What’s your Christmas Day routine?

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We get up around 8am and watch the kids open their presents, then have a big breakfast (full English) then play and relax for a few hours, help the kids build Lego and what not. Husband then makes Christmas dinner while I watch Tv with the kids, maybe find time for a walk and then spend the evening eating and playing board games.

Your day sounds lovely!

Ours is much the same except we usually go to my parents for dinner. It’s only five minutes away, then home, relaxing bath, new PJs and a night in front of the TV when the kids disappear to their rooms to chat with friends/game.

Ooh I love these threads.

It’s just me, DH, DD1(6) and DD2(3) (and DDog).

I imagine kids will be up between 6 and 7. They’ll bring stockings through to our room and open them on the bed. Then we go downstairs and see if Santa has left a present by the door. Open those then go and look under tree to see presents have appeared overnight. I will open the Bucks Fizz!

Breakfast of Santa pancakes and then present opening, which will take a while and require snack breaks.

When presents are all open, kids play/DH builds presents, puts in batteries, tidies up while I start prepping food.

Usually aim to eat around 4.

After dinner we will play some games, DD2 will go to bed and we might do a board game with DD1 before she goes to bed.

Then DH and I will eat chocolates, play games together or watch TV.

Can’t wait!

We get up (time varies) kids open stockings then tree presents, bacon sandwiches or chocolate for breakfast.
Kids play with thier new stuff, we watch/join in inbetween cooking the dinner ( most of it is prepared on Christmas Eve and yorkies and gammon cooked Christmas Eve.) we eat about 2.30/3.30… some people retire to room for a nap, kids continue playing. Then we play games, play cards for money until everyone has collectively had enough 🙃

Mine are older than yours, we have a 15.13 and 8 year old so they are in the thick of being able to play party games with us which we all really enjoy. We have bought 3 new board games this year so looking forward to getting them out and seeing if they work for us. We have wonderful game called ‘telestrations’ which we all adore playing

Similar get up time, the 5yo might wake up early at around 7-7.30 but we'll see!

Downstairs and go through Stockings while we have a brew, then we all sit down and open the presents under the tree

Then mill around setting up anything that needs it, kids spend some time playing, message the family/ring mum mid morning. Might pop out for a walk, youngest is getting a scooter so I'm sure he can be convinced at least.

Dinner is around 4/5ish, not lunchtime, it's a case of snacking on the chocs and pringles until dinner 🤣

I really love board games so I’m delighted DD1 is now getting to the age where she can play! But DD2 always wants to join in so we usually have to wait till she’s in bed or WW3 breaks out.

I’ve got DD1 a Minecraft board game that I know she’ll be desperate to play with us after dinner. I did get another game that I think DD2 might be able to join in with as it’s a silly kind of action game, called Hurry Up Chicken Butt!

We've got lots of games now too so we'll have a few rounds of something in the evening

Kids take it in turns to go into each others rooms and open one stocking present together. Then they come into us around 8am and we do stockings in bed.

then creep down to see if FC has been and we open a few more gifts. Then breakfast of either granola, or pastry or bacon baps or salmon or whatever you like.

family arrives and Champagne opened around 12 for canapés then light lunch at 1:30 with more gilts then games and a walk.

main Christmas feast is around 6pm with more games and the pudding and cheeses at 8pm. Some family leave after that and we retire to the sitting room for coffee and some more games or a film.

Wake early (but not too early) with the kids, all head downstairs (dh goes down first to check that Father Christmas has been- turns on the tree lights and some Christmas music)
Kids get excited seeing all the presents under the tree, We open our stockings together on the sofa.
Get dressed, have bacon sandwiches for breakfast, open the Buck’s Fizz, play with stocking things to keep the kids happy for a while.
Then we all sit around and open the tree presents one at a time (we just prefer it this way than a mad scramble)
Play with toys throughout the day, have a little walk for a bit of fresh air, watch some tv (including the new Julia Donaldson one every year) leisurely cook dinner.
Eat Christmas dinner at about 4, spend the rest of the time before the kids go to bed just doing much of the same.
When the little ones are in bed, play board games or do a pub style quiz.

