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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

I read this tip in my Mum's magazine.........so, what are you doing to make Christmas time special for your DC's

36 replies

Ineedsomesleep · 03/12/2009 13:19

Was flicking through my Mum's magazine the other week and spotted this tip:

"if you are short of money, or don't want your children to focus on the material side of christmas then ask them what they would like to happen over Christmas. This will get them to focus on things other than presents"

Asked DS and he immediately started rattling off a long list of stuff he's seen advertised and thinks he would like.

After a little chat he started telling me who he would like to eat his lunch with, who he would like to see etc. So its working for us.

I've also read with interest the threads on what you are buying for a 2 year old DD and how much do you spend on your DC's at Christmas.

So....what do you do to make Christmas more special?

So far we have got planned:

A trip to Thomas Land's Magical Christmas (won)
Friends coming over for lunch a couple of days before Christmas.
A visit to another friends house for Christmas Crafts, also before Christmas.
Grandparent's staying over on Christmas Eve.
A fun filled Christmas Day.

OP posts:
dizzycringles · 03/12/2009 13:25

we're taking them to see Mother Goose on Sat

the girls and I are taking their beloved Aunt to lunch and to the theatre on Sat 19th as a thank you for everything she's done for us during the year

and on the 12th we're taking the PIL to a story telling session at a nearby castle where they'll see Santa Claus and go on a carriageride too

on Christmas day we'll drive to my cousins farm and help them cook the food we've grown especially for Christmas dinner whilst helping with the pigs/chickens/horses as usual and we'll be staying overnight there with family - the girls will also spend the few days before Christmas helping me make all the puddings/deserts to take down - everyone does/beings something

its all about the family time with us - the presents are just an added bonus, not the main focus

dizzycringles · 03/12/2009 13:25

we're taking them to see Mother Goose on Sat

the girls and I are taking their beloved Aunt to lunch and to the theatre on Sat 19th as a thank you for everything she's done for us during the year

and on the 12th we're taking the PIL to a story telling session at a nearby castle where they'll see Santa Claus and go on a carriageride too

on Christmas day we'll drive to my cousins farm and help them cook the food we've grown especially for Christmas dinner whilst helping with the pigs/chickens/horses as usual and we'll be staying overnight there with family - the girls will also spend the few days before Christmas helping me make all the puddings/deserts to take down - everyone does/beings something

its all about the family time with us - the presents are just an added bonus, not the main focus

dizzycringles · 03/12/2009 13:25

sorry

MillyMollyMoo · 03/12/2009 13:26

It always makes me so sad, the focus is on the presents in our house cos my and DH's family are so utterly shite
Days out are a good idea though.

dizzycringles · 03/12/2009 13:29

oh and thats not including the Christmas Carol concert at the kirk with the Rainbows, the school church service on the last day of term and the panto that DD1 is in because of her wee Drama class - she's a dwarf and only has one line but still she is high as a kite!!

MillyMollyMoo - do you have a local website/newspaper that can let you know what's on in your area in the build up?

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 03/12/2009 13:29

As always, a couple of days before christmas we go ice skating in either Greenwich or Somerset house, walk around the christmas market and eat various yummy things and then wander around central London looking at the lights.

We're also going to see Peter Pan at the 02 this year.

Christmas will be spent with our very best friends and their dogs in a holiday house and wil be an incredibly relaxed few days of fun.

dizzycringles · 03/12/2009 13:30

TheDWP I haven't seen you in AGES - hope all well ice skating sounds FAB!

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 03/12/2009 13:36

I love all the outdoor rinks that pop up this time of year - so romantic especially at dusk and all snuggly in hats and scarves (until I fall on my arse haha)

I'm well thanks - had a huge mn break due to rl things including moving house then moving back again hehe. How are you?

dizzycringles · 03/12/2009 13:40

am well thanks the girls are all fine too which is the main thing - just having the nightmare of trying to sort out childcare for the new year as my CM has quit I never have time to get on in the evening for the Bar anymore and only pop in and out to check up on the baby naming threads and my post natal

I should be sorting out the house whilst I have rare day off and the girls are at the CM instead I am mucking about on here, eating chocolate homewheat and watching Run Fat Boy Run - not my most productive day

sarah293 · 03/12/2009 13:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 03/12/2009 13:45

Sounds pretty good to me dizzy!

dizzycringles · 03/12/2009 13:46

well if I have that seal of approval, fannying about on here it is!!!

