Tell me about Christmas Eve

[Mistlefrog]

It’s our first Christmas Eve in our own home, and as a married couple and Id love to start some traditions and nice things we do together. Obviously some traditions appear organically and others are a bit more planned, but would love to hear what other people do.

Please tell me what you do in the day,
what you eat or cook all day,
what you do in the evening together
and then after the DC go to bed

i loooove hearing other peoples traditions anyway but would love to take some inspo from you all!

Last year (baby was almost 4 months old) I got pictures of him 'baking' and decorating cookies for santa and went to my parents house for a buffet tea where my boyfriend met us as he was working in the day. Then we opened Christmas Eve boxes at home.

This year (baby will he almost 16 months old) I'll do the cookies for santa with him again and I'm not really sure what else yet. We're going to the cavery for tea then we'll do Christmas eve boxes again then probably watch a movie.

We always go out for lunch (DH, I and the DC) on Xmas Eve then just have crackers/cheese/snacks/chocolates etc in the evening whilst we watch a Christmas film together. Now that the DC are older it's the day that we officially break open the Xmas treats so we let them basically eat what they want in the evening- it's the one day of the year where it's OK in our house to say no to dinner and eat crisps and chocolates instead. On Xmas day we always cook/host for other family members and we travel to see others on boxing day so Xmas eve is our relaxing day. Other than occasionally going out to buy last minute fresh food early in the morning we don't do any shopping, chores etc (we're fortunate to both have jobs where we never work on Xmas eve). Depending on the weather we usually go on a walk/drive to look at the Christmas lights once it's dark.

We go out for breakfast to a cafe- all you can eat if possible! Then we go to the local mall and people watch while drinking hot chocolate- we try to spot the men buying everything at the last possible moment etc. we come home and do a bit of food prep and then watch movies. That’s the point where we crack open the Christmas treat food. We usually have something simple for dinner- pizza or pasta.
for the last 2 years we have been Covid isolating on Christmas Eve so I’m looking forward to going back to normal life!

Nice family breakfast, out for walk with our dogs. We now go the pantomime, all 4Dc loved it last year and it was great on Christmas Eve. We go for a meal out afterwards (nothing fancy, Harvester) then home. Into Pyjamas and then a film, it’s been the Grinch the last few years before kids go to bed. We then open a bottle of Champagne or Cava and put their presents & stockings out. We might watch a film before the madness of Christmas morning.

We don't have kids.

We will walk our dogs as usual and might go somewhere we've not been for a while.

Then we'll do some prep for the lunch on Xmas day and prep our evening meal for Xmas Eve. It's always something special.

I will always be finished and settled down for the evening as Carols from Kings starts.

We are just starting our traditions as we only began hosting Christmas l

Sorry - toddler knocked phone from hand!

... we only started hosting Christmas last year so are now at home on Xmas eve. Two kids (6 + 2) and we tend to start the day with a walk, then we watch Christmas movies and bake gingerbread men during the day. DH usually does his wrapping (classic) and I'll bake a dessert for next day. In the evening we try and have time as a couple before the madness of the next day - some port or mulled wine and a movie, maybe give one another a gift.

When the DC were small or smallish we used to go swimming and stay as late as possible until the pool closed, then walk home. They thought it was an adventure to see all the lights in people's houses but it was really a good way of completely wearing them out so they slept well.

Other than that, prepping some veg while listening to Carols from Kings.

The NORAD Santa tracker became a favourite activity.

Xmas Eve has always been a bit of a tough day for us.
It's been hard to manage because usually DH working..

The best ones were Disney on Ice/ snow Queen.

We've tried eating out but places seemed empty and flat.
No great family or anything.

My favourite was definitely going out in London.

Here are ours:

The Snowman on TV
Read the Night Before Christmas before bed in Christmas pyjamas
Make a proper chilli with beef brisket to have for tea (or having made it the day before we have it)
Make sure the stockings are out
Food prep for Christmas Day

This year we will also be seeing Santa in the morning and going to the pub for a drink!

I also like to do a Christingle service but not sure if we will fit it in this year

Then collapse on sofa in front of the TV with DH!

I usually watch or at least listen to the sound track of Muppets Christmas Carol - because ‘after all there’s only one more sleep till Christmas.’ I try not to wrap presents till midnight but have done that lots of years. Get the Turkey stock going. Carols from Kings. Really nice to do something special like ice skating or a pantomime or lunch out. Often cook something special for supper for just the immediate family. Put the presents under the tree before bed. Christmas Pajamas for sleeping. Read the night before Christmas as a bedtime story.

I love Christmas Eve.

Walk in the day time, Christmassy bath for DD (sparkly lights, Christmas bath bomb, Christmas rubber ducks etc), always snowman on TV, picnic/buffet tea, games, fizz and maybe a film.

Off to the pub!

