Tell me about your Xmas eve plans!

[MissHemsworth]

So obviously we have varying degrees of limitations on what we can do on Xmas eve/over Xmas. I just want to hear what you have planned, any traditions that you are able to stick to, what you are having for dinner etc!

I'll start....the kids will open their Xmas eve boxes and we'll probably have a couple of mulled wines over zoom with friends, maybe a Xmas family movie. Haven't decided about dinner yet, hoping to steal some ideas!

I have two young DC so we will be doing some Christmas crafts and baking.
Hopefully go for a walk somewhere.
Come back for hot chocolates and marshmallows.
Then watch something Christmassy on tv.

It all sounds lovely and idealic but will probably consist of at least 5 tantrums at least

We’ll be visiting the cemetery and my housebound nan in the morning, we will stay outside at the end of the drive and she comes to the window to say hello. Not sure if it’s technically against the rules but she is housebound and lives alone, the only thing she has to look forward to is family waving from the end of the drive!

Then home for Christmas Day food prep, in tier 2 so we are still allowed to mix 3 households so quite a lot of baking to be done.

In the evening will be doing the 6pm bell ring for Santa/those spending Christmas alone and then our traditional KFC takeaway before an early night! Of course not for me and DH with all the toy building to be done!

Have our usual tradition of brioche and smoothies in bed with Christmas stories then meeting a friend and her dcs in a local park to exchange presents.

Doing buffet party food for lunch with my mum and going for a walk round the neighbourhood as there's a nativity trail where lots of the locals have built nativities in their front gardens.

Christmas quiz with all the family at 4 over zoom then pizza and home alone for tea. Then once I've turfed the kids upstairs I'll crack the Prosecco open and set everything up for the morning

Christmas Eve is my favourite day of the year but will feel particularly special this year as my husband who is in the Forces is coming home.

It’s all been very up in the air so we feel so lucky that we can all be together.

DC up nice and early, big hack on ponies with Santa hats. Stop off at the local garden centre (we are still tier 2) for coffee/hot chocolate and mince meat pies.

Back for some soup and a spot of Christmas baking, think we are going to do a cheat Yule Log.

One of the chaplains on the street has offered to do a Christingle service for all the residents as it’s getting dark so pop out late afternoon for that. And then back home to Christmas Eve boxes/PJ’s/baths etc, candles lit etc and stick Elf on and wait for our Surprise visitor DH.

Celebratory Chinese with lots of bubbles etc, letter stocking, mincemeat pie, carrot, Sherry put and then spend the evening trying to convince 3 over excited girls to go to bed!!

@Aponcetasticchristmastoall

Christmas Eve is my favourite day of the year but will feel particularly special this year as my husband who is in the Forces is coming home.

It’s all been very up in the air so we feel so lucky that we can all be together.

DC up nice and early, big hack on ponies with Santa hats. Stop off at the local garden centre (we are still tier 2) for coffee/hot chocolate and mince meat pies.

Back for some soup and a spot of Christmas baking, think we are going to do a cheat Yule Log.

One of the chaplains on the street has offered to do a Christingle service for all the residents as it’s getting dark so pop out late afternoon for that. And then back home to Christmas Eve boxes/PJ’s/baths etc, candles lit etc and stick Elf on and wait for our Surprise visitor DH.

Celebratory Chinese with lots of bubbles etc, letter stocking, mincemeat pie, carrot, Sherry put and then spend the evening trying to convince 3 over excited girls to go to bed!!

That sounds such fun! I love reading about what others are doing

Roughly:
Pancakes for breakfast.
Long walk with hot choc and brownies.
Decorate cookies for Father Christmas.
Christmas movies and mini disco (toddler loves to dance!)
Buffet type dinner, not too heavy but still treat things.
Bells for Father Christmas at 6PM before putting out sack, cookies and carrot.
Bath and bed for toddler
Bath for me!
DH and I get FC sack/presents ready for the morning.
More Christmas movies and treats.

Walk around a NT place. Then home for our roast dinner (working Christmas Day so doing it a day early).

I have some amaretto and squirts cream for hot chocolate and Christmas films in the evening.

DP is working and DD is at her dad's so just me and 3 Yr old DS for the day. Will probably take him down to the beach for a walk in the morning then home for a picnic lunch.
I need to do a bit of cleaning and hoovering then as it gets dark we will walk round our village looking at lights once home DS can open a gift (a book for bedtime) and look out for Santa as someone in our village is dressing up as him and driving round. Then bed for DS, steak and chips for me and DP followed by mulled wine and Die Hard and putting out the presents

DH and I are both working so it will be home at 5 for tea, then trying to get DS to have a sleep before Midnight Mass. He is in charge of the live streaming so needs to be awake!

DD1 (our first born) turns 13 on Christmas Eve so we'll have a teenager at home for the first time! 🙈😂

So we'll open presents, brunch out at a local restaurant (Scotland, so still able to open then) then home to chill out.

