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

Some light house cleaning (did most of it yesterday) here and will change all the bedsheets so they are fresh. DH has to go to M&S this morning to collect our order but apart from that and dog walks we will then mostly lie around the house.

Church carol service at 6 o clock then new pjs for me and DDs (not matching). Champagne with the fire lit and Santa tracker on in the background, then will put out the presents once DDs are finally asleep.

Watch Christmas movies and bake some cookies for santa, make paper snowflake decorations or a card for santa, maybe go out for a walk when its dark to look at Christmas lights. Honestly, your DC won't mind that they're not having a full packed in day of fun they're just excited for Christmas! So if you still feel a bit rubbish from having covid, you don't have to force yourself into doing loads of stuff on Christmas eve!

I've been up since 7 having a cuppa and Crumpets. I'm about to make brownies for the sweet for tomorrow. I'll then clear up and go and get showered etc.

My kids are late risers. So I'll probably watch TV until they get up. We then have family coming for brunch so either me or H will need to cook for that.

This afternoon we want to go for a walk but the awful winds seem to be back so don't know how likely that is. We have Christmas crafts to finish, a lego set to build and a few presents to drop off. We'll watch The Snowman and Snowdog later on.

These all sound idyllic. And while I could definitely portray our Christmas Eves in a similar vein - everyone tidies their rooms, I make food with Nine Lessons and Carols in the background, we watch a Christmas movie and play a board game before dinner and putting the presents under the tree - which would be entirely true I'd be leaving out the other bits.

Pangs of guilt at how much we already have when other people don't, sadness that we aren't seeing the grandparents because we all have COVID and also
some relief at that followed by more
guilt, some existential angst because Christmas does that to me, stress about some element of Christmas food planning, and inevitably yelling at one of the DC. I will probably cry at some point because it's been a difficult year and next year looks to be the same.

So to anyone reading this and feeling sad or inadequate that you don't have the Hallmark family Christmas experience, it's ok. Christmas is hard for lots of people and your best is good enough.

Completely get it. I considered including that my mum has breast cancer and we've all been at breaking point at various points this year but for some reason you feel like you have to write the idyllic post. Hope you're ok. Xxx

It’s one of my in-laws birthdays so we go to theirs for the day, games, nice food, plenty to drink etc. Early evening we walk to our local church for a Christmas Carol service, then walk home via the pub for a couple. Then once home and our boy is in bed, we put on a muppets Christmas carol and double and triple check everything is wrapped and sorted and ready to go for tomorrow!

We have our Christmas dinner teatime on Christmas eve then watch a film have a fun filled buffet all day Xmas day lol

I never understand why so many make effort for Xmas but not the rest of the year

Apparently I wake up at 5 and fall asleep on the sofa watching Downton