How can I help make Christmas really special this year? Ideas please!

[QuiteFickleDobby]

Tell me your ideas! Tell me your traditions so I can nick them for my own .

I've never cooked Christmas dinner! Talk me through it or point me in the right direction! Tell me a Christmas cake recipe - never done that either!

Inspire me with how you decorate your homes. Inspire me by telling me what you do at Christmas.

I need inspiration! All on a budget...

This christmas cake. I make it every year (and for my wedding cake) it's delicious, I always get asked for the recipe.

Make it together, everyone gets a stir and to help ice it. Wonderful memories.

Our new stolen traditions for this year are going to be a special christmas story at bedtime on Christmas eve - I've bought "Little Robin Red Vest" which is a beautiful story and I'm tempted by Chrostmas Eve presents of new PJ's and maybe a new DVD (although I love "Polar Express" too so might just use that) to snuggle up with on Xmas Eve. I may even attempt making a gingerbread house this year!!.

Ole traditions...We have a fill your own Advent calendar which I'm going to fill with little treats.

I bought a pack of (cheap) plain baubles when DH and I moved in together too and every year I decorate one with a big event of the year "2005 Mr & Mrs" "2006 Waiting for baby" "2007 DS First Christmas" etc. They're a lovely reminder when I hang them.

Blatherskite -I LOVE your baubles tradition. SO gorgeous!

QFD - you need twinkle lights. And LOTS of them

We love watching the Snowman together on christmas eve after bath and in (new!) pjs!

I make paper chains with the kids and put them round the lounge. They look really nice.

If you have young children, mine love setting out a plate for Santa on Christmas Eve; something edible for mum Santa and a drink and an apple or carrot for the reindeer.

Delia, Delia, Delia. You need her Christmas book - the library might have it.

DD and I make coconut ice and put it in little cellophane bags (from Lakeland or online) and tie with curled ribbon and home made gift tags which we give to family members as presents - also keep a few with unwritten labels to give out to people we weren't expecting to see which goes down well

Do you have any music tv channels? From about November there's always one showing cheesy Xmas videos on a loop - Last Christmas, Pipe of Peace etc!

Be nice and jolly to every single family member.

Hop over to my Poncetastic Christmas thread. (currently in Good Houskeeping but I'm aiming to have it moved to a more appropriate home.)

We will give you so many good ideas for a 'special' Christmas you'll wish you'd never heard of Christmas by the end of it.

We need a link Fellatio!

I love our baubles too ja9 :) They bring back such nice memories when the decorations come out and I get to have fun decorating a new one too - although I still haven't finished last years bauble! DD was born 8 days before Christmas and I just didn't have the time!! They were cheap too :)

It's been moved to the Christmas topic and it has my name in the thread title. Also on 'most active' I believe.

I've found you :)

Ahhh - some good ideas here and I have found fellatios poncetastic thread so am heading off there!

what do you use to decorate the baubles?
thanks