa parks the reindeer on a sports field near us for a rest and then does the rounds of the estate with carol singers so we look out for them too. He's quite good at suggesting that he's checking who's getting ready for bed, because he can't come when people are awake(obviously). Watch it's a wonderful life with fire on, have wine.😁

This has been another lovely Christmas thread to read. I’m also keen to introduce a few new traditions this Christmas as DS will be nearly 3 and will understand it more (baby DD will only be 13 months though).

Christmas Eve as a child was absolutely brilliant, just as good as Christmas Day in my eyes, because my Mum & Dad had an Open House - music, food, friends popping in and out all day, loads of noise and laughter, and the excitement ramping up. I wish I could replicate it, but a lot of our friends “go home” for Christmas, so our gatherings are much earlier in December.
We recently started attending church so I think a Christingle service would be nice. We plan to have breakfast out at our favourite cafe, a walk round the big park, home to watch Arthur Christmas with festive snacks, a bubble bath, Christmas story, Christmas PJ’s - and then a Chinese takeaway for DH & I.
Lovely.

Have my best friend and her kids round! They are all teens now so usually play games and watch stupid you tube videos!
I still do an Xmas eve bag for them 😂

When they were younger the elves used to leave them panto tickets, cinema tickets, rings at local ski slope or something and we'd do out for the day. I'm a LP and her xH
Is a chef so he'd not be home until late.

These Christmas Eve traditions all sound lovely.

As an adult I used to always go to the pub on Christmas Eve but the last couple of years we've driven over to Fistral Beach for a walk and lunch, then come home, prepped Christmas Day veg, had dinner and watched muppet Christmas carol.

This year will be our first year with our baby so I'm hoping to start a couple of traditions. Maybe Christmas Eve pyjamas or got chocolate - who knows!

My favourite day of the year

Up about 6am, coffee and ferrero rocher selection in peace! I usually put one of the Vicar of Dibley Christmas specials on and watch it under my twinkling Christmas tree lights.

DD gets up around 7.30am and is very excited to see what the elves have left her. It’s usually a hamper with new PJ’s, a new toothbrush, a Christmas book, a home made white hot chocolate sachet (Snowman soup) and a few other treats. We watch the animated “Father Christmas” and “Prep and landing” and have a special breakfast with copious amounts of Bucks Fizz for me

Around 12pm, we meet with friends at our local pub. They have donkey rides, carol singers, lots of Baileys and prosecco, hot chocolate etc and the kids track Santa and also go on a site called Santaupdate.com to listen to the elves reporting live. It’s brilliant!

Around 5pm, I stagger home And we all get showered and in our new PJ’s. I either do us some turkey, homemade sausagemeat/chestnut stuffing, cranberry mayo barms and some camembert or we have a big M&S buffet. The Kir Royale and Bucks Fizz is popped, we sprinkle reindeer dust, and sort Santa’s plate out for him and then we settle down and watch the Snowman. DD goes up and reads her new Christmas book, and me and DP watch whatever Christmas specials are on that night.

I get changed in to something comfortable, meet some friends and head to midnight mass. It’s always so beautiful. Mulled wine is served after the service and then I get home about 12.30am (Very tipsy!) and collapse in to bed.

DD will be 9 this Christmas, she still finds it so, so magical. I am pregnant, i’ll be 6 months gone by Christmas, so there’ll be a lot less drinking! But everything else will stay the same.

That sounds wonderful villagefete

I usually work till around 1pm, go home and cook the honey roast gammon for the next day, then we do fun stuff with the kids. We have a Chinese takeaway for dinner then DP takes kids out around the village to look at Christmas lights and usually goes to McDonald’s to get them a McFlurry as an incentive. That’s when I do operation move the presents to an easier location.
We watch some movies and then they go to bed and then it’s a long waiting game waiting for them to actually go to sleep

Last minute food bits at the shop

Quick clean of main living areas

Lots of trying to distractover excited kiddies.

Baths and clean (festive) PJs on as soon as it gets dark.

Steak baguettes for me and DP, sausages oven chips and spaghetti hoops for the kids.

Open the Bailey's

Watch a festive film.

Kids in bed, festive music on, presents put out and more Bailey's

Love Christmas Eve. My fave part of the holidays.

Normally I have a full day at work as we dont get the luxury of finishing early - shite bosses who dont care about staff morale and insiting we go in despite 90% of the company not bothering to go in so there is about an hours work to do overall.

However this year is different :D... I start a new job in January, im going to be handing in my notice in November and have a month off before I begin as it will be a steep learning curve for me after being where I am for so long.

Im hosting so I will be mostly cleaning the house and getting it ready for a hoardes of guests 8+us on Christmas day ensuring that I have everything out that needs to be out, and getting the stuff that can be prepared in advance like sausage rolls ready.

When DH gets in, I guess we will sit down and watch rubbish films like Elf, Muppets Christmas Carol and stuff and get an early night so I can be up very early to put the meats in the oven and get ready for chaos

Christingle service at church (I was christened at a Christingle service as a baby, and so it is a tradition for us), then Chinese takeaway while we watch Love Actually and Nativity!, wrap all the presents, then at a minute past midnight DH and I open one gift each from each other before bed.

