Little personal Christmas traditions

[WombleishMerryChristmasOfThigh]

Every year, in the run up to Christmas, I read three books; Jilly Cooper's 'How to Survive Chritmas', 'Hogfather', by Terry Pratchett and, finally, in the 2 or 3 nights before Christmas Eve, 'A Christmas Carol'. I've done this every year for at least the past 8 or 9 years. This year I'm going to start a new personal tradition of watching three DVDs, which will be 'Hogfather', 'Flint Street Nativity' and a version of 'A Christmas Carol'.

What little, personal Christmas traditions do you do, purely for yourself?

And I still managed a typo, despite checking twice like Santa and his list 🙄

I read my copy of the Nutcracker. I also have a load of murder mysteries set at Christmas which I only pull out in December to re-read.

I put the decorations up whilst playing jazz versions of Christmas songs, put a YouTube video of a crackling fire on the big tv screen and burn cedar, mandarin & frankincense aromatherapy oils - that sound/smell/ambience combo is magic to me now.

On a night when I’m in by myself (DP on a night shift), I have a canapés & Camembert dinner in my pyjamas - eat the whole baked cheese with crusty bread and nibbly bits. Usually with a few glasses of Malbec and watch a soppy film (not necessarily Xmas related - PS I Love You, About Time and Me Before You are my favourites).

Ddog has a selection of Christmas jumpers and collar.... and a reindeer outfit

Dogs and cats have special ‘Christmas dinner’ foods (Lilys Kitchen) and advent calendars, although in my defence my friend buys them the advent calendars each year.

On Xmas day, if we can spend it together (both have jobs where sometimes we have to work), DP and I watch Die Hard, followed by Gremlins.

That’s lovely Womble. My usual tradition is to stamp about in a temper until the 26th, but I’m trying to be more festive this year.

Kyvia I’ll adopt the tv fire and I have a Christmas jumper now, so will wear that!

@Kyvia That all sounds lovely! Lucky dogs and cats, too. I think at Christmas, it's easy to be so busy doing stuff for other people and make sure they're enjoying the season and forgot about yourself.

Thanks for popping in, Proj. A bit of self-indulgence should be encouraged for everyone! Do something pleasurable for yourself, whatever it is (so long as it's legal, obvs ).

Which Christmas Carol dvd have you decided on OP?

I read lost Christmas, miss read the Christmas mouse and jostein Gardner the Christmas mystery. Does not go unnoticed to myself that 2/3 are children's books!
I also have a lovely festive night to myself when dh is at work Christmas do x

I always listen to Emmy Lou Harris’s Christmas album in the run up while cooking dinner in the evening, and have to watch It’s a Wonderful Life and Groundhog Day and I have a gingerbread coffee. Dh and I have an evening wrapping presents with wine and cheese and the Ronnettes Christmas Gift For You playing.

As a family we have a Mince Pie premier league where we rate all the pies we’ve eaten from different shops.

We watch the Harry Potter movies in the run up to Christmas.

Would love to know your Christmas mystery recommendations @Dinosauratemydaffodils !

Me too, Dinosaur 😊

I have to watch Carols from King's with a (massive) Bailey's. If I can't watch it at its broadcast time, I basically have a passive-aggressive martyred sulk for the rest of Christmas Eve.

I re read Dylan"s A Child's Christmas in Wales, also The Dark is Rising through December, and on Christmas Eve Tolkien's Letters from Father Christmas.
In recent years I've watched the DVDs of the BBC's Dickensian each December.

Since my eldest was born 20 years ago in the 12 days leading up to Christmas day we have robins appearing in the house, one each day, they all stay until the 12th day of Christmas and then the all go and leave the children one final present each. It was something to look forward to in the return to school and means we could get a bargain in the Jan sale.

In the few days up to Christmas I read Rumer Godden's Story of Holly and Ivy, I used to read it aloud to the children but they are a bit big for that now so I read it quietly to myself..

I buy a radio times which I only ever do at Christmas. Bit boring but there we go ha

Cherry brandy with a Yule log and cheeseboard for supper while wrapping gifts

Burn a heroic amount of scented candles

Read ''twas the night before Christmas to DS at bedtime

Womble you should make it Blackadder’s Christmas Carol. We had a very limited number of videos as kids and my sister and I watched that one over and over again, so we can still quote large sections of the script to each other.

My old tradition was to work too hard and then colapse and get ill at Christmas.

I do listen to carols and do my tree. And on Christmas Day I go for a swim in the Hampstead Ladies’ Pond. But I think I should institute some more personal traditions.

@Bogoffrain We have the George C Scott version, which I don't think I've seen; it's unopened and I think DH gave me it last year. I also have Scrooged, which I love, Bill Murray is brilliant in it

Kit, I always mean to listen to Carols from King's, but the religious bit puts me off

@AdaColeman Oh, I love A Child's Christmas, I'm sure I have a copy of it somewhere, I'd like to read it again. Have you seen the TV version with Paul Kaye as Uncle Gorwell?

What a lovely tradition OP!

The only tradition I have, is making a lovely Christmas breakfast. Even when I was living alone and eating breakfast by myself on Christmas morning, I always made a lovely table for myself with my favorite foods on it.

And I loved going to the Villeroy & Boch shop each year to buy something lovely for the home from their annual Christmas collection.

@OddBoots The mysteriously appearing robins sound such fun, what a sweet idea!

@hobbler We get the Radio Times only at Christmas too! I'm sure DH never reads it, even though he buys it.

Oh, that's a good idea, TL. I wonder if it's on Amazon Prime or Netflix or something?

Before DD was born I would always go to midnight mass alone on Christmas Eve. Then when I came out after midnight, it would feel like I had the very first bit of Christmas Day all to myself, before anyone else had touched it.