Traditions we avoided

[ImALargeAbsentMindedSpirit]

Can’t do anything about it now but just wondering how others view what we did as parents. Are we the only ones that didn’t do these things? Purely selfish reasons as they all seemed like more effort than was necessary at an already manic time. We never did elf on the shelf, Christmas Eve boxes, stockings, visiting Santa or leaving anything for him or his reindeer, footprints etc. Gifts are from the people that bought them, no gifts from Father Christmas he is just the delivery guy, Christmas Eve church service, buying teachers gifts.

TBH the current obsession with Christmas 'magic' and 'traditions' all seems to be based on media & SM. It's pretty competitive and that's both negative and stressful. We didn't do those things and Christmas was still great (even if it wasn't Instagrammable 😂). People just need to lighten up and lay off the obsessing about 'the big day' (what a ridiculous expression that is).
A lot of the current 'traditions' you've mentioned are just a massive retail and self marketing exercise!

I did elf on the shelf for two days when my children were little, the absolutely hated it and found it creepy, so after two days (and tricks) the elf went back to Father Christmas and never came back again!

We do Santa sacks on beds!

We never eat turkey- no one likes it!

Each family has its own traditions- we are not religious but invite friends and family over for food and drinks on Christmas Eve!

We don’t do Christmas Eve boxes….

We do donate toys and food to charities in December.

My daughter’s a teen and tween have been excited for Christmas since mid October!

The idea that people have to do church, elf on the shelf, have a massive turkey, have expensive presents etc…. Is just bonkers!

Kids just want to have fun, see people who they enjoy spending time with and perhaps eat chocolates!

There is too much pressure, particularly on women to have ‘the perfect Christmas’ with endless additional stresses!

On your list the only things we did were putting the treats out for Father Christmas and the Reindeer (still do it now even though DS is almost 18 🤣) and we only visited Father Christmas if we happened to be somewhere with a grotto; never a trip “specially” to do it.

We don't do christmas eve boxes.
Elf on a shelf is abhorant. I did it once and now i have to keep doing it. I wish I never did it at all.
Going to see santa, I did with my first but now he is too old and my second child absolutely hates the idea so thats good 😂
Advent calendars, I do these but think they are shit too now.
We have never gone to church for anything.

We do do santa.

My children get nowt but a lump of coal and a slice of plum pudding and they've never complained.

I don't do Elf on the Shelf or Christmas Eve boxes. My 6yo has already figured out the truth about Santa, so I guess that ship has sailed too.

But I love Christmas...I mean I really love it. I love hearing the brass band play Christmas carols at the market, Christmas walks, Christingle services, Christmas fetes, making gingerbread houses, Christmas jigsaw puzzles and movies. That was my childhood. Nothing expensive or fancy. I hope my DD will experience the same happy Christmases that I remember.

It does sound a bit...joyless. Sorry. My parents never went in for anything particularly over the top and I can't remember ever actually believing in Father Christmas. However it was very much "we're all pretending together because it's Christmas" and that was part of the fun. We opened a stocking "from Father Christmas" when we woke up which contained things like variety packs, chocolate coins, colouring pencils and so on, and the family presents we opened later on, all together and taking turns. We knew who they were from so we were able to thank them

It does seem like parents go to insane lengths now to "keep the magic" and I think it gives the children very little credit. Children will have a lovely time at Christmas in a warm loving family atmosphere, a few presents, other kids to play with, and some community festive events. The obsession with ever more elaborate pretences does nothing except stress parents out.

I find most of these OTT. We decorate tree, advent calendar, do stockings and leave a biscuit and carrot for Rudolf & Santa. Everyone seems happy with that.

Children after my own heart.

We go to see Santa, it usually kick starts the festivities for us in early December. We don't do a Christmas Eve box, I never had one growing up either. Definitely never ever ever doing Elf on the Shelf!!!! Santa brings the presents here, they are left in bundles and opened Christmas morning. Anyone who has bought them presents they get put under the tree and opened Christmas morning. I dont really like the idea of Santa being the delivery guy. The only people not getting thanked for their gift are me and my OH. I see the joy the kids get out of their toys on a daily basis, I don't need them to personally thank me.

Wow - I thought my H deserves Scrooge of the year award! Not any more!
I suppose your kids haven’t missed what they’ve never had …. but you could have made their Christmas much more fun with a bit of effort.

