What do you do on Xmas eve?

[Gameofmoans81]

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

Not planning on doing anything much tbh. Uusally on a Sunday I pick the rest of my family up from church then take food up and cook a Sunday dinner at my mum's as she can't do it any more. Was kind of expecting the same but then my mum, my brother and my aunty have decided to have a mini Christmas dinner of their own tomorrow as otherwise my aunty won't get one (different plans on Christmas day) so I get the day off.
I'll be cooking the dinner on Christmas day but this is likley to be my mum's last Christmas so we're not doing church then either. Last year she could walk and came with us to church, this year she can barely hobble, bless her.
My two don't need to be at church til 5 tomorrow so most unusually we even get a lie in. My son has requested that I make the dinner tho.
If it's nice enough, my daughter and I may go on a bike ride.
We did used to go to the children's church services (Christingle etc) when they were little but happily we have no small children now - last year I somehow ended up with the job of switching the tealights on for all the little children to collect and wave as they came in. Thankfully someone else will have to do that this year!
I might read my book or play Wordscapes!

Baking
go for a walk
wrap pressies
Clean and tidy
give kids Christmas pyjamas and a new book
watch a film
go to bed and read new books

Taking DS to his first Panto in the morning and straight out to lunch after. Might have a wander around in town if it’s not too manic then head home.

There’s a family church service at 5pm so might go to that depending on DS. I have a nice dinner planned, then time to leave out treats for Santa and Rudolph followed by ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Once he’s in bed DH and I will prep the veg (only for the 3 of us), fill his stocking and move the presents downstairs. Followed by a glass of port and some cheese and crackers!

Thanks very much @Flev

special dinner, watch a Christmas film, try to sneak in a nap, go look at Christmas lights before going to mass and have a treat once home: usually cinnamon buns or other sweet rolls I've made with some eggnog then bed.

Working (NHS) until 1pm, then hot footing it into town on my way home to pick up the turkey. Then we'll (husband and 2 boys) drive to the cemetery to leave some flowers for my mum and dad, and have a little cry. Then home again to boil some giblets for the gravy, make a trifle and Yule log. Hopefully the boys will have made a gingerbread house in the morning so we'll decorate that at some point. Then off to church for the carol service, back home for fish and chips, jamas and the Polar Express and finally the Night Before Christmas, read under the light of the christmas tree - just like my mum used to do ❤️

Working too (Nurse) 8am - 8.30pm haven't Xmas eve in years and can't say I am excited about it but then 3 days off to spend with my family.

Tomorrow I'll be enjoying my pre Christmas prep of cooking ham and making soup. I'll also try and make some
Tray bakes for Santa 🤥 and get the house tidied. I'll also call and see my parents and then it'll be showers for the kids and Christmas movie (home alone) and some party food before getting kids ti bed. Then DH and I will watch die hard with some drinks before bed 🛌

We open our presents at about 8pm on Christmas eve so Christmas day we only focus on the meal and the kids play with their new toys so not under our feet. Pretty standard in our culture which my British husband had to get used to.

I’m not from the UK so don’t understand going for a walk or getting “fresh air.” But we lounge around, watch a Christmas movie, discuss everything that’s happened in the year, talk to family and friends.

This year we have 5 kids age 10-17 plus 4 adults.
we are having pancakes for breakfast then going to Cardiff iceskating and a mooch around the winter wonderland. Then home, I’ll do some food prep for the next day and make some lasagnes for tomorrow’s dinner. Kids will watch tv/play games. After dinner will watch a Christmas film, track Santa on NORAD and have Xmas hot chocolates and mince pies.

@rockingbird that sounds absolutely blissful. Please can I come to live with you?

I have a lazy bath in the afternoon then when DH gets home from work, we have a bite to eat, then go to the pub for the night. We always get a curry on the way home to eat with a few nightcaps.

This year a North Pole breakfast left by the Elf who has thankfully fucked off cor another year. Tinsel out the childrens ponies and hack across the moor before back to the yard for a 4 legged secret Santa with mulled wine, hot chocolate and mincemeat pies and leave out stockings..

We are out for a Chinese at night and back for new PJ’s, stockings and sacks left out and lots of bubbles hoping DC will fall asleep quickly so Santa can come!!

In days gone by it was just a regular day off school - I'm sure my mum was very busy prepping. We'd watch an Xmas movie before bed.
These days might do a takeaway. This year we've all been invited out to lunch so a light supper a movie then bed. No little kids to entertain any more, but this week we've been getting the tree, decorating, shopping, skating, out to restaurants, pasta making class...

Usually, we will make sausage rolls at home in the morning.
Mid afternoon, tie up loose ends with wrapping,
Get ready to go out for dinner- always steak.
Go home, fresh Pj's, christmas film and attempt to get the kid(s) to sleep

A ton of food prep.
Followed by cleaning.
Squeeze in a Christmas movie
Get frustrated because dc won’t go to bed. Won’t go to sleep.
Wake dc checking whether they’re asleep and wait another couple of hours.
Stagger to bed exhausted, knowing I’m going to be woken in three hours

I’m having a lie in, which means scrolling on here for an hour 😂 Then a nice bubble bath.

Need to do a load of washing and fold a mound of clean laundry. Then pack for a couple of nights away. We’re heading to in law’s house at lunch time tomorrow.

I’ve suddenly decided that I need a new jumper from M&S, which is ridiculous as the car park will be rammed. I love the chaos of everyone rushing about though 😆

We’ll have pizza take out for dinner, then it’s a bubble bath for DC and stockings out!! Planning to watch a cheesy Christmas Netflix movie once they’re asleep.

Everything is wrapped and ready for Santa to leave next to the fireplace ❤️

Meeting family for a late breakfast this morning, then I need a final couple of things from Sainsbury’s. Home, cleaning (not much to do), go for a walk assuming it’s not too windy then chill out. Everything else is done.

I want to do it all LOL. Crisp woodland walk, Carol service, chill at home, visit neighbours, I have a couple of dishes to make, watch a couple of films, and teatime Carol service. Somethings gotta give!! Esp as need to pop out for a few last min items too.

Have a lovely day all, sounds like there's some lovely traditions here.

We clean the house in the morning then we walk to the pub to meet all our friends and their children at 12. Head up to DP's grandmas for an hour, home to bath and hair wash the kids and into Christmas PJs. Up to my parents early evening for beef wellington and dauphinois potatoes then home to put out the bits for Santa and Rudolph. Finally we'll sit down and have a drink and watch something Christmassy and hopefully have some adult time! X

We fortunately live near Leeds Castle, so go for a walk round that in the afternoon (not the light trail tho as it's £70!) and there's a little fun fair this year so the kids can have a few rides.
Then walk to the pub for one, kids in obligatory daft headgear, antlers etc.
Probably a board/card game or two.
Then get kids to bed so we can get presents under the tree.

Can't wait

Having a mandatory lie in while dh and kids wrestle wrapping paper and tape downstairs, prep a metric tonne of food, visit family, play a game - Outsmarted this year, which I really rate - give the house a quick tidy up, lay the table, watch a movie, fill the stockings, bring down the presents, drink wine with dh and absorb the peace and calm.

Currently Christmas eve in New Zealand now we are watching Harry potter number 4