Then it's Christmas Eve Mass at 5pm......DD1&DD2 are altar servers & as it's DD1 birthday she usually gets to switch the lights on the Christmas tree 😊
Then I get all teary at thinking of the Christmas Eve I brought her home as a newborn & the carols make me sob!

Then home for a late dinner & put out our mince pie for Santa etc with DD1&DD2 & DS - perfect day.

Only thing marring it this year is not being able to have my in-laws over from Ireland to stay for 4/5 days like they usually do, so they'll miss seeing DD1 on her birthday & the three kids (and us) at Christmas. But we can FaceTime etc so we'll make do with that!

Ds is spending half of the day with his dad. During that time I plan to tidy the house and get the last few bits of food shopping (I know, I must be mad).

When he gets home we'll do some baking, maybe an afternoon walk and then settle down with Christmas Eve boxes, a film, snacky tea, bath and early bed!

I will be cooking some food so will be letting the kids have a bit of a free for all with TVs and they can play some games.

Then in the evening we will be having a picnic under the Christmas tree and watch a movie. Part of the fun is also getting ready - tidying their room and hanging their stocking then getting into a warm bath, then once dry and dressed laying out the carrot for reindeer and cookie and milk for father Christmas. Finally a Christmas bedtime story and lullabies until they are thoroughly asleep.

We may during the day bake the cookies for FC but for the sake of time we may do them tomorrow instead as I already have lots if prep to do.

I'll be having a sharing board with DP in the evening for our dinner with lots of nice treats. Then I'll set an alarm to put the presents out and fill the stockings. Can't wait it will be magical :)

Massive cheeseboard for us on Christmas Eve!

A walk in the morning with dog and little ones to feed ducks then back home to cook our Xmas dinner which we always have on Xmas eve so I don't spend the day cooking on Xmas day. After dinner it's amazing eve boxes and chilling out. We usually have family up to join us for sam's eve dinner but we are also in tier 4 so it's just the 7 of us x

I have no plans as my exh will not commit if he is having the kids for the day.

I would like to get out for a walk on my own if they are with their dad or with kids if not. Either is fine. Except I expect exh will want us to go for a walk together if he has them as cant cope all day with them in his own.

In evening dc will want to watch crap on you tube. Which they constantly watch anyway.

I might insist on us all watching a family film of their choice.

Aiming for an absolutely knackered child, so as much time outside in the park and woods as we can stand, need to find a park with a cafe where we can get takeaway coffees/hot chocolates to keep me going, she'll be running on excitement so no sugar or caffeine needed.

Then in the evening we'll do Xmas pjs, movie and takeaway before setting up cookies and begging her to please please please Go. To. Sleep!

Have a lie-in until 11 or midday, do some housework, perhaps make a veggie lasagna, go for a walk unless the weather's particularly awful and laze around for the evening, scoffing a few chocolates and drinking Baileys. That's as far as I've got.

I'm working, then after work I will go home and DD and I are making cookies for Father Christmas and a Yule log. We have a take away to be collected from our friends pub so we will chat to them for a bit and head home for takeaway and Christmas movies. Then before bed DD is Father Christmas' helper and she packs the stockings for the grown ups, and leaves everything set up for him.
Once she's in bed I have to set up the North Pole breakfast that the elf leaves when he goes home, do her stocking and work out how to tie an enormous bow on a door!!!!

We (me, DH, DS1 and 2) have just decided to have our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve with DH's parents because DH's sister will be coming down from tier 4 (we're tier 1) on Christmas Day with his parents, which I'm a bit nervous about and it wouldn't allow me to see my family over Christmas.

Then on Christmas Day we'll have a late breakfast with the boys opening their Father Christmas presents without having to worry about cooking a turkey and fifteen veg. Then that evening, ham, salads, cheese, leftover turkey etc with my Mum and Dad and sister and her her family.

I'm really looking forward to having the big meal in Christmas Eve and then having a more relaxed feel to Christmas Day.

*for Christmas Day with his parents.

A long walk and dropping presents off at parents as we pass by, walking through the wood and cutting a bunch of holly . Back to watch netflix with lots of booze and nibbles. Tea will be a frozen pie and chips with DP.

The weather's forecast to be stunning on xmas eve

Collect order from farm shop 8am!

Walk to local restaurant (tier 3 Scotland) for brunch with in-laws then home to open Xmas Eve hamper.

Surprise Santa visit to garden at 4pm (thanks granny who booked it) then pyjamas, take away, film and bed.

Christmas eve will be probably not much :(
We've got some lovely food coming tomorrow night so I intend to have a lovely breakfast followed by a lovely lunch... followed by more food!
Christmas day is a few door step visits and much of the same and right the way through until the 28th!

I'm working Christmas eve this year (nhs). Will hopefully finish at 5, eat dinner, make pavlova, then open a nice bottle of wine and some Christmas films. Early night for kids, presents out then bed.