What makes your Christmas Extra Special?

[AllThatAndMore]

I’m looking to make this Christmas extra special . I’m looking for some inspiration (in October because I’m that excited already 😆 )

I saw on another thread someone suggested fill your own crackers and I love that idea .

To add a bit more info, my parents are flying long haul to be with me and my family this year . This will be their first U.K. Christmas and also their first Christmas away from their home . We live in South West London . My husband and I have two young kids .

Tell me your extra special touches for the holidays :)

The time spent with family and friends.

We hire a man dressed up as Santa to deliver the presents in person (comes in, has a chat with the children, asks them to sign a song to him, they always get shy and refuse... and hands out the presents). We didn't do it 2020 because of covid and it felt less special that year so I think that's the aspect for us. But at 50 euros we're probably going to have to skip it again this year unless a neighbour would do it for free/cheaper.

Christmas Bedding , a fleece throw if you don't want the whole thing .

When mine were little I put the throw on top of the duvet for Christmas Eve night .

The little things have always been what's made it extra special for me:

• cosy indoor decor (stockings up, fairy lights, pine cones and baked orange slices)

• cheesy countdown programe on in the background on Christmas day (like top 50 Christmas movies/ adverts /songs). Not everyone sits to watch the whole time but it's a nice little conversation facilitator. Particularly love the ones with older content that bring a touch of nostalgia (...or cringe 😬 😂)

• a hot chocolate tray with toppers like marshmallows and sprinkles for early evening and everyone can DIY their own

• family board game (trivial pursuit betting version always a hit round ours)

• Christmas movie on (it's lovely to mingle and chat but nice to have an excuse to sit down and zone out for a min)

Also, depends on how excited they are about it as well but in most places you can find a street that prides itself on 'doing the most' when it comes to decor and some neighbours have a tradition of getting the kids in the car with PJs and doing a little drive by to see the lights. Super cheesy but sounds cute to me. Planning to try that when DC is a little older. Not limited to DC of course and even my mum has expressed an interest in doing that, just gets you in the spirit!

I'm not from the UK originally and we didn't celebrate Christmas until we moved here. I have such a soft spot for that time of year!

Hope you have a wonderful time with your folks OP

Time with family and board games- switch the bloody tv off! Talk, have fun, enjoy each others company.

I think Christmas is always special when there are little kids in the mix but I'd say put the telly off and don't spend the whole day stressing about the dinner, get down on the floor and play with them and their new presents.

I also have such fond memories of various years when DS (now 18!) got scooters and bikes and the likes and going out for a walk on Christmas morning and seeing all the other families with their little ones wobbling around on new purchases, parents all smiling at each other and saying merry Christmas.

The years where something goes wrong are the ones we always talk about (like me accidentally putting the oven on fan only as a teen, so we just had a gently breezed turkey until we realised 😂). Other than that, it’s the traditions and spending time with family that bring that cosy glow for me. Making gingerbreads, decorating the tree and the house, making and sending cards.

If Sloane Square/Kings road is accessible for you they usually have beautiful lights and window displays in all the shops, that would make a nice walk one afternoon/evening. John Lewis in Sloane Square used to have a good Father Christmas in store on weekends near Christmas, and a brass band playing carols. For your parents maybe take them to Oxford Street and Liberty to see the lights and window displays.
If your children are old enough there’s usually an outdoor ice rink in South Kensington by the museums, or one in Canary Wharf.

Every year I buy a tree decoration for each child to decorate (www.hobbycraft.co.uk/mache-hanging-flat-star-decoration-11cm/6595261000.html this type of thing from hobbycraft) once they’re painted we write the name and year on the bottom. Perhaps your children could do them with their grandparents, and do two sets so your parents can take a set home?

When the kids were younger I loved putting the tree up and then fixing it while they were in bed. The Christmas music, the wonder on their little faces ❤️. Now I just love spending a few days at my own pace getting everything all ready and set up. I've slowly replaced lots of my decorations with vintage glass and I have a tree prison to stop the grand kids getting too close. My tree rotates and I genuinely love watching it and remembering all the happy times we've had. My tree brings me a HUGE amount of pleasure.

I love buying gifts and wrapping them. Especially with a festive cheesy movie on!

If I asked my kids what is their absolute best thing about Christmas they would say the food. I don't even have to ask! We go all out. Lots of "auditioning" things for the big event from End of October and the buffet table is set from noon on Christmas Day. We have open house Christmas Eve and when they were younger I used to host a kids party every Christmas Eve for their friends ( I was very organised!). But it's the Christmas dinner they love the best. We are very lucky we've never had a Christmas Day apart so it's a big thing for us ( I expect it to change now they are all grown up). This year I've got two grand babies that are coming along.

The other thing the girls love is the Boxing Day party. The boys are not fans so they skip it and take the dogs to their houses. All our friends, tons of good food and a lovely traditional catch up that we've been doing for 12 years with the same group.

