Tell me if your favourite Christmas tradition

[saltedcaramelanything]

Either from your childhood, or now as a parent.

This will be this first Christmas when DS actually understands what is going on. DH and I obviously have different little things we grew up with, but would like to start introducing new traditions for us together as a family.

I do a treasure hunt for the dc on new years day. It started one year when I discovered a Christmas present I've forgotten to put under the tree, and it made the day much more exciting.

The dc are now 10 and 8 and the treasure hunt will include solving replacement ciphers, using uv torches on maps to find hidden clues, physically digging up a tub from the vegetable patch and spraying water on a mirror where I have painted clues in rainex. I start planning it in about August!

100% going to midnight mass, coming home and Santa has been!

When we were younger my parents would put us to bed then wake us up - mum would take us a drive to look at Christmas decorations (while dad put the gifts out), we’d pick dad up and go to Church. When we got home Santa would’ve been and we’d open up gifts, eat some chocolate then go back to bed. Long lie in the morning and no rushing around before going to see family.

When I got older my siblings and I would go to the pub, go to mass, then head home with our parents for presents!

Christmas light safari! Only introduced this a few years ago after having DC but one evening we get into PJs, take hot chocolate in travel cups and drive around our town in the car listening to Christmas music and spotting all the Christmas lights. It's my absolute favourite bit of the run up to Christmas.

Mine's the panto on Christmas Eve - me and Mum started when I was a teenager and now I'm an adult we still go although we now have the addition of my nephew I was gutted when it couldn't go ahead last year, I normally prefer Christmas Eve to Christmas Day but it was so boring!

Some lovely ideas! Keep them coming 🎄

Always bake with the kids (well they destroy the kitchen and cover it in icing sugar), followed by a mcds, then a long walk in the afternoon to wear them out for bed

Mine is Panto the week between Christmas and New Year. The lead up to Christmas is so busy, there is so much on at school, then Santa visits, meet ups, club Christmas parties.

It’s nice to do something during that week between Christmas and New Year when things are quieter. We’ve actually been New Year’s Eve a couple of times and loved it.

Also, a stocking in my son’s room so he brings it in to my room to show me and play with the toys. It buys me a little more time in bed

@DarkDarkNight Buying time in bed, I like it! My DSis and I were always allowed to go downstairs and open our stockings while my parents slept. As I got older, I understood why!

I love the Christmas breakfast (this year it'll be in the evening after school) I do for the children on Dec 1st. It really kicks things off. I decorate the house even if we haven't got a tree, put all the Christmas themed things I have for them in a big box along with their advent calendars. Their elf comes back with his now 11 year old passport and letter from Santa (he isn't naughty, he mainly just watches over them to make sure they behaved themselves, obviously they know Santa isn't real now, but they go along with it). I print a menu and lay the table with crackers and decorations. They use their Spode Christmas mugs. They always pick the same food but I buy everything so that they have the options. I think they always feel really spoilt as it's all about them.