Christmas traditions - what and when?

[Moomin]

This will be dd's 2nd Christms, but obviously the 1st she'll really appreciate. Dh and I were talking to some friends the other week and they asked us what we'll do as our family traditions now and I'm a bit confused about stockings and pressies so thought I'd ask you lot!
Do you have a stocking in the children's bedroom with bits and bobs in and then bigger presents later? Do you all open presents together? Do you pretend your pressies are from Santa? Where do you put the big pressies and when do you open them?
Sorry to sound a bit thick but we didn't really have a set routine in our house when I grew up and I'd like to set up some traditions for dd. At the mo, all we do now is dh and I have bucks fizz and smoked salmon bagels downstairs in the morning while we open pressies from one another; family pressies come later when we get together, late morning/early afternoon.

Love the wellies and presents falling off sleigh ideas. We started the night before christmas thing last year and it is lovely! Last year was the first time we did the carrot and mince pies too and it was magical - DD1 was so enthralled by the fact that the carrots had gone that she walked past all the presents under the tree without noticing them - we too had set up the camcorder in the corner so have captured that moment for ever - makes me feel quite emotional just thinking about it! Must start that xmas shopping thing now - doh!

Last year ds1 insisted on leaving a raw steak for Timmy the Tiger, who was coming with Santa to help him ...!

Have you thought about the Christmas tree? A couple of weeks before the day (or whenever you put up your tree) we get some magic seeds from the shops and make wishes. Large seeds like beans are the best. Then we "plant" them in a bucket of soil before they go off to bed. Whilst the children are asleep we bring in and decorate the real tree so that when they come down in the morning, the magic seeds have transformed into a beautiful, decorated Christmas tree. You should see their faces!!

xmas traditions in the doormat household

outdoor lights go up mid dec- dh goes overboard.
indoor decs go up 3-4 days later when outdoor is sorted.

xmas eve stockings go on fireplace and mince pie and pint of beer for santa

bed for kids EARLY

we all drink with our xmas dinner (kids have lemonade and wine)

get pissed as much as we can throughout the season
xmas night dh and I go out on the razz(might be working this year though)

go and buy stuff in the sales on boxing day.

tree and decs come down new years day

hellbell - that's so lovely, will definitely try it when ds and dd are older.

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adn another thread

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I'm really loving rereading all these

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