This year will be slightly different because DH may not be alive (obviously we hope he will be) and he doesn't go to bed any more - and DS will be 18 so will probably be out on the lash rather than tucked up in bed by midnight (the only night he goes to bed early knowing his stocking won't be delivered otherwise). I may stay up with DH this year. Last year he was in hospital

My favourite day of the whole year! cook breakfast muffins and hubby goes out to get coffees, potter about tidying and delivering last few cards to neighbours. Afternoon we put on Christmas Dvds, our favourite is Arthur Christmas, along with Polar Express (the very start when snow starts to fall is so magical) Love Actually, Home Alone, The Holiday and of course, Die Hard. Mine are teens now but we still have Norad Tracks Santa on the tablet, when they were little we would look at the stars before bed to see if we could see the sleigh lights, tea as soon as it gets dark is a tradition in our house, M&S party food, yule log and a bottle of champagne is opened. Kids and hubby have their CE hamper, since they were babies theyve had new christmas pyjamas, even though they dont wear pj's most of the time! dvd, book, mug, sweets etc. I always wait til the kids are asleep to fill stockings, then I have a Lush bath before bed 😁

AndNoneForGretchenWieners - I was there a couple of years ago with my MiL. She just made it thorugh Christmas and I hope your DH does.

Also always watch Carols From Kings as my late grandma always loved it, she lived near Cambridge and used to go up for dances as a girl, this year my eldest graduated from Cambridge and the ceremony was next to Kings, a big moment!

I work in retail for big supermarket chain, Im part time and try to be flexible, offer to do another busy day instead in ex change for 24th off, so far its been either in my rota'd day off or Ive swapped to a busier day

GretchenWieners

Our Christmas Eve isn't really set in stone. We usually take the kids for a walk, either through the big park in town to feed the squirrels and enjoy how quiet the play park is, or round the loch, so that they're suitably exercised, and afterwards we go for a coffee/hot chocolate. If DD is old enough we'll go to the family Mass at 7. This year DS will be almost 6 and DD 3.5 so they'll be more involved in helping wrap gifts for their GPs, and we'll watch a Christmas film in the afternoon/early evening(normally Home Alone 1 or 2), and we periodically check Norad. Before bed they sprinkle their bird-friendly reindeer dust (porridge oats and seeds) and put out a mince pie, Baileys and carrot. Once they go to bed, DH and I watch Die Hard and then arrange Santa's visit/make sure the offering looks like it's been munched and fill the DC's stockings.

for everyone who might have a tough Christmas.

It's my favourite day of the year. It's DC4's birthday so we have a massive party for friends and family from 11am-2pm. My siblings drop their kids off and then disappear for an hour to sort out Santa presents and move them out of their attics.

In the afternoon, after we tidy up, we light the fire and watch some movies while finishing off food from the party. We try not to do any Christmas day prep as it feels a bit unfair on DS4. So we play games, put together his birthday presents and spend a nice relaxing time together.

In the evening the kids jump in the shower and I order a takeaway for us all. Then we make a runway of battery operated tealights in the backyard so the reindeer can find their way and we sprinkle out the bags of reindeer food we made during the run up to Christmas - thank you Pinterest!

Then it's beer and birthday cake left out for Santa and half a stone of carrots for the reindeer. The kids go to bed and we wait and watch Die Hard until we know they're asleep. Then it's stockings on the ends of beds and toys arranged in little piles for when they come downstairs. My Mum made Christmas the most magical time of year when we were kids and I hope to replicate that feeling for my children. It's never about presents, it's about spending time together as a family and with the ones we love.

Xmas eve always tricky. The best one was Disney in ice then hot chocolates in cafe royal on the the way home.

Also lush bath bombs with glitter went down a treat last year so will always give them a little bag of some stuff from lush.

What I'd love is... Waking up, baking... Xmas films... Craft... Little local show of something xmassy then meeting friends with dc in local pub for meal games fun then carols service.

Christmas Eve is possibly my favourite day of the year. It's so exciting and festive!

I get up early, take the dog a quick walk, drink copious amounts of coffee and do any last minute cleaning/tiding/laundry. I like it all done so that I don't need to worry about any of it for the next few days!

DD and I get all dolled up and meet my folks at a vair, vair naice restaurant for lunch. When we get home, we wrap up warm and take the pooch out for a nice long walk - travel mugs filled with hot chocolate always come with us. The park we go to is like something straight off a Hallmark Christmas card. It's just beautiful.

I morph into Betty fucking Crocker the minute we get back . I make homemade soup, fresh bread rolls, cookies and lots of other snacky bits. The scented candles get lit, the Christmas music goes on and DD makes the standard 'Will you please stop singing - my ears are bleeding!' type remarks from her pit bedroom.

We host my folks on Christmas Eve, so they come to us for food and drinks at about 7 p.m. We watch a Christmas movie together and DD unwraps her new PJ's. She stays with her Grandad while mum and I head to Midnight Mass. The choir are phenomenal and the service gets better every year. Gives me goose bumps!

As soon as we've waved goodbye to my parents, I see DD into bed. I promptly batter into the Baileys and watch something disgustingly sappy and wonderful like The Holiday while I stuff DD's stocking and arrange her 'Santa' presents under the tree. As soon as the movie's finished, I deliver DD's stocking, try and remember to lock up the house in my blissful Baileys haze and collapse into bed

We go for a walk in the local park in the morning, after a croissant and smoked salmon breakfast, then a late afternoon pub lunch, and home to watch BBC ghost stories for christmas (on DVD), and usually one of the LotR films. Then have a cheeseboard for supper. One of my favourite days of the year :)

Generally get ready for Christmas Day, do last minute errands. Usually go to Christingle service at 3pm with children, other families we know go so it's nice after having a cuppa and a mince pie. Then we usually go out in the evening for drinks with friends at the local pub. Have been known to come back and wrap up all the presents.... but wouldn't put myself through that too often!