Your favourite festive traditions

[Starlight197]

I love reading these threads, they make me feel all festive. What are your favorite festive traditions?

Getting a couple of new baubles every year, always coloured lights, lots of tinsel and lametta. Nothing stylish or matching, but everything with its own special memory.
Buying the TV times and the Radio Times. Using neither. Having Roses, Quality Street, After Eights and orange/mint Matchmakers, along with a box of dates that don’t get eaten. Making sausage rolls and cheese straws on Christmas Eve and watching one of 26 different versions of a Christmas Carol. Buying each other new pyjamas. Up at 6am to open presents. A Terrys chocolate orange for breakfast and not being at all interested in tea because we ate so much at lunch. Boxing Day bubble and squeak, cold meats, pigs in blankets, home made stuffing and bread and butter.

We don't have kids yet but have started some of our own traditions already all of which we will probably continue, although they're probably not much different to alot of people!:

New bauble each year - usually one of the very random types you get in Tkmaxx. A whole day is planned for this in our nearest city with a nice lunch and some cocktails etc. Probably one of my favourite days of the year. Tree usually goes up that evening.
Much like PP we don't do a stylised tree or decor but instead like our childhoods - coloured lights, tinsel and nothing matching!

Xmas Eve - British tapas for tea watching the same cosy films.
Usually also go somewhere nice for breakfast although I'm working this year. Putting on the new pyjamas.

Xmas day - beach walk with dog in the morning when it's nice and quiet. Breakfast is usually some Terry's chocolate orange and also the one time of year where I'll have cocopops (Kelloggs of course)
Plenty of sandwiches in the evening - I think I prefer it to the main meal!

I love reading these threads, thanks for starting one!

We don't do a tree as my cats are little vandals who climb it <sigh> so no collecting baubles . I do like good quality flickering LED candles in nice vases for decoration.

We go to London in December (this year it's he Serial Killers Exhibition - very festive )
Dec 1st we do a festive brunch ( nice that it's a Sunday this year ) and DD and I will watch a Christmas Film.

TV Times and highlighter pens to mark off and try and guess what will be The Big Film.

This year I want everything organised by end November then we have December free to enjoy things , get the food shopping and we're going to Christmas Markets

We have Chinese takeway on the 23rd
Grills and chips for Christmas Eve
Pizza (homemade ) for Boxing Day

I like cooking Christmas Dinner , if I get my timetable sorted and the table set .

I buy one Christmas decoration a year, spending a little bit more as it's only one.
Things like a bauble tree from Next; a tall Nutcracker from TK Max; a set of Scandii style houses for tea lights from a little independent etc
It's built up into a lovely collection.

That meant in the early days we didn't have many so put baubles in vases, greenery in an oasis I with candles etc Still do some of that.

Some years when I haven't bought decorations, I've bought something like a Christmas plate for serving cakes/sandwiches etc . Also got a decent collection of those now

Getting up with the dc at silly o'clock on Christmas Eve to pick up the turkey.

Baking and putting together the gingerbread house.

Choosing and cutting down our Christmas tree. We tend to go just before dusk, and get hot chocolates once the tree is secure on the car. So magical.

Big Christmas Day out. When our boys were small, this was always the Santa steam train, but as they've got older it's varied. Last year we did Santa at Legoland, and this year, we're doing the Harry Potter Studio tour.

Ice skating & panto with SIL, BIL and nieces.

Probably my favourite of all, though, is attending the Christmas Eve nativity service. It's the only time we go to church, but it so magical, and when we come out, it's dark. Kids used to be so desperate to get home and get through the evening so Santa could come. This part is less now, but I still love the feeling.

When we put the tree up, we blast Christmas music. This year I brought a Christmas vinyl so we are giving that a whirl this year.

christmas prezzies go under the tree as soon as wrapped, (our lounge doesn’t face the front and the tree can’t be seen from the back either so no one can tell if they peered through)

kids make paper chains, I absolutely despise them but it makes them happy, and whilst they are young it’s all about them, The same as the foil decs but it’s always been a tradition even if it does feel like I’m living in a nursing home 😅

Chinese on Christmas Eve (they are usually closed on a Tuesday but I’m hoping they open this year as Christmas Eve is like thier busiest time of year) if not this year will be fish and chips 🥹

watching the nightmare before Christmas on Christmas Eve, I’ve been doing that since it first came on Tv back in about 1996 ( I was 8) , it used to be right before bed and I’ve never missed a year, the kids love it and always ask me when it’s time to watch it. Last year we had no WiFi, so we were all huddled around my iPad which luckily has 4G 🥹

kids always open thier stockings in our bed, they wake up, DP is usually awake before me and then he talks so loud I wake up… we all sit in our bed and they open theirs one by one. It saves a bit of time before getting to the tree presents. Last year my sister came in and there were 5 in the bed 😅

bacon sandwiches for brekkie. Been doing that since I was a kid, small but filling.
starters are always prawn cocktail for me and my brothers girlfriend (previously my grandad)
and pate for DP and DS the rest don’t like starters.

every one gets a scratchcard at dinner, usually me, DP and dmum buy them. So we end up with 3 each.

we always play cards on Christmas night as well as a few board games.

Boxing Day meal is always Buffet food. And we play more games.

My birthday is in December so we always go to our nearest city and have a hotel stay and visit the Christmas market

Homemade Christmas dinner pizzas on Christmas Eve eating whilst watching Home Alone 2 (DP’s favourite)

Visit to our local folk museum

Baileys hot chocolate in Christmas mugs whilst decorating the tree

Warmed M&S shortbread for breakfast most mornings in December

Making pomanders

Lots and lots of baking for family and DP’s work colleagues including milky bar cookie millionaires squares which my DP and DB insist on for Christmas Day every year

On Christmas Eve we used to go to Christingle but the dds are too old for it now so I try to go to either Midnight Mass or the Church’s carol service the weekend before Christmas. It’s so beautiful; all the candles in the massive chandelier in the church are lit and it’s such a beautiful start to Christmas.

