What do you do to enjoy the run up to Christmas? New ideas wanted.

[OMGitsnotgood]

A dull and rainy August day, I’m full of cold and didn’t sleep very well so no energy to do much and have been awake and up for ages.
I was browsing cookery books to help me meal plan, a couple of recipes jumped out as possible Christmas Eve / NYE dishes. Then of course my mind has wandered to thinking about Christmas itself.
Yes it’s only just August, but it’s the Christmas board, and I’ve gone from feeling very sorry for myself to having a smile on my face. Thank you Christmas!

I love Christmas as a season, not just the day. All the preparations and the run up bring joy, rather than dread {planning and starting early is key to this I think).
But I’ve been doing it for so long, tends to be the same old same old so am wondering what other people do to enjoy the run up to Christmas. (Our DCs are adults so not looking for children’s activities. )
For me, it includes things like:

Making ahead anything that can be to make Christmas dinner easier (bread sauce, cranberry sauce, stuffing, red cabbage, pigs in blanket for freezer; cake, mincemeat, pudding, chutney for the cupboard).
I love wrapping presents so take my time doing that but that’s not til December. I’m quite crafty, so often make gift tags and Christmas cards. I make cards and tags early as if I leave tbem til December I tend to run out of time.
Whilst we might wander round a local Christmas market, we’re not ones for light trails or similar Christmas events. That said, one of our local National Trust stately homes decorates every room for Christmas and I’m going to put that on my list as we’ve not made it yet.
Maybe a theatre show or concert, although its been a few years since anything grabbed us.
I’m going to start looking at decorations I can make. We don’t like masses of decorations so want some really lovely ideas for things I can make/assemble for tbe coffeee table/sideboard/window sills- will be browsing Pinterest after this but suggestions welcome.
Whilst I don’t buy presents generally til nearer the time, I do keep a list on my phone all year to jot down ideas as people mention them eg DD mentioned she was thinking growing her own herbs. I have popped ‘herbs and pots’ on my list to check back in December whether she has actually done that. DCs’ main presents will either something they’ve asked for or cash, but we love our stockings and small thoughtful gifts (I’ve another thread Adult Stocking fillers all year round that other stocking filler lovers might enjoy)
I do like to play Christmassy music while wrapping presents/cooking/doing housework/decorating tbe tree etc, I’ve just made a note to look at compiling a couple of play lists.

Looking forward to hearing about what makes your Christmas season special.

Just thought...planting bulbs to flower over Christmas 🏵🏵... I can get started with that next month 💛

We always go to the ballet and out for a christmassy afternoon tea. Always a trip in to town the weekend before Christmas to get the last bits from Fortnums and then a lovely lunch somewhere and a wander through the Christmas lights.

We try to do a small bbq if there is a fine crisp night, nothing fancy just sausages and halloumi with mulled wine but we find it a bit magical sitting with the outside lights on wrapped up and it gives us time to be calm and have a lovely peaceful chat.
I am loving some new ideas on this thread so thank you OP for starting it.

I love the build up to Christmas. My DC are teens now, so traditions need to change too.

We went to a Christmas comedy night last year which was fun. This year we're going to see Sound of music which is touring. Our local church has a Christmas tree festival which we go to. Me and DH enjoy a carol service. DC still likes the christingle service.

Last year I made my own reusable fabric crackers. Someone on the pontastic thread found a pattern on Etsy where you can pull them and include a snap, because the bang is obviously the best part of pulling a cracker (most of the fabric ones just unroll). I also made a light up MDF Christmas village with blanks I bought online and upcycled some massive metal stars from vinted to hang on my wall. I started hunting in the summer car boot sales for crystal and brass candle sticks to make my sideboard look pretty. I need to find more realistic battery candles for them this year.

We make dried orange slices every year, and poke cloves into the skin, they make the house smell amazing when their drying in the oven, then we decorate with them. DH makes mincemeat. DD and I make rum truffles and sometimes marzipan sweets that look like mini fruit. We all still like making paper snowflakes.

When DC were little they loved a Christmas disco bath... Christmas music full blast, turn the main lights off, disco ball in the doorway and glow sticks in the bath 🤣
I prefer a glass of something and listening to a choir singing carols, much more of a relaxing bath!

I like going foraging for greenery. Instead of making a wreath (a neighbour's had been pinched off the front door), last year I pooped some oasis in a couple of metal sleighs I'd bought (they were only cheap from home bargains) and made sort of a flower display to go on the window ledge

One of our favourite things to do is to wrap up a few presents from 'secret santa' and put them in the local park a few days before Christmas. DC still run around like ninjas so they don't get spotted leaving a present in the climbing frame tunnel or stuffed in the hedge next to the gate 🤣

I love this thread

This is a lovely thread!

Out family traditions grow every year. We play mini golf on Christmas eve (it used to be part of an attempt to tired the dc out, but they are now teens and insist we continue!) and have a treasure hunt on new year's day, which has to have codes to decipher and other puzzles).

Me and the dc sneaking out the decorations slightly earlier than dp would have done them and putting them around the house, then feigning surprise at how they got there is another tradition! And trying to coax ddog into wearing antlers for a Christmas photo.

@Christingly the mental image of you pooping oasis into a sleigh has really tickled me!

Oh where has the laugh emoji gone?!

I'll have you know that I practice all year to be able to poop oasis into sleighs. 🤣

(There's a joke in this about the Gallagher brothers and being on the naughty list but I can't put my finger on it just now, which is probably for the best)

I really enjoy making mince pies, with a glass of mulled wine, and traditional carols playing. But not before 1st December.

One lovely thing in the past few years is a carol concert involving Gdd’s primary school choir and other choirs, including the adult Bach choir, all in a magnificent historical theatre. Usually just a few days before Christmas.

We’re also going to John Rutter’s Christmas concert at the Albert Hall. Went last year, it was brilliant - and unsurprisingly, packed!

Lovely!