We have just bought ‘outsmarted’ which looks like a pub quiz style game but for the whole family. We will see how it goes!

Im up at around 4 or 5 am - not out of choice, its just me

7am I will go down and prep the turkey if having a full one, or get the gammon into the pressure cooker if not cooked the day before

Basically I will be in and out the kitchen till around 11am when everything that can be cooker ahead of time is done, Will also have the Marie Rose sauce made, all the glasses and cutlery and table ware sorted , table laid.

All done whilst listening to Junior Choice on BBCR2

Quick Shower, change and in the pub - 12 - 2

Dinner is around 3pm - ish - when it's all together usually, just 3 adults here. Starters and a help yourself to what you want mains

Then coffee, liquors, dessert ( for those that want or just a few choccies for those that dont ) and pressie opening

Take the dog for a walk and then its feet up in front of the fire with a glass of baileys and whatever crap movie we settle on

He will be asleep by 9pm, mum won't be far behind, then I put on any programme I wanted to watch which no one else was interested in, and hopefully get to sleep by 1am as come 3 or 4 am - Ill be wide awake again

@clefable we got the chicken butt game last year and it was good fun. Mine are 8, 5 and 3yo. Have a lovely christmas!!

Ours is a bit different, we always host and always go for a big gang - combo of family and friends.

Up with kids early, stockings then gifts under tree with bucks fizz. Light breakfast then get glammed up for guests arriving and play games with kids, look at new books etc.

We do a formal style everyone gets dressed up. Guests arrive noon. More gifts then a walk and pint at the local.

Back for around 4, cocktails and canapes whilst kids play, then sit down dinner around 5.30 / 6, when it’s dark, everyone’s hungry and candlelight feels lovely. Usually kids finish early and all cuddle up watching a movie whilst grownups enjoy a nice dinner party.

I haven't had a routine for years, due to ds2 being with XH every other Christmas Eve/Christmas Day morning (swapped in alternate years), DP working shifts and Ds1 spending time with his girlfriend's family.

This year DP is leaving at 5 am for work, DS1 and his girlfriend will have been to the midnight service the night before so will be up later, and ds2 isn't back until 12. So I'll (hopefully!) have a bit of a lie-in, a quiet cuppa and my normal breakfast before cracking on with things. Lunch has to be on time at 1 this year as ds1 is off to girlfriend's parents at 3. DP will be back home by 3 ish (fingers crossed).

Ohh these are lovely ❤️

I can imagine my ds7 waking usual time at 4am (asd) ill try to keep him quiet which is a difficult task. Then the oldest (11) and youngest (4) will wake at usually 5ish, they'll bring their Stockings into our bedroom and I'll make tea, toasts & biscuits in bed, we'll chat and I'll give my dd her medication, dress her & go over (and over and over) my sons visual timetable & what to expecr. We'll watch the snowman in bed whilst dh and I get ourselves washed & dressed.

Dh will go down first and switch the lights on, music on and the kids will follow. Present opening will commence, usually the presents arent all opened at once and they all become distracted playing with their gifts. Dh is usually putting a toy together and I make usual breakfast, dress the kids and try to stick to our usual normal routine, some of the gifts are open throughout the day but there's no rush or pressure so gifts can stay under the tree until new year. My dd will usually have a morning nap on xmas day as the excitement brings on seizures (dreading this part of the day!). On the afternoon we visit my side of the family, my parents are good at keeping the day magical but not too much for my younger two. Followed by board games with my eldest & extended family, a film together with chocolates & snacks and then back home. My eldest and I will go for a walk together chit chatting & admiring the lights whilst dh begins the evening routine with the youngest two. My dd will be in bed by 7ish usually if not before, then my dh and I will swap. Dh will play board games and watch a comedy with the eldest whilst I continue with the evening routine with ds7. He will probably fall asleep at 11, ill then go back downstairs and watch something with dh with a nice cheese selection before bed.

