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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

What do you do on Christmas Day?

43 replies

TalullahDingleberry · 25/11/2019 15:02

Christmas used to be a large extended family affair so lots of catching up but this year we’re staying at home.

How do you fill your day?

OP posts:
FrangipaniBlue · 26/11/2019 12:58

Lie in til about 8.30/9am

Get up, open presents while eating breakfast

10.30 go to PILs - 2nd breakfast, more present opening, feet up, wine open, lunch

5pm come home, feet up, more wine open, scoff a cheese board

Bliss I tell you!

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 26/11/2019 13:11

We start off by opening stockings - this used to be earlier, when the boys were younger, but now they are all in their 20s, we all like a bit of a lie-in. Then breakfast, and the morning is spent gently pottering (putting the stocking presents away, dh and some of the dses walking the dogs, me sitting and reading), and a light lunch.

After lunch we open the main presents, from round the tree, watch The Queen, and then I start sorting out dinner - well, put the goose in the oven, and parboil the potatoes so they can go in too.

The rest of the afternoon I spend watching TV and doing the bits of cooking that need doing as they come up. The boys help out, lay the table, and then just lie about, and dh also helps (he tends to be on washing up duty - wonderful man).

Then there's the final flurry of preparing dinner (cooking the sprouts - I dice with death by not putting them on at the beginning of December - and heating up the gravy, sauces and red cabbage) then dish up and we eat around 7.30-8pm.

After dinner dh and the dses sort out the kitchen and the washing up, while I laze in front of the TV.

It is a very gentle, lazy day - apart from cooking the Christmas dinner, and I do as much of that in advance as I can - I make the stock for the gravy, the braised red cabbage, the apple sauce and the stuffing ahead of time, and freeze them, and on Christmas Eve I peel the potatoes, sprouts and parsnips, and stuff the goose, so there really isn't too much to do on the day.

mariposa23 · 26/11/2019 18:53

Love all these posts ❤️, it's just the 4 of us, me, DH, DS4 & DD 6.
We usually get up pretty earlier as DH is super excited he wakes the kids up 🤣.
We open presents & I do bacon sarnies & fizz.
Then we put presents together & play & then we get ready in smart clothes ready for lunch.
We have lunch usually just the 4 of us but this year we're having DH work friend over for lunch.
Then we will be all stuffed from lunch & chill for a hit watching a film & eating chocolates.
In the late afternoon we usually book something that's going on around our area - last year there was a dinosaur museum, the year before a circus show. This year I don't know what there is but I'm sure we will arrange something

NaughtyLittleElf · 26/11/2019 19:03

We're staying home for the first time ever this year and it's my first Christmas with DP so it's all going to be a bit different.

ItsJustTheOneSwanActually · 26/11/2019 19:13

DH and i live abroad, no kids. We're going skiing and then to a hotel for a slap up dinner and bed for the night. Grin

itsgettingweird · 26/11/2019 19:16

Get up. Stockings.
Coffee and drink.

Tree presents. (Just ds as only us 2)

Breakfast.

Tv and bath etc. (Just ds and i)

My parents in afternoon for dinner and family presents.

Home for Eastenders and eat junk food Grin

Fizzypoo · 26/11/2019 19:16

I volunteer with the YP that I work with and bring my DC along too. It's lovely. Christmas is more than just a day, I see my family and dps family either side.

IHaveBrilloHair · 26/11/2019 19:20

This will be my second year on my own.
I'll probably be up at 9/10, I'll make a cuppa and choose something to watch, whilst also browsing Social media.
My friend is going to call for a chat, as is Dd.
More telly watching with nice food, repeat until bedtime!

Stacerini · 26/11/2019 19:25

DC are 2 and 3 so our traditions are still fairly new, but;

Up when the DC wake up, usually about 7:30am
Go downstairs and do presents
Breakfast all together - usually eggs and smoked salmon bagels
Get dressed and drive to my Mum’s for Christmas dinner - rest of the family meet us there
Enjoy a lovely day of food, TV and Quality Street
Go out for a walk, then home for a game of Monopoly and a buffet tea
We used to stay over but now we leave at the kids bedtime - put them in their PJs before we leave then transfer them to bed once we get home (only a 30min drive).
Boxing Day with in-laws.
Christmas Eve is our day just the 4 of us - this year we’re booked on a Santa train - but I honestly love it all.

