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Original poster

Christmas traditions - what are yours?

126 replies

hunkerpumpkin · 22/10/2005 21:18

I've read recently of the one about your children having new PJs on Christmas Eve and love that.

We buy a new Christmas tree decoration each year for DS and will do the same next Christmas for DB. They'll be able to choose or make something as they get bigger and it's going to be lovely seeing them decorate the tree when they're bigger with decorations that have history. Tree might look shocking though

So what else? I'm sure I read something on here about leaving a bit of sprinkled glitter and telling your children it's magic dust to help reindeer fly or something?

OP posts:
Witchycat · 22/10/2005 21:21

Avoid the relatives

Seriously though, like the tree decoration idea. Might nick that one.

DD has a fleecy 'Santa' blanket that got confiscated in about February last year because he dragged it downstairs every morning and back up every night and he was getting slightly obsessive about Xmas in general. Think he will be allowed it back again soon though so maybe that's the start of a tradition!

nutcackle · 22/10/2005 21:22

We do the pj's thing and also leave a pressie on the end of the bed from Santa, which is always new slippers

startingtobehalloweenylover · 22/10/2005 21:23

my friends dad used to get this hoof shape and print it with mud all through the house!

my mum used to do christmas eve boxes for all our little cousins... get a show box and fill with: little sachets of hot chocolate, some christmas animal biscuits, a christmassy book and a little toy. To be opened on Christmas eve before bed and contents to be used immediately!

Springchicken · 22/10/2005 21:23

Oh, i can't wait to start having family traditions. Dd is only 15 months so last year she was a bit too young.

Love the idea about the PJ's, think every child needs new PJ's, dressing gown and slippers at Xmas. The decoration is a lovely idea too.
I am so looking forward to all of these things

moondog · 22/10/2005 21:24

Getting wrecked comes pretty high on the list.I'm puerile like that.

There were some fantastic ones on a thread last year.
(Shriek!!! I've been a slave to MN for a whole year..)

redeyedbloodsuckingfroggy · 22/10/2005 21:25

Home made tomato soup on Christmas eve

megandmogwai · 22/10/2005 21:26

LOVE the glitter idea...or isn't that the glitter that falls when the reindeer fly past?

Agree about the xmas decoration. I always buy mine in foreign places so I can remember a holiday. Tree does look shocking but what the hell

We always had a hot sausage-meat stuffing butty on christmas eve, when the turkey had finished cooking. Oh yes, and a glass of "snowball", which kids think is proper boozy stuff!

On the subject of lights....do you have tasteful "white" ones or the coloured lights I remember from being a child? Think I might have to dispense with the aesthetics now I'm a mum and go for coloured lights, fake snow, the lot

Jayzmummy · 22/10/2005 21:28

We do Reindeer food in the garden....bird seed mixed with glitter (this year we are colouring sugar though so its biodegradable)

Glitter,Talc and a wellie....for santas footprints.

The same christmas cards that we have have had for 16 years!! Every year we write a message.

Oranges,new coin and sugar mouse at the bottom of the stocking.

Christmas is all about tradition and even though my DS's know santa doesnt excist we will stiil leave the carrot and mice pies out....just in case

Jayzmummy · 22/10/2005 21:30

reindeer food

moondog · 22/10/2005 21:30

..and a big placcy 'Santa stop here please' sign eh Moogwai??

Midnight Mass is a must.

moondog · 22/10/2005 21:34

Someone last year had dressed her triplets (while they were sleeping) in fancy dress outfits so they woke transformed.
She eavesdropped on their conversation with her dh.
Fantastic!

Springchicken · 22/10/2005 21:35

Oh Moondog, how sweet !
That's given me an idea for DD this year

bubble99 · 22/10/2005 21:36

Moony. Where will you be for Christmas?

Eve · 22/10/2005 21:46

...All go and cut down xmas tree from the farm, takes about 2 hours to chose which one and we must look at 100's before deciding 1st one is best.

....carol service in the Abbey on Xmas eve.

....fly to parents on boxing day where Santa has stopped off on his way back home and left some xmas presents.

...looking forward to it already!

milward · 22/10/2005 21:49

leave out some wine & a mince pie for father xmas & some carrots for the reindeer. The next day the carrot tops are left as are some crumbs!! Plus look out for reindeer prints in the garden - there are always lots - luckily never any reindeer droppings

megandmogwai · 22/10/2005 22:06

have been going to midnight mass for years. Love it. Can you take a baby though? She'd be better off in bed wouldn't she, but oh! my midnight mass with candles and booze when we get home

jessicaandbumpsmummy · 22/10/2005 22:12

All round dad's for chinese takeaway xmas eve and then off to the midnight service while DH waits in with Jess (and bump this year)

Chirstmas morning, santa stockings get opened as and when you wake up..... and main presents after breakfast often saving some for after church.

redeyedbloodsuckingfroggy · 22/10/2005 22:14

Mogwai we took dd1 when she was a baby and she slept through it beautifully

FrightfullyPoshFloss · 22/10/2005 22:14

Well., Dp is quarter polish and his family tradition is polish (garlic) sausage and scrambled egg. Our family tradition used to be scrambled egg on toast with bucks fizz. So we have his food and my booze .