I can’t wait til mine are old enough to go to the midnight service (or be left alone if they prefer) we are going to a Christmas carol service at the cathedral tomorrow instead. The older boys have opted out but it will be lovely for me, husband and youngest to go.

More of an active one here. We always do the Xmas park run so up early to drag my weary body round the course with Dd .I am always amazed by how many turn up . Last year there was close to a 1000. Then back to shower and have a cooked breakfast and Buck’s Fizz .
Guests arrive around 3pm and we sit down around 4pm for Xmas dinner. Then it is presents , games and a film with drinks

Interesting how many people have a later Christmas dinner (which we do as well) I thought most people did lunch but clearly not!

Up probably 7.30 ish which is a bit of a killer as at least one of us will have been to midnight mass. Stockings in our room. Breakfast. Church and celebrations with friends. Back around midday to start cooking with fizz in hand. Smoked salmon and presents in between turkey monitoring. Watch “The King”. Take next door’s dogs out v briefly. Eat at around 4pm. Clear up and fall
asleep in front of a family friendly film!

Your poor DP missing out on lunch!

Full house this year - all 4 adult children plus partners and ds's dog. All here Christmas Eve. I'm not playing the organ for once!! Park run (or park walk) then presents, chill, whatever. Canapes/nibbles then dinner at mum o'clock. All kids have volunteered to contribute so a team effort. Lots of fancy bubbles to use up left from ds's wedding this year. Board/family games in the evening while we avoid ds hitting us on the head with the obligatory remote control indoor helicopter. Relaxed anarchy with good food!

I’ll be up first as usual. Heating on, coffee made, get gifts out and a movie on. I’ll wait for DH and the DC to come through then it’s present opening. More coffee and pastries and chill for a while. Lunch is made and we eat about 2. We only have one course as we then have an open house for friends and family from 3 pm. Everyone brings their own booze, I supply crisps, dips, cheese board, chocolates etc and usually there is a steady stream of party food served too. Last people away by 9 pm, flop in front of the TV and then bed.

Boxing Day is a bit of a clear up but it doesn’t take too long.

Telestrations sounds such good fun and hilarious

I'm loving reading all of these as im so excited for Christmas this year. It's the first year we're staying at home and can finally create our own traditions, I just can't wait!!

We've got 3 young DC and every year has been a rush of opening presents with the kids in the morning to then drag them away from it all to go to in-laws for Christmas lunch (which is always late so kids are starving). DH family is huge, 17 adults/kids in total, and I'm a massive introvert so I find the day completely draining and horrendous. This year we talked about it and decided actually this isn't how we want our Christmas to be anymore, and there's only so many of them we will get with the kids while they're young.

So our plan is get up whenever the kids wake up, usually around 7-8am. Open stockings and kids can play with stocking presents while we have breakfast. Then we'll do presents, kids can play with presents while I go shower and DH does kitchen stuff. We're gonna have the full turkey dinner in the evening so will just be a buffet lunch. Then head out for a walk/park with the kids, back for more playing with toys or watch a Christmas film, then will have our Christmas dinner between 5-6pm. After dinner will just depend on what we all want to do, play games watch a film etc. I just can't wait!

It’s so lovely reading what everyone else is up to!

For us, DS9 will wake around 6.30, ring his stocking in to us and we all open stockings on our bed. Then we head downstairs to see if Santa has been … check the mine lie and the carrot and there’s always an ash footprint in the fire place!

Coffee for me and DH and straight into present opening. We have horses, so it’s then off to the yard, feed and turn the horses out, muck out and make up haynets and feeds for teatime then walk the dog.

back home to play with presents. Previous years we’ve always hosted, but this year just us, so toying with when to cook. Usually it’s 1.30 but I’m liking the idea of going slightly later….

Back to the horses 4-5 to bring them in, change rugs and feed.

Then home to veg on the sofa with chocolate, board games and music.