For supper on Christmas Eve we eat a baked ham that I have collected that day from the butcher’s along with coleslaw, red cabbage and homemade chunky chips. We put the stockings out for the girls while they are down the pub and then I find myself these days filling them in the morning while they’re asleep!

Christmas morning always involves a dog walk, then we get home and the girls (if they haven’t already got up and done so before the walk) will open their stockings while dh lights the fire and we put Christmas music on. We’ll then have a late brunch of Buck’s Fizz and eggs Benedict and after that open a few tree presents and play some board games.

That afternoon we will then either have family to us for the big feast or we’ll go out to one of their houses. The evening is spent playing games and watching films with a glass of Baileys.

Daughter's birthday is early December so once her birthday is over we go out and choose a tree. Always been a real tree as it's not up to early so will last into the new year.

Our tree is very heavy with the decorations that the kids made over the years. Nothing matches, and the kids do 'cringe' but I love that. Kids are getting too old to make decorations but I'm sure they do like hanging up their old ones and talking about the memories of when they made them (home, school, brownies, guide camp).
We like a Nutella Christmas tree at some point and a light trail.
Ice skating is also a favourite, was magical one Christmas Eve (but very busy), so now they are older we save it for after Christmas when it's quieter. We also re-read the same Christmas books and watch the cheesy Christmas films.

A friend and I always go away to a hotel for Christmas. We travel separately as we come from different places and I absolutely love the Christmas Eve drive to our destination where we meet up to start our Christmas. It’s only around 100 miles and the route isn’t crowded so a very pleasurable drive full of anticipation. That evening after dinner we walk down to the harbour to see the Christmas lights then on Christmas morning it’s the traditional walk on the beach, taking a half bottle of champagne, where we sit on one of the wooden groynes for our celebratory drink while watching the sea.

I love the sound of my gifts being wrapped, so our tradition is that my DP wraps them in front of me. I can't see what I'm going to get because I'm blindfolded, but hearing my present wrapping is pure self-indulgence. 😋It's the silliest ritual ever, but we both love it.

This sounds fabulous! 💛

My favourite (which nobody else in the family cares about) is a photo album that only comes out with the Christmas decorations. It has photos in from every Christmas since we married and I add a page or two to it every year, I love looking through it and seeing how much things have changed. Then every year on Christmas night I send a load of pics to FreePrints so I can add to the album before we put it away for the next year.

Mine starts early December when I do a wreath making class with a good friend. Always lovely and festive. A few weeks in, me and a different friend have a tradition of a glass of wine in front of the fire in a local pub. We then walk back to hers...she supplies a baked Camembert and hot crusty bread and me a bottle of champers. That's when Xmas had begun!

The last few years, I let my teenage daughter have a day off school and we stay over in Manchester and do the Xmas markets and some shopping. The day off is a small price to pay for some time together that she's enthusiastic about.

The on Xmas Eve, always go to church with the kids and the Xmas even box from the elves has magically appeared on our return (even though they know it's the neighbour!) I couldn't not do it! The box is in tatters now but I'll try keep hold of it as long as possible.

My favourite time of year . I can't wait already

I always buy four of five Christmas themed chick lit novels from charity shops. Usually blue and white with glitter on and usually a story about done heartbroken girl who goes home or house sits on a village and gets taken in by random family who's long lost irrascible cousin or brother turns up and guess what happens?? I work through them in December. I know they're crappy but they make me feel Christmasy.
DP and I always have a day at our local Xmas market and if we can, a weekend away at one too.
Kids..we go to a stately home that is always massively done up in a theme, eg Narnia. They're teens now so no Santa stuff but we always buy our tree from the same place and get a new bauble each. Nothing really unusual.
Some years they're away with their dad so then it's a bit different so no absolutely set in stone traditions.

One tradition that I'm really glad I started when I had my eldest DD was I bought a Christmas card to keep in her Christmas Eve box. We write a message in there every year and date it. We usually write something that we are really proud of that she has done that year and that we want her to have a magical Christmas. I think it will be lovely for her to read back on one day and it fills me with emotional Christmas feels when I write it on Christmas Eve.

I can't wait to start it all over again for our new baby this year.

Carols At Kings on Christmas Eve Radio 4, with a home made mince pie and some Sherry.

A moment of reflection and calm before I get back in the kitchen to do more prep

I love this and have decided this is going to be my project for November 😊

@Elephanttrunk be prepared for your family to spoil your dreams of creating a beautiful heirloom that can be passed down the generations for many Christmases to come by absolutely not giving a shiny shit about it!

That sounds lovely

Mine starts about now when I use my late Mums recipe to make the Christmas cake, everyone who is home gets a stir and a wish, then when it's cooled the cake gets a weekly feed of brandy. DH ices it as he's way better at it than me.

As a church chorister the Advent Carol service starts our celebration. For Christmas Eve itself we have the 9 Lessons and Carols early evening, then home for a tea of sausage rolls, cheese and crackers and gammon sandwiches. Then off to the midnight service and back for a malt whisky. Christmas morning we might have a service. Late lunch and presents opening then out with the board games. Boxing Day lunch is always a thick slice of gammon, fried egg and chips. Feeling peckish just thinking about it...

This is fabulous! I wish we'd thought of it. I might start it this year thank you for the idea