Favourite part of the BIG day?

[Teatimeted]

I've been stuck in the house all day with a poorly toddler and have only just got out to walk the dog. With the drop in temperature after being in a sweltering house it's just reminded me of one of my favourite parts of Christmas Day.

For the past few years we've spent it at the IL's as DS loves his cousins and my family now live abroad.

The day itself is wonderful and crazy and noisy and everything you'd hope for. But come 6pm (ish) I make the excuse to take the dog for a walk. It's normally freezing which is a welcome relief from the stuffy house with the very effective log burner. I then walk around the village (which I don't live in, which is even better) peering into the houses of people who haven't closed their curtains yet. It's lovely to see the same traditions and activities going on in most houses. I always feel warm and fuzzy by the time I get back to the house.

So what's your favourite part of Christmas Day??

I love stocking opening time. When I was a kid it was always the most magical part of the day - waking up, peering at the end of my bed and seeing my stocking had been magically filled in the night. My brother and I used to help each other drag the stockings to my parents room to open them all together. Now I have two young kids I encourage them to do the same, they drag their sacks into our room and we all snuggle up to open stockings (and eat chocolate) before going downstairs

@Goldenphoenix I love that too!

My favourite bit is the anticipation, we wait until everyone's dressed and had breakfast before we open the main presents. I love looking at the piles while we eat croissants!

I also love playing monopoly with my dad in the afternoon (we all play but it's really for my dad) I don't get to spend a lot of time with him as he's a "hide in the garage" sort of person. Not home for Xmas this year so will have to book a monopoly appt with him over the festive period lol

There's a forest near my parents house, I like going out for a walk with the dog, everything seems so still, there are next to no cars on the road here

I love it when the dinner is all dished up and everyone is enjoying it. I can then relax and have some more wine.
And then after dinner quizzes and games. Can't wait!

Sitting on the sofa to watch some telly with DH with a leftovers butty on crusty white bread, and a tube of pringles

Mine is getting the kids up, my younger ones have to be woken up, seeing their little faces light up thats my fave part x

Getting out for a wee walk after breakfast/before my parents come over and we're seeing them and then having to rush out to the PILs for dinner. There's hardly anyone out, and no cars on the road - lovely.

Stockings at 7am with everyone on our bed.
The lovely warmth of the candlelit church decked out in all its finery, with carols and incense.
The exploding pop of champagne corks when we go for drinks with friends.
That lovely smell as you put the food on the table. Crackers and silly jokes.
A lovely brisk dog walk in the twilight.

I love all of Christmas Day really but my favourite parts are probably when my DDs come into our room in the morning and sit on our bed and open their stockings.

Then later in the evening when kids are in bed and we play family games with my parents and siblings.

Definitely the early morning, the DC opening their stockings and then the look on their faces when we first come downstairs and they see all the presents under the tree.
I love cooking breakfast with a glass of Bucks Fizz while listening to carols on classic fM while the kids are busy playing with all their toys.
I also will be walking the dog in the evening and will enjoy it even more now after reading your post! After the dog walk I will be indulging in a bath with posh new bath foam, PJ's on, bottle of wine open and snuggling down on the sofa with DH and the DC to watch Christmas films.
I bloody love Christmas.

I’m trying to narrow it down but there are two parts I absolutely love;

1. seeing our DD’s faces when they realise Father Christmas has been, the wide eyed amazement of it all.

2. around 6/7pm when the day is almost over. DD’s getting ready for bed and talking about the day and then sitting snuggled up on the sofa with DH just feeling content.

I love going to my mums for breakfast too but thought three favourites would be too greedy

When we all sit around the table for Xmas dinner. I can relax then but I just love us all being Sat together.

I'm going to cheat, I've got more than one.

Lying in bed in the morning, listening for the moment dd wakes up and realises that it is actually Xmas day.

My other one is the phone conversation between dd and my mum, that happens at about 9.30am every Xmas morning, after she has opened all her presents at home, and we are just in the process of getting dressed and breakfasted.

