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Christmas

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

Original poster

What are your Christmas Eve plans?

52 replies

MsMiaWallace · 01/10/2022 20:38

DH is off this year which is unusual!
Looking for inspo for days out with the kids in the hope of tiring them out.
Preferably indoors in case weather is bad.

OP posts:
Pinkandpurplehairedlady · 01/10/2022 20:42

We’re going to the pantomime and then to pizza express for dinner. When they get home Santa will have left Christmas pj’s for everyone and we’ll get comfy on the sofa watching cheesy Christmas films.

pimlicoanna · 01/10/2022 20:46

Disney on ice at the o2 and then Pizza Express for dinner.. I have 5 yr olds. I'm excited already!

Myleakycauldron · 01/10/2022 20:47

We have small children so will probably go to the park in the morning (standard!) and usually try to go to the pub in the afternoon just for one and then back for the usual pjs/leaving a mince pie out for sands ritual.

mamatoTails · 01/10/2022 20:51

We do the last of the Xmas housework in the morning, then head out for a walk & picnic, pop to see my parents and then I like to be home by 4pm for baths/showers and then we watch some Xmas movies before the little ones go to bed.
Absolutely my favourite day!

Devo1818 · 01/10/2022 20:51

Taking them to Central London to see the window displays and then lights once it gets a little later. Probably a macdonalds on the train on the way home.

In the past we've taken them swimming and bowling.

Retrievemysanity · 01/10/2022 21:01

Ice skating in the day followed by lights at the gardens near us then Christmas film. Love Christmas Eve!

mondaytosunday · 01/10/2022 21:18

I'd be busy enough Christmas Eve with getting a bit of food prep, last minute present wrapping etc to really do much outside the house. We'd definitely watch a few Christmas shows (Rudolf, Charlie Brown Christmas and so on). Or the kids would while I tidied and got things ready for the next day! Dinner would be easy - takeaway perhaps.

EcoCustard · 01/10/2022 21:37

We are going to the pantomime followed by a meal/ late lunch early dinner at a lovely pub. It’s an hour drive each way. Once home we will all watch a Christmas film before bed. We started this last year and it was lovely so will be our tradition from now on. We do prep for stuff in the days leading up and early Xmas Eve morning when the kids are either asleep or one of us takes them for a walk with our dogs.

Star11111 · 01/10/2022 21:54

We have booked a show at the theatre; the snowman with a live orchestra. Then, on to grandmas for the cousins to swap their presents with each other (it used to be between myself and siblings but has now passed down to our children). Finally, home for Xmas cookie making, hot chocolate and usually the muppet Christmas carol.

TinyLittleBug · 01/10/2022 22:02

I would’ve liked to have gone to the Panto like last year but it had sold out and I ended up with NYE instead.
So we’ll try and be outside with DS6 and DD4 if the weather is ok. If not, it’ll be a nice breakfast which we’ll try and stretch out, possibly some baking too. Then church in the afternoon for the family service. Christmas films. A nice, calm bath time, put the carrot & mince pie out, then story and bed at a reasonable time.

JimBob61 · 01/10/2022 22:28

Mine are all teens now but we still follow traditions we started years ago.
I heave six dc and every Christmas Eve they do a secret Santa. They all pick a name and we go into town and have to find a quirky present for under a fiver. Then it's hot chocolate and pastries in a cafe.
Early evening we go to a friends Christmas Eve party, while we are out Santa will have left Christmas Eve bags on their beds.
Then it's usually a cheesy film before bed.

MissyB1 · 01/10/2022 22:55

We always book lunch out at a country pub on Christmas Eve. We will do a long walk around the area then finish up in the pub.

ItisallPooh · 01/10/2022 23:09

Most years I plan to spend the morning prepping veggies and ham for Christmas dinner in the morning and then creating cherished memories baking cookies for Santa with my darling children, then snuggling up to watch Miracle on 34St or the Santa Clause...
Every year that is plan but the plan mostly goes tits up at about 9am when I realise I've forgotten to buy something, then I'm chasing my tail, swearing and wishing I had just bought bloody cookies because now both children and my kitchen are covered in flour. DH and I have our standard Christmas Eve row as he does bugger all to help and tells me to chill. How has telling anyone to chill actually helped someone to calm down?
I manage to catch bits of the movie whilst trying to catch up on the jobs that need finishing. The kids have a bath, I struggle to remember where the fucking new pjs from the elf have ended up - twice had to go and buy more in Tesco.
The kids go to bed then the real fun of "Santa would definitely deliver the play kitchen/bike/dolls house assembled. Where the fuck is the little screwdriver? No, not that one, the other ones, Phillips screwdriver."
Not sure if that all counts as traditions but that is traditional Christmas Eve in my house.Wink

Rupertgrintismyguiltypleasure · 01/10/2022 23:12

Christmas Eve usually consists of me working until 12, It’s a Saturday this year so I’m hoping we don’t get a delivery and I maybe I can get it off. Usually whilst they are at home with my mum they watch a ton of movies and listen to Christmas music. When I get home I give them thier Christmas Eve boxes, whilst they are busying themselves with the things to do in that, we do veg and food prep. We get Chinese takeaway and watch a nightmare before Christmas. They have a bath and get into Christmas pjs. We take them around in the car to see the lights in the surrounding areas, sometimes DP gets them a sneaky McFlurry. We come home and if there’s time we watch whatever they are showing on the Tv. They usually go to bed at around 9.
we don’t do much on Christmas Eve as we do a fair bit throughout December.
they are going to winter wonderland, to a light show, Christmas markets.

