Grandchildren Staying Over

[italianmountains]

I am lucky enough that my children and grandchildren are almost always with us for Christmas Day. However, this year to my delight they are coming Christmas Eve and staying overnight, therefore waking up to Christmas morning at our house. It's the first year since my children were that age that we will be doing the Father Christmas thing! Their mum (my daughter) and I have agreed to follow the traditions they usually do (which is actually the same as were done when my children were small). We will all have matching pyjamas, leave cookies for Santa, stockings first thing. But we also want to do even more to make it magical for them too - ages 5 and up by the way. Any ideas for the night before or the morning, food ideas, decorations? Would be grateful for all or any ideas. Will also have teenagers too.

On Christmas eve sprinkle reindeer food outside - and look for santa (the International Space Station passing in the sky).

You can sprinkle 'snow' on a hard floor to create santa footprints which i think is cute

Santa tracker on TV
Christmas movie before bed ( switching regularly to the Santa tracker)
Sprinkle oats outside for reindeer food

Christmas morning put a colouring table cloth out for breakfast and everyone can colour or find some colouring place mats.

We never have a plan or put pressure on the day, it’s fully led by our DDs.

at that range of ages I would do something that will be fun for those that believe, and those that don't really.

One thing that I do for my son is a little treasure hunt type thing in the morning, where one of his presents has been hidden, and there is a clue at the bottom of his stocking. You can make it as hard or easy as it needs to be depending on the age, but I find it gets them running around excitedly for a bit as they figure out and search for the missing present.

Doesn't matter if they are 5 or a teenager, it can still be exciting.

We put out a carrot for the reindeer as well as a drink and mince pie for Santa. Leave a few pastry crumbs and the stump of the carrot with tooth marks in it (scratch with a potato peeler or similar).

I actually walked around a small town once when my kids were young, with another friend and her kids, and we sang Christmas Carols looking up at the sky and trying to spot Santa. Only works if it's safe to walk around in the dark and if you don't mind singing in the street :) It was a magical night, a core memory for them.

I bought a garage door sized picture of Santa in his sleigh which is the first thing the dc saw when they arrived for Christmas.
We also walk around a few roads that have lovely lit up front gardens.
Personally though I think Christmas Eve needs to be as calm as possible in the hope the dc get to sleep.

You’re so far behind us on the clock that, if you want the tv on, look on YouTube for Carols in the Domain. There’s one every year. It’s an outdoor carols by candlelight from Melbourne with all sorts of well known talented people giving it their best. Very family oriented.

Snuggle with that, something nice to eat and drink and sing along.