When you were kids, did you do ' Christmas activities'?

[Bigearringsbigsmile]

It just was NOT a thing in my childhood.
We made cards in school and did a play and had a party.
But outside school? There were no light trails, movie nights, biscuit baking, hot chocolate making etc
Nobody used to decorate the outside of their houses.

🤔🤔
I remember going to see the department store windows which were fabulous and going to the grotto inside.
My dad's work used to have a kids Christmas party for their employees children.

Once Christmas came it was absolutely lovely but December was not a month full of activities...🤔

@verybighouseinthecountry I remember reading about pomanders in a craft book, but I never made one. That book advocated rolling them in cinnamon and orris root powder.

As a child, I remember the my impatience with presents slowwwwwly being handed out on the day. I wanted to experience what someone at school did with a present that was too big to wrap: being blindfolded, and led to it.

My mum used to try and persuade us to go to church (we rarely went) but no cinema trips, lights etc…

We didn’t really do much until school broke up, then the decorations would go up and we would visit family (aunts, uncles, cousins). My dad would be working up until Christmas Day and sometimes called out Christmas Day so there wasn’t much time for activities other than my mum baking sausage rolls and mince pies with us.

no-did they really exist as they do now? (Eighties). I think some of my friends went to visit Father Christmas at the garden centre maybe? But that’s about it.
the highlight in our village was Christmas Eve carols around the tree, which still happens. It felt magical, in a way that light trails and winter wonderlands do not for me now.

Yes, we did, I went on a steam train with Santa thing, regularly did grottos, lots of arts and crafts. I grew up in a working class home in the 80s. The school did Christmas discos, no movie night but the last day of term was mostly playing with toys and watching movies while the teachers slunk off to the staff room and came back increasingly jolly

I like there are lots of activities on. I guess it might be different as my children are very young so it's me deciding if we go and not them asking. I agree that it's quite new. There are Santa Grottos everywhere now. I remember seeing Santa once if I was lucky. Now every space that can has breakfast with Santa events and other Christmas themed ones.

We used to make cards and stained glass windows at school. And there was always a Christmas Fayre at school too. Sometimes with a visit to Santa.

At home we made paper chains and crepe paper garlands wth my mum. And pomanders of oranges with cloves stuck in.

We went to the panto at the Theatre Royal and to look at the Christmas Window display at the big department store.

this was 1970s.

Except for the pantomime, I think probably paid for by a granny, and we were usually taken to see Father Christmas at one of the big department stores, we didn’t do anything. Folks were always pretty skint and we had no car when I was small.
Christmas was still so magically exciting, though, my parents made a great effort with not much in the way of resources.
One thing I do remember, was DM making the 🎄pudding and everyone having a stir and making a wish!

@Jugendstiel I love doing stained glass windows, with black paper and tissue paper.

Maybe a party at the legion
go to local village to look at pretty lights.
card making and similar at school and clubs.
go to the garden centre to look at all the Christmassy things and maybe see Father Christmas.
nativity
that was my 90s childhood and it’s basically what my kids do too and they’re extremely happy with it.
I don’t do these 100 pound meet and greet Santa brunch clubs and things. Kids are so so happy with the simple.
ive got a book out of the library with Christmas crafts to do and the kids are enjoying it lots.
I do ‘start’ Christmas a bit earlier than my parents did but that’s because I do like getting into the spirit of it especially when it’s so prominent in school from November.

I remember that one year, I cheekily asked my brother if he would wrap his present for me in front of me, while I sat with my back to him. He thought that I might peep (and he was probably right): he blindfolded me, tying it really tight, so I couldn't see at all! But I liked the thrill of knowing that the gift was right next to me, and he kept teasing me about what it might be. I did the same for him as well.