TinselinaBumsquash · 03/12/2009 13:50

We spend Xmas Eve with my Dad and his GF, then 'Santa' shows up with some little pressies and we go home to find he has left some PJs and a Lush Ickle baby bath bomb for each of the boys so they can have a bath, put the pjs on, then we watch The Snowman with hot Mince Pies and Cocoa, pure bliss.

Boxing day we will be spending with my sister and her family.

Xmas day we will be at home with my Mum and my Nan, this is special for me becuase i love my nan to bits she is 94 and i am cherishing each special occasion with her.

dizzycringles · 03/12/2009 13:53

Tinselina that sounds just perfect - please gve your Nan a squeeze from me, I miss mine dreadfully

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 03/12/2009 14:00

Me too dizzy thats the hardest part of this time of year. On DS's birthday I sobbed for ages in bed because I missed her - she would normally call every few hours to say happy birthday again and see what he was up to.

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 03/12/2009 14:01

I love the bath bomb idea too I may pinch it! We always do hot chocolate with cream and edible glitter on xmas eve.

dizzycringles · 03/12/2009 14:03

DWP - have just been on the Lush website looking them up as I tend not to go into the store - the scent slightly overwhelms me!!!

this is only our second Christmas without mum too and I still feel like she should be there - even so, we have 3 lovely new (ish) babies in the family and another one due anytime now so they bring us great joy

Louby3000 · 03/12/2009 14:14

This is my DS first Christmas and we are making x-mas decorations for all the GPs for their trees, I hope to make this a bit of a tradition for the next few years to come until he tells me he is too old!
I am also going to do what my parents used to do for me and my brother, jingle bells around the garden just before they went to bed, and long after we were tucked up. I remember hearing them a few times and when I questioned it, my mum always maintained that it was father Christmases sleigh! Brilliant.

Original poster
Ineedsomesleep · 03/12/2009 14:14

Tinsel, love the idea of the bath bombs, I may pinch that one too.

Our film with the GP's on Christmas Eve will be Polar Express as DS is such a trainspotter.

And, hot chocolate with cream and edible glitter. Yum. May serve that one up when my friends come around with their DC's on the 23rd.

OP posts:
upahill · 03/12/2009 14:18

Well we normally get up at about 9ish Christmas morning. The kids get their presents then they make a big show of me getting mine. I sit like a princess with my gifts arriving!! I get some small gifts that are the same every year - two bags of Thorntons sweets, A large bottle of Badedas(sp)bath gel and some sort of gadget, last year it was a Garmin Edge7 the year before that a heart monitor and pedometer. These gifts are the law in our house!! Then I get my big pressie which is always a surprise. DH gets his pressies and then goes to make dinner. We eat about 1.00pm and then go out for a few hours. Maybe to the coast or last year we went mountain biking in Gisborn Forest.

Back home and then it's Baileys with added whiskey for me!! TV and Quality street goes down well with everyone as well.

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 03/12/2009 14:20

I can't bear even walking past lush the smell is so strong!

CitizenPrecious · 03/12/2009 14:22

Me and DP are going to try to lay off the sauce till after 10.30 am over the festive period (back to normal on the 27th, though kids )

and I am going to try not to stab dp through the heart for burning the Janssons Temptation on Christmas Eve- like what I did last year. Oh, and the year before that...

SoupDragon · 03/12/2009 14:23

The evening of 23rd (we go to my parents on 24th) we watch Polar Express, have pizza delivered and then have hot chocolate.

dizzycringles · 03/12/2009 14:29

forgot to say on christmas eve we put out glittery oats to show the Reindeer where to land too

LadyGlenChristmasPresent · 03/12/2009 14:36

Christmas Eve we go to the Christingle service at church then a neighbours for mince pies then home and sprinkle reindeer food in the garden and set out some nightlights in jam jars for a runway. Then baths, new pjs for all and I read The Night before Christmas and the last chapter of A Christmas Carol in front of the fire before leaving mincepie and wine for Santa and hanging up stockings.
I will be gutted when they don't want to do it anymore.

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