Serin · 26/11/2019 19:53

EllaPaella
I love the idea of going to the beach.
We have a v traditional Christmas, midnight Mass as DS is a choristor.
Dinner for 15 so I spend a lot of the day preparing that but I have alcohol to help me Grin

mrswx · 26/11/2019 19:56

We always stay at home, just me, DH and DD10. We space out our Christmas Dinner and present opening, otherwise it be over so quick.

We get up normally around 8.
DD gets her Santa presents which are set out, unwrapped.
Breakfast.
We do our stockings one at a time.
We prep dinner.
Chill and play.
Lunch (which is Christmas Dinner starter)
Open the presents under the tree, again one at a time.
Call family to thank them.
Christmas Dinner main course at normal tea time.
Chill and play.
Board games.
TV.
Sort and try to put away presents.
Pudding for Supper (which rarely gets eaten)

Ellapaella · 26/11/2019 20:05

@Serin I am lucky enough to live a 5 minute walk from the seafront, the beach is always so busy on Christmas Day no matter the weather!

Mrscog · 26/11/2019 20:07

@3littlemincemeatpies that's so similar to my Christmases growing up, but insert sheep instead of horses (feeding not riding obviously!) and just one sister.

Ooh it's made me feel really warm and sentimental!

CherryPavlova · 26/11/2019 20:17

7:30 ish stockings and tea. Our children come into us as does daughters fiancé.
Others have stockings outside their doors and are taken mugs of tea by my husband.
Mass at 10am so a bit of chivvying to get people out and into cars.
Post Church drinks and hor d’ouevre with friends for an hour or so.
Home and I do lunch with a couple of helpers whilst the dogs get walked.
Late Christmas lunch. Hopefully in time for the Queen. Then presents.
An evening of board games and/or singing around the piano or a film.
Not much needed for supper but people can help themselves if they want a sandwich, soup, cheeseboard or whatever else appeals.

DreamingofSunshine · 26/11/2019 23:28

@3littlemincemeatpies your Christmas sounds lovely, especially horses in Santa hats!

KTCluck · 27/11/2019 10:04

I love reading about how others do Christmas.

We tend to get up early every day thanks to DD(2), usually around 6am, although last year she slept later for the first time ever and I was dying to get up Grin

We go straight down for present opening in PJs, then a cuppa and sausage sarnies and selection box for breakfast. We’ll all get dressed then DD can play with her presents while I potter tidying up and DH puts the turkey in / cleans up breakfast things. The rest of lunch will have been prepared the day before so will just need to go in the oven / on the hob.

DD is getting a scooter from Santa so there’ll probably be a walk so she can get out on that. We than have some family coming around 11 for an hour so we’ll have the first glass of fizz then.

Other family arriving at about 12 ready for lunch at 1 which DH will mainly cook while I assist and keep glasses topped up. Our visitors are bringing starter and dessert, and will probably load the dishwasher and clear the table.

Then it’s a relaxed afternoon of games, TV and wine. Not sure how long visitors will stay but it doesn’t matter as our plans will be the same.

Turkey sandwiches, cheeseboard and leftover dessert for tea whenever anyone wants them. It’s help yourself.

Then usually an early night. Can’t wait!

Electrocute1980 · 27/11/2019 10:07

We do Santa presents downstairs in the morning with the kids, croissants and pain au chocolat for breakfast then everyone gets dressed and we do presents under the tree. Usually have crackers and cheese and picky bits then head over to my parents around 2ish for more present opening and a lovely dinner at theirs. We bring dessert. Usually head home 7pm ish and get the kids to bed then laze around having some wine and chocolate and maybe a movie. I absolutely LOVE Christmas Day Smile

UndertheCedartree · 27/11/2019 14:13

We have Christmas day at home just me, DP and 2 DC. I love just being able to please ourselves and have a lovely relaxed day.

My DC aren't early risers so we get up around 9am. Their stockings from FC are on the fireplace. We go downstairs and they open them. Then we have pastries for breakfast. After that we open the main presents from each other. We then get dressed. We eat our Christmas dinner about 2pm. We just have our main course (no starter) then we have a break before pudding. Either after our dinner or after pudding we will open the rest of the presents under the tree. We then might play a game or watch a film and chill for the rest of the day.

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