What are you doing Christmas Eve?

[MsMiaWallace]

DH is at work until 2pm so looking at inspo for afternoon with 3 small kids.

What are you guys up to?

I'll be on a trip in Central China.

I'm going to Nine Lessons and Carols in York Minster with DD, and then she's demanded fish pie for Christmas Eve dinner so she can help me make that. If it's nice I will see if we can get out for a walk in the morning. But since it's usually fairly grey and boring, in reality I'll probably end up indoors!

@Babdoc

Carols from Kings, smoked salmon steaks, home made chocolate chestnut yule log iced with Nutella, then off through the frosted village street under the starlight to the Watchnight service at the village church. There’s always a lovely magical sense of anticipation as midnight approaches, and we all wish Merry Christmas to the congregation and celebrate anew the arrival of the Christ child. A previous minister used to time his service precisely, so that just as the church clock struck midnight, we reached the line “Strikes for us now the hour of your grace”, in the Scottish version of Silent Night - sung in near darkness with just candles flickering on the altar. The hair on my neck always stood up, it was such a perfect moment, encapsulating Christmas.

That sounds so perfect.

How old do you reckon children need to be for midnight mass? I used to go before DD was born and I loved it.

I'm working during the day (hoping to sneak off a tad early) but after work will be Arthur Christmas with some treats and then after the watershed will be either die hard or love actually with some booze!!

My husband has the day off so he will be taking our 2yo to see his family, think they're hoping to go out for breakfast or lunch

P.S @MsMiaWallace I love this thread, I love reading about what everyone is going to be up to noseybitch

Going to a panto. We have been going to the same one for 15 yrs since DD1 was a baby. We have the same seats, and a row across a family from the primary school have their same seats every year. I was quite miserable when it didn't run last year. Sadly the theatre isn't opening up again until spring, but I've found tickets to a different one. I'm looking forward to it so much.

Last year we did have a Bake Off style gingerbread house competition. Dh and I judged and the winner had a pound shop bakers hat to wear when they made pudding the following day. (traditionally the DC are in charge of pudding)

Loving reading these posts!
Still planning our Christmas Eve !

Its my favourite day! Its just me and the dog. This year I will be working from home, but likely will finish at lunch time. Will take the dog out for a nice walk after, then settle down for a christmas film. If I can, I’ll go to my mums in the evening, I usually help her set up for Christmas day such as veg prep and dinner settings, and then we have a takeaway on our laps with whichever of my siblings is home for Christmas.

I'll get the kids to help me lay the table for xmas dinner, do some food prep in the morning. After lunch, weather permitting we'll go down to the beach with the dog for Christmas carol service, jump in the sea for a quick dip, out for hot chocolate and hot dogs and home for bath and pjs.

Some of these sound so lovely!

I will send the morning tidying round preparing food for the next day and hopefullly dh will take the kids and dog out for a long walk.

We have a table for 22 booked at 2pm with lots of our friends and kids friends lots of nice food and wine then walk up to the first mass of Christmas. Then home when my mum will come over to stay and buddy the elf will have left leaving Xmas Eve boxes for the four kids.

I love Christmas

@Bluebellbike I hope that the day is the best that it can be in sad circumstances.

Parboiling roasties, making cauli cheese, yorkshire pud batter and a bucket of chocolate mousse or whatever, setting the table and dealing with any last minute dramas. Then takeaway for tea, telly, midnight mass and home to put the mince pie and port out for Santa.

Checking out of my hotel (overnight stop after driving for 5-6 hours the previous day)
Driving 100 miles
Having lunch with 2 of my cousins and their husbands at one of their homes in the village where we grew up
More driving
Have tea and cake with my childhood best friend at her home
Drive 50 miles
Have cup of tea with my Dad and his partner at their home
More driving
Check in to cottage I've booked for 3 nights and unload car/unpack
Get collected (yay, no more driving!) and taken for dinner with my Dad and his partner at a country pub
Get dropped back at cottage in time for bed

We go round to my daughters and make cookies with the grandchildren for Santa. Then watch a Christmas movie (Elf is a favourite) . Then bath and into Xmas pjs and put the reindeer feed outside and the homemade cookies and milk out for Santa. Before bed it’s always the same book -the night before Christmas!

Everyone's plans and traditions are so nice to read.

We always get up early, and leave the house by 8am. Walk into town. Buy veg for Christmas dinner from the market, pop to the cheese stall there too. Buy a coffee for me and hot chocolate for the girls, to drink while we browse the market.

We tend to pop in a few shops too - nothing major to be bought by then though so it's just bits we fancy.

Bus home & my dad usually calls for a brew and to exchange presents.

Once he's gone, Christmas Glee goes on I love it, and we prep as much as we can for Christmas day. We usually track Santa using Norad too but my laptop struggled with it last year

Not sure what we'll eat yet. Usually something quick and easy.

A few hours chilling & then it's mince pie and Bailey's out for Santa, and a carrott for Rudolph, as the girls go to bed. Any last minute wrapping (hopefully not - their piles are not big this year as they need laptops, so I'll hopefully get it done over a morning or two before work!) then I head to bed & I'm usually first up these days so I have a peaceful brew to start the day.

Steak for us Christmas Eve brought today and frozen brought Christmas cake as well, so gradually doing bits not a big Christmas this year.