Like the idea of the xmas tree decorations, we had one for DS last year so one we could continue.

MarsLady · 22/10/2005 22:15

Our Christmas is devoted to Delia and my sisters. I buy and prepare the turkey. My sisters do a ham and lamb. We throw together salad and veg (middle sister does brussels -yuk!). Brother in law brings a salmon. We divide the alcohol list between us.

Our day goes as follows: the kids wake up - anything from 7.30am (they all sleep in one bedroom so as not to confuse the man in red). We listen as they "discover" that FC has left them stockings. We hear lots of laughter and then footsteps. When they go into the lounge they see the Christmas tree and all the presents (put there by us the night before).

We go in and all open prezzies. Not as restrained or as good as some of you. We open as many as we want to. But then my three sisters arrive with even more prezzies later.

I make smoked salmon and scrambled eggs and pop open a bottle of champers. The kids eat chocolate. The turkey goes in the oven and we phone everyone we can think of and sing badly down the telphone at them. We can't ring my mum until the kids have gone to bed because she lives in Jamaica.

We go to Church and enjoy the family service.

The family arrive about 1pm whereupon madness ensues. The kids and their cousins eat more chocolate and junk. We serve up lunch. Drink too much and then the bossy sister(because there has to be one and no it's not me) will clear away. The fellas will wash up and then we'll divide the remaining food into tubs so that we all have lots of lovely leftovers. They all leave about midnight and we fall into bed.

We go to friends for leftovers lunch on Boxing Day and take the kids to run around the woods. We do the same thing every year. The kids love it, we love it and so it will remain.

I posted this last year. Will continue to post it cos my Christmas always makes me smile.

Aimsmum · 22/10/2005 22:16

Message withdrawn

LadySherlockofLGJ · 22/10/2005 22:17

Mars

Your recall is perfect, I am soooo impressed.

Nemo666 · 22/10/2005 22:19

Ok considering this will be ds 3rd xmas and he was 2mths for his first dont laugh but....

we all get new pjs on xmas eve..lol Also change the bedding.
Ds usually makes a tree decoration. For his first we put his pic in a frame and hung it.
When ds is older he will be allowed to pick a small present to open on xmas eve after a bath.
Leave mince pie, carrot and milk for santa and rudolph
We all go out to midnight mass at 11pm and get home about 12.30.
Go to bed and then when we wake its stockings in bed.
DH goes down to see if santa has been [ie turn on fire and put some toast in..lol]
all go down and open presents.
about 11am my sister turns up to see us.
Then at about 2 we either go to pil or they come here. have lunch and stay till about 6.30 ish when we come home and chill.

Will probably be the same this year and hopefully db will be here on time.

frannykenstein · 23/10/2005 09:16

We used to have a lot of traditions before ds was born but are only just developing suitable child-friendly ones. We used to wrap all our presents on Christmas Eve, then watch 'It's a Wonderful Life' by candlelight, before having a takeaway pizza (does not sound very Christmassy, but came from one year when the oven decided to break down about 9pm on Christmas Eve and the most wonderful electrician came out to us, with his gf, and we all enjoyed a pizza and wine together before they went home, having fixed the oven).

When I was a little girl my mum used to make a lot of our clothes and each December, when I having my bath for some reason, she would ask me to tell the Christmas fairies what colour dress I wanted this year. It would be hanging up in my bedroom for me to wear on Christmas morning and was so magical.

We also have kept our pre-child tradition of not having a huge christmas dinner on the day. It seems to mean that at least one person is stuck in the kitchen all day and misses out. We are veggie anyway so it's not like we miss the turkey. We instead have a really special deli style buffet with lots of treats we normally don't have, and have a roast dinner at some other point in the Christmas holidays.

diva4mgl · 23/10/2005 10:28

Xmas
CAnt wait this year, DDs 1st Xmas.
We used to do it quite boring, wake up have breakfast,wait PILs and open presents. and then Xmas dinner and used to sit and watch DVD. on Boxing day we have party and all relatives( about 12ppl) come to our house and eat and chat.
But this year is special and we are more excited. DD will be 8m and we will be opening all her presents and excite i guess.
Can`t wait
I had quite a lot ideas from here thanx girls