Every year we go to 'Paint a Pot Studio' at Amerton Farm in Staffordshire. They have clay Xmas baubles which you paint yourself, they will help, the bauble gets fired and you collect 2 weeks later. At the farm we have a delicious cream tea too. We take children every year from when babies. First bauble has handprints looking like reindeer horns. When they leave home they will have a set of Xmas baubles to take with them. We paint Xmas trees, reindeers and other Xmas shapes. We go first week of December. We go on Steam train to visit Santa, carol singing on train, in second week . Ice skating and hot chocolate afterwards in third week. In final week I make a card of Xmas images tree, star, Santa etc and we walk around looking for Xmas decorations on display in Windows on our list. Each child has slight different list. We see who can find all items first. I think experiences and traditions are so important in making wonderful Xmas memories. My children grown up now, so we take Foster son and dgc. My children say those experiences are what they remember most about Xmas, more than the presents they got. We always do the panto in New Year.

I have always had very small Xmases...no big family gatherings, people to stay etc. Just the 4 of us.
But my grown up dcs still talk about their Xmases with fondness.
Always a walk Xmas morning to see the deer, lunchtime drinks with friends, home for lunch about 3 ( never traditional Xmas food) and they opened stockings while it was in the oven.
I did my own crackers when they were teenagers ...they had to do one for dh and I.
When I divorced it got even better 😀....their friends came round in the afternoon, board games in the evening.
The key for me was do what you want...don't be bound by what others do/ insist upon.

All kinds of things can be added but nothing substitutes being with loved ones.

We do go and choose a couple of new decorations each year, not really expensive but individual rather than packs. We put candles about and have Christmas cushion covers. Will get Christmas fleece blankets for this year in anticipation of less heating (my house is still warm without heating so 🤞 it's not a big issue)

@AuntieMarys

I find my (adult) kids are more demanding since exh left, it's like they want to recreate Christmas all over. I think the crackers might be worth a try!

Not something people nessacerily have control of but for me what make xmas special is my kids.

I loved xmas AS a kid and I love xmas now I HAVE kids myself but the years inbetween I was depressed and HATED it... for me xmas is very much made for and by children.

Why my kids have flown the next I think we'll have to distract ourselves with holidays or something because I can't face a childless xmas again.

• when my kids not 'why' lol

I think I’m hormonal because so many of these replies made me tear up 😆! I love how special the holidays are . So many great ideas too .

This the first Xmas that both our DDs have been away at university and I miss them. To cheer myself up I making their rooms extra Christmassy for when they come home. So new Xmas fleece bedding on their beds and a mini Christmas Tree in both their rooms ready for them to decorate, as a surprise.

Decorating every room in my flat so that there's a little bit of Christmas everywhere.

Going to the panto on Christmas Eve with my Mum and nephew then going home and having something nice for dinner before watching a Christmas movie - I prefer Christmas Eve to Christmas Day I think!

The present exchange with my best friends, one of them got COVID last year so we did a virtual present exchange instead and it wasn't quite the same so fingers crossed for this year!

Christmas baking! I made so many batches of Christmas biscuits last year that even I was sick of them by Christmas day.

Doing lots of Christmas related activities - I book a lot of shows and this year me and my friends are doing a Polar Express ride which I'm really looking forward to!

I love Christmas 🤗

katesprostondesign.com/collections/christmas/products/monogrammed-reusable-christmas-cracker

These are a great idea! They look stunning and you can fill them yourself and reuse every year.

Yes definitely panto if you can, I took my friends there a couple of years ago (they are from another country and had never been) They loved it and nag every year to go back! Church Christingle service or nativity at nursery/school. London Xmas lights, carols by candlelight, steam train with Santa.

I think spending time with you and their grandchildren will be special enough. Making memories like decorating the tree with the grandchildren, cosying up with Christmas cartoons and movies and hot chocolate, Christmas crafts. Also enjoying some relaxing adult time with you when the DGC are in bed.

im not a religious person but since having my DCs I do enjoy checking out the local churches for Christmas carol services and events. One church near where my parents use to live was filled with different Christmas trees each year, it was stunning.

When I was younger I use to love Christmas shopping in the weeks leading up to Christmas then popping into one of the many pubs in my city centre with my shopping bags, cosying up in front of a fire soaking up the Christmas atmosphere while having a few drinks & bite to eat. I left the UK in my early 20s and it was one of the things I absolutely missed about Christmas in the UK. A friend of mine spent a year in the UK and even though she didn’t drink she absolutely loved the whole Christmas atmosphere in pubs around Christmas.

Any Londoners know when the Elisabeth Street Belgravia Christmas market is for 2022 - the web seems a little quiet?

We host our traditional mince pies and mulled wine open house. It is always held the last Sunday before Christmas and I just love it.

From mid day onwards family, friends, neighbours drop in for a chat, some festive food and booze and my ever growing Christmas playlist! DH makes a really lovely mulled wine and I go a bit mad on the mince pies... Think 10 different types!

That and taking my family picture in front of the tree are my favourite traditions.

Hope you have a wonderful time this year :)

We have to listen to Aled Jones tell The Snowman on Classic FM on Christmas Eve - we are usually out and about though when it is on so we have got a mp3 recording of it we can play when we are ready

If the International Space Station is due to fly over and be visible we always look for that on Christmas Eve too if the weather is kind

Going to church for the children’s christingle service on Christmas Eve. Really gives it meaning and gave the kids a bit of spiritual awe and wonder in the midst of such a commercial overkill.