We need your Christmas customs and family traditions

[CatherineMumsnet]

We're after all your customs and traditions - stockings, leaving stuff out for santa, dressing the tree, when you open presents, what you eat, carol singing and anything else that makes Christmas in your home.
Thanks everyone

New pyjamas for the children every christmas eve.

Hi, haven't read the entire thread so sorry if this has already been mentioned.

As far as I know, mine is the only family that has a Fairy that brings a Christmas tree for the kids. When I was little, on the night on Dec 17th we would write a note to the Christmas Tree Fairy asking for one of the trees from the Magic Forest.
The next morning we would wake up to the glow of Christmas lights from the living room where the fairy has done her stuff. It was a magical time for us.
I have continued this tradition with my DCs, only changing the date to the 11th Dec as this is the day my father died (10 years ago) so we dedided to claim back the day to a happy occasion and honour his favourite time of year.
It can be hard work the night before but is usually softened by a large glass of Bailey's. The look of wonder and amazement of the kids' faces the next day is truly worth it though.
I'll be really quite sad when that tradition comes to a natural end and hope the children will pass it on to the next generation.
My daughter considers herself to be very lucky to be the only child in her class to have a Tree Fairy visitation. I know that others might argue that it's as much fun to decorate the tree together but there'll be plenty of time to do that in future years.

We started our own when we were married - which in the past when I have posted on this topic before I got roundly shouted at by Cod for. But as we both came from crap family backgrounds, we thought we would consciously try to do something nice. Ours is that we have waffles with squirty cream all together in our bed while we open the stocking presents - we do this on birthdays too, and the children love it.

On christmas eve......

. i always give my boys a 'christmas eve present'.... it's always something like new felt tips and a colouring book...or book to read...or something else 'relaxing' that they can do to calm down!!

.We always have a 'tea party' in the evening-

.DS3 makes paper chains

. I usually end up wrapping EVERY present for my boys....as i find it easier to hide them in carrier bags shoved in draws under my bed UNWRAPPED.... as they are used to seeing bags in there all year round!!!! As soon as i wrap them...the questions start...so i husually go to bed about 2 or 3 christmas morning-once the gifts are put into piles!

A SNOW HOUSE... Cardboard box painted to look like doll's house with cotton wool and glitter on the roof. A little wrapped present for everyone. My mum (74) did this as a child in WWII and we've resurrected the tradition.

Oh... and something else we always do is get out the little tree with green feathers for leaves that my dad bought for 6d from Woolworths in about 1936

My dad his brother and brothers in law all have a 'fancy pants' competition. The wives buy the most appalling, scanty/humongous underpants for the event and the men open the parcels and then model pants (over trousers). Judging by rest of family.
Think we do the same as many, nice brekkie, open prezzies and big lunch followed by games and a film accompanied by chocolates.
Going to read this thread though and pinch all the good ideas.

im workng over christmas.

i used to love christams, then last year my collegue at work ruined it for me.

so DS and P and the rest of my family can do what they want, i'm going to bed and back at work at night.

making sure we tidy all the toys away on christmas eve - otherwise mommy will fall over them and start to try-- not to swear the reindeer and father christmas will fall over them

dd at her dads this year tho so maybe i will start a new tradition for me and have big glass of wine and the time to nurture my morning - after head

MN asked for traditions, not reality!(grin) Anyway, here are mine from childhood:

in Victoria, Canada with English expat grandparents. Xmas eve we would walk round the neighborhood & look at everyone's Xmas lights - they were really lurid, lights every colour but I thought they were wonderful, especially in the snowy dark. Then home - bed for me & whisky & mince pies for the adults. Pillowcase at the end of my bed which would have small toys, a few sweets & tangerines to keep me quiet until adults woke up. Then mounds of pressies as I was spoilt only child. There was always the Queen's speech (no noise allowed). My mum & nana made Xmas dinner - I was barred from the kitchen, while grandad & dad watched sports on tv & I played with my toys. Then dressing for dinner, which was around 5pm. Turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed & roast pots, carrots, soggy disgusting sprouts & xmas pud with brandy butter. Dad & grandad cleared up the mess & then all of us out for another walk.

I still have some of the decorations my nana had on their tree in England during the war.

For the whole of november/december- i don't cook roast chicken...sprouts or roast parnips.... that's so the christmas dinner feels special.

when i was a child (i'm 41) food at christmas WAS special...... but now we eat all the 'christmas food' ALL YEAR ROUND

(dates, clementines, coxes apples, after eights.... etc etc....its all in the shops alost all year round. )

I even have a memory of 'Canary Island Tomatoes' at christmas time being the BEST tomatoes i have EVER eaten! (and i've grown my own many times hoping to mathch them!)