Mum: look (dd) you're going to have to have serious conversations with FC, you haven't lived in my house for 8 years and he is still dropping off presents, he upset the dog last night. 🤔
Dd: Oh my goodness, not again!! Has he left many presents.
Mum: quite a few, he did leave the dog some as well so that's ok.
Dd: well, We will be there in, Mum when are we going? Half an hour.
Mum: Ok that's fine, I'll live with it, he put them all on my favourite chair, i cant even sit down. See you soon.

It's just become tradition now, and I don't know what is going to happen when dd doesn't believe any more.

God I’m a soppy sod but reading these are making me tear up!

@Justabadwife your mum sounds amazing.

@Teatimeted I love doing that too! No dog to walk but growing up my brother and I would go for a walk in the early evening and have a good chat. I can never get DH or DCs to leave the house so do it on my own as my brother lives away, but if he’s here over Christmas we always do it.

Last year on Boxing Day evening we walked to the 24 hour garage and ate fruit pastilles on a wall in the rain 😄

Can i have two?

The first is DS whacking the Caga Tio so he poos presents on Christmas Eve (google it, it is delightful!).

The second is going on a brisk dog walk on the beach to see the festive sand sculpture early afternoon. Usually with an outdoor gift DS has received (scooter, remote control car etc). Stopping for a drink and greeting the locals.

Opening stockings on the bed is also lovely. And watching DS ever-so-unsubtly peeking at his tree presents during breakfast, pretending to fall over and accidentally removing a corner of wrapping etc! So sweet!

Watching DS nod off on the sofa around 9pm while wearing every clothes-gift he received and clutching his new favourite toy. Aww!

I love coming into the lounge before the kids to switch on the tree lights and the uplighter. I can see all the gifts laid out and it’s magical- even though it was me that set them out it just feels magical and always has. It’s like the room is holding it’s breath.

And like others before- a walk on Christmas Day is great. I dont have a dog but do have four kids spanning lots of years so each years walk is different and hold special memories for me. The first Xmas day as a mummy walking with ds in a sling, a few years later walking little dd and her new baby doll pram, years later first walk with my now hubby but then was new partner and the kids, then walks with the new editions over the following years. This year I have a grandchild so I will probably walk with him. And enjoy that Christmas Day fresh air and memory making time.

Seeing my children’s faces when they open the presents they wanted so much. Sticking a Christmas movie on, Christmas songs and cooking our lunch when it’s cold outside but homely and cosy inside with your family is a lovely feeling

I love reading these.

Another thing i like is putting up the tree, turning off all the room lights and laying on the floor under the tree. I used to do it as a child, and DS does it now.

Then after DS has gone to bed DH and i have a Xmas Eve shag under the tree, before the presents go down

Christmas lunch!

Another thing i like is putting up the tree, turning off all the room lights and laying on the floor under the tree.

You've just brought back a long-forgotten memory! I once had a romantic tryst on the floor under a lit Christmas tree in an otherwise darkened room. It was quite magical...

The dc trailing in to open stockings in our bed is my favourite part.

Christmas lunch and having a drink with dp after bedtime just the two of us come a close second.

Board games before bed-can't beat it!!

Either the morning dog walk or our traditional carpet picnic at night when it’s just us and our sons. They’re young adults now and the whole excitement of opening presents and getting new toys stopped long ago but Christmas night is nice, and we often play cards after our picnic.

Oh it has to be when the kids come running into our room with their stockings. They're always so delighted and grateful and it's just so magical.

The PP describing the lounge as holding it's breath whilst it waits for the children is just a wonderful way to put it. I'm always the one who does this and you're absolutely right, I see that pile of gifts I've given so much thought over and just know that in a minute the peace will be broken and 3 excited children will be astonished by the Christmas magic.

Thank you for posting this OP! Lovely thread; I’ve read the first few posts and I’ll save the rest until later when my little one is asleep. I always get a warm fuzzy feeling reading about everyone’s memories of Christmas - they’re hardly ever of ‘things’, always how we feel, seeing everyone happy, warmth etc very hard to remember this with a teenager who thinks I’m made of money.

I’m looking forward to taking the youngest out to the park on her new scooter, yummy food and a cheeseboard at night to watch Call the Midwife