Hoolahulahoop · 01/10/2022 23:36

We do prep in the morning and then cinema

Whatiswrongwithmyknee · 02/10/2022 00:13

We're thinking of inviting friends round for mince pies and mulled wine

SNWannabe · 02/10/2022 03:33

Last year we went to the cinema to see the new Spider-Man film. I don’t think there is anything released that they’d like this year sadly as that was an excellent xmas eve. Swimming is a good shout though…unsure when our local facilities will close. I’ve been told I won’t need to work xmas, but could still be working xmas even I guess… so fingers crossed it’s not a work day!

Trez1510 · 02/10/2022 04:22

Just my partner and I.

He'll do all food prep during the day, and I'll wrap any last-minute gifts.
Favourite 'posh' restaurant for dinner and plenty of cocktails.

(Partner's son is our chauffeur - removing taxi-related trauma!)
At home watch The Quiet Man, with a couple of nightcaps.

Trez1510 · 02/10/2022 04:24

Sorry, didn't read original post properly. Obviously my Christmas Eve is not 'ideal' for young children! 😁

Annoyed200722 · 02/10/2022 04:42

We'll go for a walk in the morning, then do the last of the baking. Late afternoon, we always head out to the local crib service, then we come home, have a 'buffet tea', kids get their PJs on we put all the bits out for Santa etc.

BobbysGirly · 02/10/2022 05:39

I have tickets to take my GC to the local panto at 12pm.Then I’ll take them home, where I’ll play with them for a couple of hours. Their parents will be due home from work around 5pm. This year both parents will be off work for Christmas Day 😊 I’ll have dinner ready by the time they come home.

Once dinner is over we will all go to a Carol Concert at their local Church. Then the children will have a bath, supper, hang their stockings, we will all read a Christmas story, together, before they go to bed.

Their mum and I will prep the veg for Christmas dinner and cook the meat, whilst their dad puts together their bikes from “Santa”, and travel to my house to collect the rest of the presents stored in my spare bedroom.

The adults will have hot pork rolls and a glass of whatever we fancy, wrap the children's presents and leave them under the tree, before we go to bed.

Chtistmas Eve is my favourite day of the year 🎅🏻🎄🍷

FinallyMrsE · 02/10/2022 05:47

We have the panto in the morning then home for lunch and then we have an open house from 3pm for friends and family to come round for food and drinks, this usually finishes around 8pm then bedtime for the kids and we sort the presents and clean up.

I love Christmas Eve, possibly even more than Christmas Day.

Dogsgottabone · 02/10/2022 06:06

I run around like a blue arsed fly getting everything cleaned and tidied in the morning then we go to our local city for a short walk past the cathedral and a hot chocolate and home to watch Arthur Christmas which we've watched every single year on Xmas eve since it was released.

Then the now teenagers go to bed and I follow closely behind them as I don't have to wait until they are asleep to put the presents under the tree anymore.

I don't drink on Xmas eve as Xmas day is so exhausting I can't cope with a hangover.

I can't wait for the year the children have left home and my parents get invited somewhere else and me and DH can go to the carribean for xmas!

When mine were little, DH used to take them to the office in London for the morning which they loved and gave me more time to tidy up.

ChakaKhanfan · 02/10/2022 07:54

Food prep in the morning (which I strangely adore!) & delivering homemade biscuits to our neighbours. In the afternoon we do something different, we always leave it as a surprise for the kids, previous years it’s been winter wonderland, ice skating, the cinema, last year we went to the museum of London, this year we are going to see My neighbour totoro at the Barbican.

Finish off at home with a tea of Camembert, pickles, crusty bread and some cured meat. It’s not a light tea as such but it’s nice to not have to cook anything extensive.

Macmaccat · 02/10/2022 16:01

Normally we would go for a hike up to a waterfall with friends. At the top we have some bubbly, Christmas cocktails, mince pies and other nibbles. We stop at a little cafe for lunch. The afternoon is spent watching elf with the trays from the Christmas Eve box, then is always lasagne for dinner. Once the kids are tucked up in bed it’s baileys and a bit of tv for the adults.

this year however we are visiting the U.K. for Christmas so it will be very different for us. On Christmas Eve we will check into a hotel and have a festive afternoon tea. We are then off to panto (first time for my kids) . The Evening will be spent at the hotel where we have a Christmas Eve buffet then will we go to midnight mass.