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Christmas

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Original poster

What do you do on Xmas eve?

84 replies

Gameofmoans81 · 23/12/2023 19:35

I’ve had covid all week so knackered and hardly been out but have a 4 year old here who is giddy with Xmas excitement - what do we do tomorrow? What do you usually do on Xmas eve? I feel like we need to pack it full to make the time go fast but family all live far away and friends are all with their families so at a bit of a loss

OP posts:
rockingbird · 23/12/2023 19:41

We do the church christingle late afternoon, then take a walk to the harbour to see all the boats Christmas lights and have a hot chocolate. Then it's off to the bowling alley for two games and then tea... stockings up and Christmas PJ's on for Christmas film and the lights out!!

santaclauseiscomingtotownnnn · 23/12/2023 19:42

We go to my dads in the morning
Out for lunch (it's my birthday tomorrow too )
Get home pjs on and watch a Christmas film with all the nice picky food and chocolates

MyopicBunny · 23/12/2023 19:42

I usually take the youngest to the crib service at our local church but we will be away this year.

CommonOrNot · 23/12/2023 19:47

Get up and do Xmas eve boxes/general excitment
deep clean the house (get dp to take dc out while I do this)
prep veg
set the table
[sometimes cinema if we have time]
xmas eve pamper for everyone
baths/showers and PJs
Family pictures
bed for dc
set up the gifts
bed for us

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 23/12/2023 19:49

I do Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve and then Christmas Day we just chill out.

LadyGwendoline · 23/12/2023 20:00

4yr old and 6 year old help tidying the house, I like to have an empty washing basket/ironing basket for Christmas so they’ll also help sorting and putting stuff away etc, then they’ll make the gingerbread house. We also always watch Santa Clause the Movie on Christmas Eve. Cheese Board for dinner then we each open a new book and spend the evening reading with hot chocolate.

purpleme12 · 23/12/2023 20:00

Nothing in particular special.
Making Krispie type cakes.
Watching The Santa Clause probably as well tomorrow

Sunnydays41 · 23/12/2023 20:00

Get out in the fresh air somewhere in an attempt to tire out the DC!

Usually a country park Christmas trail, English Heritage or other castle.

Tomorrow going to a local castle with beautiful grounds. That is, if DC1 is feeling up to it... has got a really bad cough and on/off temperature at the moment. Went to sleep quite early so fingers crossed for a good night's sleep...

Olika · 23/12/2023 20:03

We are staying in and have Xmas lunch and then open presents around 6pm (EU). Usually would go to the Xmas church but 2 out of 5 are sick and elderly parents don't want to go
In case they catch Covid. On Xmas day we will just chill at home and keep eating.

BigBoysDontCry · 23/12/2023 20:04

When the kids were little, it was usually swimming. As they got older then out for a meal and cinema or theater.

MissBuffyAnneSummers · 23/12/2023 20:06

The religious members of the family go to church.

The rest of us get a party food buffet ready then when they get back we all eat and the adults have a few glasses.

Sourisblanche · 23/12/2023 20:09

Different every year. This year is a charity football match in which dh and ds are playing. But I always always listen to Carols from Kings College Cambridge.

morellamalessdrama · 23/12/2023 20:11

We usually go for a lunch somewhere and then have a walk. Also going to midnight mass for the first time this year. Does anyone know how long the service lasts? It starts at 11:30 and it's a Church of England church.

Newuser75 · 23/12/2023 20:11

We usually go out for breakfast, then along walk to try to tire the kids out slightly. Xmas Eve boxes and board games then a Christmas movie.

morellamalessdrama · 23/12/2023 20:11

Sorry to derail, just thought some posters would know!

momsybear · 23/12/2023 20:14

I don't think I've managed a tradition yet! Gone from being a single mum to being in a relationship when she was 5 (but alternating Xmases) and have had another child since. This year we're finally at the point wheee we can do what my family did. Lots of exercise to wear out the kids then a party tea just for family and an early night. Can't wait

frozendaisy · 23/12/2023 20:22

OP with a youngster, there might be a family nativity service in the morning if you are into that sort of thing, run round park if not local garden centre for look at their Christmas displays/Santa if you can get in might be worth asking if any no shows, quick lunch out, home bake, cook dinner, we have pigs in blankets, baked camembert and bread dippers but you could have a go at a small gingerbread house, bath, pyjamas, Christmas film, Arthur Christmas is good, put out reindeer food, stocking end if bed, read "night before Christmas" at bedtime witb hot chocolate, pray for sleep, whip stocking away, fill whip back, time for parents to go to bed.

AliasGrape · 23/12/2023 20:23

Food prep - going to make stuffing, peel and parboil spuds and I’m also making a glazed ham for the meat eaters on Christmas Eve/ leftovers for Boxing Day etc.

We usually go for a long walk round a local historic house/ park and have a photo in front of the Christmas tree there - just a tradition that seems to have stuck.

Christingle service at 4pm.

Home to start putting buffet food out/ DD to eat then.

On our street we’ve gotten into the habit of lots of us going out around 6pm ish and having a drink/ offering round the quality street and then all the children ring jingle bells and do ‘reindeer food’. It started in lockdown and it’s just kind of carried on - only half an hour or so.

Then bedtime for DD after putting mince pie etc out for Father Christmas, and adults attack the buffet and have a few drinks.

Jesusmaryjosephandtheweedon · 23/12/2023 20:23

Tomorrow I'll prep veg for Christmas day, Cook the ham, then I'll head to a local park and the kids will feed the reindeer in prep for their big night tomorrow night, I'll swing by the church to see the crib and light some candles, grab some dinner and home for pjs and a movie before bed.

AliasGrape · 23/12/2023 20:25

Meant to say - my sister always took her kids swimming Christmas Eve to tire them out! I used to go with sometimes it was fun. They’re adults now but still remember it fondly!

Pineapplewaves · 23/12/2023 20:25

Make Trifle
Make Yule Log
Par boil potatoes and parsnips
Tidy up
Dusting
Hoover
Take DC to Nativity Service at local church
Put presents under tree and put out Santa stockings after DC have gone to bed
Have a big argument with DP - every single year because I want to spend the evening watching a Christmas movie and drinking Baileys but he's left his wrapping or some other important task until the last minute leaving me in the living room by myself!

AllAroundMyCat · 23/12/2023 20:28

Watch telly.

Singsonggsu · 23/12/2023 20:29

We’re going for a beach walk and pasties for lunch. Few drinks in fave pub then home for a family buffet and demolish the treats!

blackfluffycat · 23/12/2023 20:29

LadyGwendoline · 23/12/2023 20:00

4yr old and 6 year old help tidying the house, I like to have an empty washing basket/ironing basket for Christmas so they’ll also help sorting and putting stuff away etc, then they’ll make the gingerbread house. We also always watch Santa Clause the Movie on Christmas Eve. Cheese Board for dinner then we each open a new book and spend the evening reading with hot chocolate.

Your 4 and 6YO help tidy the house, sort the washing, the ironing and help put it away. How embarrassing. My two dds 11 and 13 do Sweet FA!!!

Mumaway · 23/12/2023 20:31

Walk in the woods with a flask of hot chocolate and mini marshmallows, some shit crafts to decorate the tree (often salt dough so it covers several types of crafts from baking to shapes to painting!!) then Christmas movie and veg prep with some port and cheese