Tradition has grown for us to have a cheese board on Xmas Eve, with nice sparkling wine. DC loves cheese and so do we and there is no cooking or faff. We listen to Xmas playlist and carols, watch the snowman and father Christmas, go for a walk around the village to look at favourite Christmas decorations and lights. Visit a pub during the day for mulled wine, maybe early lunch out or brunch. Country walk. Just a very chilled lovely day

Our village pub is our kids favourite place embarrassed/not embarrassed so usually there for lunch
Muppets christmas Carol is saved for xmas eve in afternoon

Dh this year helping prep xmas lunch at his parents too

We used to take our children to the pantomime on Christmas Eve afternoon and then take them to the cathedral to light candles. Had to stop the latter when my son said in a loud voice "who exactly was Jesus?" just as some priests were walking past.

We do chores - mostly prep for Christmas lunch, last minute stuff, etc, in the morning and then settle down in front of the fire in our PJs in the afternoon, watching films and playing board games. Food is snacks, Christmas treats and a nice but simple buffet - cheeses, breads, etc. Then we read How the Grinch Stole Christmas and the last chapter of A Christmas Carol (which we always read over the five nights leading up to Christmas) and then the kids go to bed. The DH and I have more drinks and another movie whilst we wrap all the stocking presents and then go and put them on the kids beds. I love it - so cosy!

The children clean in the morning whilst still wearing pyjamas. I know that sounds weird but they love it. Christmas music on and they clean the bathroom and their bedrooms in preparation for Father Christmas coming. Not a big clean or anything, just a quick going over. I'm not sure how it started as a tradition! Then we bake, steam the pudding, I make bread sauce and mince pies and spiced braised cabbage and anything that smells Christmassy and makes the 25th easier.

We go for a very long walk in the afternoon, ostensibly to try and spot the big man in his sleigh but actually, tiring out the DC. Sometimes in a forest, sometimes on the coast. Friends and family sometimes come as well. When we get home, there are new pyjamas, hot chocolate and a new book. I cook - usually gammon and macaroni cheese with peas and then apple crumble and custard, again no idea why that in particular - and then it's bath, several stories including The Night Before Christmas, stockings up, carrot and mince pie left on the hearth and bed. DS always sleeps over in his big sister's room on the 24th.

When the DC have gone to bed, I do veg prep while they nod off and then sort out everything like presents and some magic like footprints and some personal traditions the children love waking up to. Before bed, I go and stand outside in the garden for 10 minutes or so. Just reflecting I suppose. It's a quiet and lovely moment.

DH often isn't around for all of it. This year he's working from 6pm on the 24th until 7am on the 25th.

We have DC aged 3 & 2. This year we'll have a nice breakfast the four of us.
We'll do a Christmas Eve box in the morning so they have the day to read the book in there and play the little game I'm going to put in.
Make some mince pies for Father Christmas.
We've got a table booked for 3pm with some extended family at a kid friendly pub nearby who do mulled wine and cider and have a lovely festive atmosphere. Stay there for an hour or two and then come home, do the kids tea and have a bath, get Christmas pjs on, leave bits out for Father Christmas and hang the magic key on the door, throw the reindeer food out on the front.
When the kids are asleep, we'll get a takeaway, build the presents that need bullring, put their presents out and make some Christmas cocktails, all whilst watching a Christmas film. I'm so excited!

Spotless house and then we have a cheese and charcuterie board to nibble on as we play ELF card games.

bath and new pyjamas for DC and we put out Santa’s treats.

then I escape with DH to the pub for a drink and Nana babysits for an hour. Yay!!!

This year we are hosting 8 for Christmas Eve so no pub but the rest will be the same.

I wish more could come for Christmas to diffuse the competitive grandparents.

before We became a three, we would get all the food prepped, dog walk then off to the pub for dinner and drinks…

now we are a three, food prep, fresh air, bath time, Christmas movies, nibbles and a fizz!

Well I found out today that I section of work will be off, typically I work in several but due to my availability I can only work till 12 so will probably get it off...
so generally when I do work Christmas Eve, I get home from work. Give dc Christmas Eve boxes, cook the gammon, prep veg, kids have a bath, we have Chinese takeaway for dinner, we watch movies, especially a nightmare before Christmas, we watch 5hat every year on Christmas Eve. They go to bed around 9, because they get up at the crack of dawn. We wait till they are so7nd asleep, Santa come and then we go to bed...
sounds a bit boring but we love it 😁

Yep norad is a fave in our house... I get a running commentary whilst I’m prepping in the kitchen 😂

I also like to do a Christingle service but not sure if we will fit it in this year

Ironic 😁

In the day it depends if it's a work day! Usually finish by 2pm if it's a weekday, it's a Saturday this year so lazy morning

Quick sandwich for lunch then head out to fetch dsd (adult but disabled) then either back home or to whoever is hosting Christmas. Big family meal in the evening at whoever is hosting or go to a restaurant if at home (I prefer eating out) then church at midnight, dd will come with me, others may ... dd is a chorister but isn't singing Christmas ad its term time only.