No stockings? That’s beyond the pale!

many of those things are very modern and won’t have existed when your adult dc were kids. I managed to avoid the Xmas eve boxes for mine and they are only 15 and 12 - traditions were already formed before they made an appearance. eld on the shelf definitely wouldn’t have existed for you. Even I left something out for Santa and had a stocking though in the 80’s. Stocking just so exciting to wake up and find on your bed. Leaving stuff out for Santa such low effort and again maximum excitement. We still do it now 😆 just the traditional mare with a biscuit, some baileys and a carrot. None of this reindeer food etc

My DC were born 1999 and 2001. Elf didn’t become popular until 2007 so they were 8 and 6 so possible. I remember quite a few mums at primary school doing Christmas Eve boxes.

Most of these "traditions" are very recent or recently imported. Although looking at your list, did you do ANYTHING for the kids at Christmas? We decorated the tree together, did Christmas stockings for everyone in the house, left out food for Santa and his reindeer. Same as in my childhood, and I'm over 70. Personally I detest elf on the shelf, and judging from my social media feed that's dying a death anyhow.

My adult children predate elf on the shelf and Christmas eve boxes so they didn't happen
, did the visit to santa at the department store in town,
1st December the tree and room got decorated we are talking full on crepe paper chain ceiling and the kids helped with that.

Christmas eve they were allowed to open one of the smaller presents and have a mince pie after dinner, presents were stacked in the front room Christmas eve after they went to bed, just their names on off us, family presents had who they were from on them , my kids had good Christmas and didn't feel like they lost out .

Mine were all born before the dreadful elf on the shelf and Christmas Eve boxes and so on, so they've never missed what they didn't have.

We didn't visit Father Christmas, too rural and too much effort for all five (and one of them would have objected or cried all the way through). We decorated and we'd put out mince pies for FC and something for the reindeer, they had stockings and presents but they were very cynical kids and I don't think they ever believed. They all loved Christmas and still do, even without all the 'matching PJs, gift advent calendars, Christmas bedding etc etc.

I followed my family tradition of not doing any of the above. DC had a separate, small and silly present from Santa. Christmas food, TV, theatre/events, lights, decorations, family visits, school parties and time off school meant they had a great time.

There were no elves on a shelves, Christmas Eve boxes, gifts for teachers (teaching family here) when mine were growing up (90s) Nor special bedding or pyjamas. At primary school age there was always a Christmas themed birthday party, Christingle, tree, stockings, baking, stuff for Santa and reindeers which often involved sooty footprints and sleigh tracks in the snow. So we did try. Unfortunately there also always seemed to be an ill child wrapped up on the sofa, especially when they were 5 and under. So pantomimes were hit and miss.

No elf on the shelf nonsense, Christmas eve boxes or advent calendars.
Yes to Christmas stockings, leaving a mince pie and carrot on Christmas eve and stockings. Instead of advent calendars we have small miniature stockings for each day where there is a message with a different task, treat or puzzle etc today's was to decorate their own small Christmas tree, tomorrow's is a small treasure hunt to find a letter from father christmas, make the grandparents Christmas cards, we've also got one for them to tune into the TV at a certain time to watch a personalised ai video from father christmas, at the weekend they will get a note to ask them to feed the birds (with tallow balls) and in return they will receive a chocolate treat from the birds, make gingerbread..... I may have too much time on my hands 😅

No elf on the shelf nonsense, Christmas eve boxes or advent calendars.
Yes to Christmas stockings, leaving a mince pie and carrot on Christmas eve and stockings. Instead of advent calendars we have small miniature stockings for each day where there is a message with a different task, treat or puzzle etc today's was to decorate their own small Christmas tree, tomorrow's is a small treasure hunt to find a letter from father christmas, make the grandparents Christmas cards, we've also got one for them to tune into the TV at a certain time to watch a personalised ai video from father christmas, at the weekend they will get a note to ask them to feed the birds (with tallow balls) and in return they will receive a chocolate treat from the birds, make gingerbread..... I may have too much time on my hands 😅

I think we’re the same person, right down to the in-laws doing panto duty 😂.

We do stockings for dc - beware! My eldest is 22 and still loves their stocking 😊
When dc were young we did mince pie and carrot left out on Christmas eve.
We also did the santa steam train for a few years.
We do a theatre show each year.
Never did the creepy elf, Christmas eve boxes, special breakfasts...
I can't help thinking that all of that ^ only started with SM...influencers trying to flog rubbish no one needs but gets them a £50 bonus from the company 🤷‍♀️
It's just too much for young ones imo, who will also have nativities, Carol services, school Christmas parties...they will get so overwhelmed.
It seems in recent years most santa experiences and winter wonderland type events are pretty rubbish and very £££

Elf on the shelf and Christmas eve boxes are fairly recent, never mind going to Lapland. It is far too commercialised and ostentatious.

we do stockings and gifts. That's it. Elf on the shelf is weird. Christmas Eve boxes I never understood either.