do you have any chritmas eve traditions?

[cheesesarnie]

we used to go to mil every year for a buffet but she sadly passed away earlier this year.the plan was to go to sil and carry on tradition.but some couldnt make it so they move it forward to last saturday(ds2 and i couldnt go as ds ill but apparently had crackers etc).we will be in new house by then so thinking about new 'traditions'.what do you do on xmas eve?

Sorry to hear about you MIL.

We have an early tea - DH & I usually home by about 3 on xmas eve. I let the kids decide what they want to eat (ask them the week before).

We then watch something christmassy on DVD (home alone is one of our favourites) and eat rubbish!

DCs get new PJs which we put under their pillows wrapped up, it gives them a sneaky pre-christmas present to open and quells some of the excitement!!!!

When we finally manage to get DD to sleep (hyper-excited about xmas and has real trouble sleeping!), DH and I have a drink, wrap up last minute pressies and make a concerted effort to switch off the TV and make a few preparations for xmas lunch - peel veg, get plates, cuttlery sorted etc.

Sounds boring but it's a really nice evening and one of the times we really look forward to as we both work and evenings are usually spent flopped in front of the TV - we always have a nice chat and reminisce about the kids.

Don't get me wrong - we do have converstations at other times of the year too!!!!!

I spend Christmas Eve morning finishing off any last bits of food prep.

I make sausage & mash for lunch and then we go out for a nice long walk in the woods.

After tea we let the DCs open one gift from us (tis always new PJs ) and one from their aunt (she always buys them a new DVD with christmas theme). We then watch the movie with new pjs on!

We then snuggle around the fire, leaving wine for Santa and carrot for Rudolph, put the stockings up and read "The Night Before Christmas".

DCs go off to bed and DH and I chat over champagne and any last minute wrapping .

I LOVE Christmas!!

We have a very relaxing day. We usually stay at home for most of the day. We often bake mince pies for father christmas and make paper snowflakes for the window whilst watching christmassy films on tv. Then we walk down to the church for the 4.00 p.m. family carol service, afterwards we usually go somewhere like ASK or Pizza Express for a bite to eat. We are normally home again by about 7ish in time for ds to hang up his stocking. Once ds is in bed we get the candles out and have champagne and posh choc's.

awww all sounds lovely!

ive suggested to my mum about coming over to bake christmas cookies.

I make Delias prawn risotto (VVV easy - tin of lobster bisque, prawns, rice and some brandy!) and light candles in the dining room. Kids watch tv and DH and I open a bootle of bubbley and eat smoked salmon, then risotto and mince pies. Then wrap the kids presents and have some more to drink.

Dunno if we will do that this year as DH and I are splitting up, but then it'll be the last one I suppose...

awww all sounds lovely!

ive suggested to my mum about coming over to bake christmas cookies.

bottom

We go to a church service (we are not especially churchy but this is special). It starts at about 6pm, just an hour and children are invited to dress up as chaaracters from the nativity and create a huge tableau at the front of the church. Then home for bacon rolls, bath and new pjs, put out stockings, whisky, mince pie and carrot. bed!

captainmummy im sorry

mil pisses us both off then we have a big row.

I ice the Christmas cake because i'll have forgotten to do it before! Last year we made our gingerbread train on Xmas Eve. (possibly this year will make gingerbread santa sleigh and reindeer)

Prep veg for Xmas Day

New PJs for Kids

Christmas film on TV/DVD

Put out stuff for Father Christmas & Reindeer

Kids to bed

Magic happens....

lol at sea.
That's our boxing day tradition!

captainmummy oh that is sad (((hugs)))

We don't have any traditions yet cos since we have had the dc we have always had relatives or been to relatives. This year we are home alone and I really want to start some traditions now they are 3, 2 and 7mths.

I am hoping to have all my presents wrapped by Christmas eve so I think we will go out for a nice walk somewhere. Eat nice food. Go to a Christmas eve carol service at church. Like the idea of opening a (pj's) present so will try to do that and maybe open a (new dvd) present too! Then all watch new dvd in new pj's.

Can't wait! I'm SO excited!

Dh always goes out with his workmates as christmas day is the only day they are closed. i used(andast year at MILs) so I tidy, pre prep food for next 2 days, cook mince pies with cheesey music blaring and then watch Princess Bride as DH hates it and its my favourite film.
At least this year I can drink real wine instead of Schloer!

We visit family in the afternoon which is great lots of mulled wine and mince pies, then we come home and go to church for the chldrens service and then it is home into new pjs and watch a christmas film home alone this year. Kids go to bed we wrap pressies have a few glasses of bubbly and watch my fav film love actually .

oh ffs

we have Snowman Night on Christmas Eve

kids get brand new snowman pyjamas

we make snowmen out of card/cotton wool/glitter/wool etc and put them up around the house

then we make, decorate and eat snowman biscuits for supper

then we all watch the Snowman film and have hot chocolate with white 'snow' marshmallows

then put out sherry/mince pie/carrot and put boys to bed

dh gets drunk and panic buys me the most hideous present know to idiot man
i try and hide in a darkened room with a bottle of sherry
kids get overexcited trying to dress the cat in a novelty santa suit and sent to bed early

tis magical

Hot roast beef sandwiches, new pj's for us all and a xmas dvd.#

When we were kids we always got a "xmas eve present" - usually a book/dvd/game - to keep us occupied!

lol sagacious

I usually spend Christmas Eve making mince pies and sausage rolls with the dc 'helping' while everyone else is sitting down chatting, drinking etc.

I am not doing it this year. And neither am I wrapping up loads of presents when half pissed at 9 pm.

We have a rocking party with other people who are at a loose end.

Clean all morning, do a few nibbles, put drink/mix out
Have people round for 6, 6.30 ish
They leave at about 11 (they always help tidy before they go!)
Kids go to bed, exhausted
We do the drunken getting everything "sorted", and everyone has a lie in!
Love it!
Going to MIL's this year, and I somehow think things will be different!