What do you do on Christmas Eve?

[Slinky]

Usually I'm flying around getting last minute bits and bobs but this year I'm aiming to get everything done so that I can devote the whole day to the kids. DD1 is 8, DS1 is 6 and DD2 is 4.

DH is working until afternoon, getting in early evening.

I want to do something special with the kids that I can perhaps make a "family tradition" on Christmas Eve. I usually take them to the Christingle Service at the Church but thats normally around the middle of December.

What little "habits" do you have in your house for Christmas Eve??

We always put out mince pies, sherry and a carrot, so that Father Christmas and Rudolph are happy. We also log on to the NORAD missile tracking web site (!). They put up web cam shots of Father Christmas as he goes around the world. The children get to see shots of him in the Far East before they go to be!

there was a really good thread on this a while ago with some lovely ideas
xmas traditions

This year we are:

Morning - visiting my parents early on and staying for lunch

Afternoon - DD going to nursery for a couple of hours whilst DH and I do the shopping for Boxing Day buffet

Evening - PIL picking DD up from nursery and bringing her home; they are staying for tea

Then after DD goes to bed, leaving out some sherry and mince pie, DH and me will relax, play santa and have a drink

Pre DD we used to go to the pub and then to Midnight Mass.

KS, me too! I want to live in a Marks&Spencers advert too!

with the kids:we sit and talk about santa and draw pictures,put a glass of brandy and some carrots by the fire place
dh and mence the kids are in bed we get drunk while building up castles,kitchens or whatever that needs building so we don't have to do it in the morning with a hangover

that meant to be dh and me: once....

My husband's stepchildren come to us for Christmas Eve. We used to watch the Muppet Christmas Carol at some point in the proceedings. We stopped for a few years, when they were 'cool' teenagers, but maybe it would have nostalgia value now they are even older (23, 19 and 18). It puts everyone in the right mood - very funny, always some action that we didn't notice last time round and catchy songs about how you should be generous. We never did graduate to reading the book to them, but maybe we will do that with dd one day.

I usually take the kids into work for the morning whilst dh does the last minute food shopping, then I go home and we walk to a small pub in the town - we have our tea there (usually gammon, eggs and chips) and then potter round the corner to the church for the Christingle service, then walk home and the kids hang up their stockings - have done this for a few years now - started off at just us four - we were joined last year by approx 35 relatives, friends and neighbours too.

KS - I need a copy of The Night Before Christmas but cant find one anywhere. Where did you get yours???

Thanks for all your lovely ideas

LOL @ ks - in reality, the kids are arguing, the ILs are getting on my nerves and I'm knackered

ks, surely you missed out the bit where you all gather round the piano, (played to concert pianist standard by your dh) and sing carols, catching each other's eyes and smiling beatifically?

Fantastic post, BTW

I'm sure there'll be a copy in Waterstone's or Borders. I've got 2 copies, pretty easy to get hold of at this time of year

Janinlondon

They were selling them in Marks and Spencers today for £5. Hard-backed with a little ribbon to tie it up.

Also did the "A letter to Santa" too - same price.

I bought both (along with My First Carols tape and book for DD2) to put in their stockings. I may give them to the kids on Christmas Eve and we can read those and play the tape

ks ... ROFL

I start cooking more mince pies in the morning.
Last minute buys at the shops at midday.
Get a drink and then start cooking the turkey, pork and beef for the next day.
Settle the kids in front of the tv, then when its time for bed out comes a mince pie and glass of beer for father christmas.
Then it is arranging the presents before we go to bed.
The last thing I do is watch the sky out from my bedroom window and think why cant the world be this peaceful all the time,

We all sit down sometime during the day and mix up a big bowl of oats and glitter and before bed the children go outside and sprinkle it all round the garden. The oats are for the raindeer to eat and the glitter so santa can see our house the children love doing it.

What a nice thread. I have always hated Christmas as has DH. But this year we have a mini person to spoil. He's a bit young at 2 mths but what the hell.

For the last 2 years it's been off to see Lord of the Rings at the Warners village Bristol, then down to mum's local church in the afternoon for the Christingle, which my kids normally manage to get speaking parts in, despite only going there once a year! I thought they were too old last year, as it is intended for little ones, but my 17 yo DD is looking forward to it already!

When they were really little we always travelled Christmas Eve night after work. It was a pain but quite magical because we could jolly then through the 4 hour journey up the M20/M25/M4 looking for santa's lights in the sky (courtesy of Heathrow usually provided!)

This year...whatever I am told it seems..lol . Normal involves peeling lots of brussel sprouts somewhere through the day!