10 year old first British Christmas

[pomlife]

Hi all,

Coming home for Christmas this year, DH and I from the UK. However DSS has never been to the UK or had a northern hemisphere Christmas. Hit me with your must haves ! (Obviously I have things I'd like to do, DH isn't bothered about it - difficult childhood) so I want to ensure it's perfect for DSS so keen to hear other ideas !!

Advent calendar (preferably chocolate) in advance.

If you've always been in summer for Christmas, then things that emphasize the best bits of rubbish cold weather - log fires after cold walks out, hot chocolate or mulled apple juice (mulled wine for adults), mince pies, tucked up watching christmas films on the sofa under a duvet.

Decorating a christmas tree with a million tasteless lights and shiny baubles, whilst listening to a tacky Christmas pop album.

Watching all the snowy-Christmas films and being able to empathise with them for the first time - for a 10 year old maybe Arthur Christmas, Home Alone, Muppet's Christmas Carol?

Hanging up a stocking/pillow case, putting out sherry and mince pie for Father Christmas, and waking up at stupid o'clock the next morning to open it all.

Sure there's other things, but those would be my go-to's...

An advent calender for the morning and an advent candle for snuggly candle lit evenings

Go watch a light switch on / of a carol concert

Go to a garden centre to pick a new decoration for the tree

An afternoon making mince pies / Xmas pudding

Cold wintery walks followed by hot chocolate and an Xmas film

Panto!

Ice skating

Panto!

Watching Christmas films.
Mulled non-alcoholic drink.
Panto.
Choosing then decorating a real Christmas tree.
Advent calendar.
Going to a carol concert.
Watching the Christmas light switch on.
Christmas stocking.
Baking and decorating gingerbread men or a house.

Crackers, paper hats & silly jokes.

Panto

Going to the forest for the Christmas tree

Making mince pies, sausage rolls or star biscuits

Carol service, visiting Christmas crib

Making paper chains to decorate their room

Letter to Santa if they are of an age

Christmas pyjamas (either on Christmas eve, or in the stocking)
Definately hot choc with cream and marshmallows.
Going to your local town's Christmas light switch on or market, wrapped up in 50 layers, scarf and hat.
Novelty, warm, Christmas hat.

A walk the week before christmas to gather ivy and holly.
Stir-up Sunday late in November to make the pudding.
A festival of 9 lessons and carols on the radio on Christmas Eve.

How about a panto? A very British institution! Making mince pies together would be traditional too.

Roast chestnuts! Agree about gathering holly and going to a Christmas market. Carol service.

We had 3 UK Christmases growing up and I think most of the things that helped make it special for us have been mentioned. Apart from getting snowed in during January ... the local farmers told my mother not to come back in winter again please after the 3rd time!

Christmas jumpers for all the family.

Reading The Dark is Rising through December, or A Christmas Carol, or Tolkien's Father Christmas Letters, or The Jolly Christmas Postman, which ever fits the age group.

Christmas crackers - am I right in thinking this is purely a Brit thing?