What pre-Christmas traditions do you and your family have to get yourselves in the mood for Christmas? Tell Cadbury and you could win a £200 Love2Shop voucher NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

In honour of Cadbury launching their biggest ever advent calendar, Cadbury would like to know what gets you and your family into the Christmas spirit in the countdown to Christmas.

Here's what they say "This year we’re launching Cadbury’s biggest ever advent calendar and setting out to bring even more joy to the countdown this Christmas. 24 trucks, 24 doors, opening daily in 24 different locations, we’reringing joyful festive surprises to the nation on the countdown to Christmas. While we’re counting down, we’re also keen to hear from Mumsnetters about what you and your families do in the countdown before Christmas"

Find out about the Cadbury advent calendar by watching the video below:

So, what traditions do you and your family have to get that Christmas feeling? Do you spend an evening putting up a Christmas tree? Maybe decorating Christmas cookies is your favourite family activity? Or perhaps you all gather around the TV to watch a particular Christmas movie?

Whatever your pre-Christmas traditions are, Cadbury would love to know.

Everyone who posts a comment will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky MNer will win a £200 Love2Shop voucher.

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

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Ever since the kids were young, we have let them open a present on Xmas eve - this was for our benefit to keep them entertained as they were so excited about the following day. We used to carefully select what we gave them- something which required time like lego or a game. Now they are teenagers and still do only we let them choose :)

We have the Christmas Tree Fairies, my Mum and Dad started it with me and we carry it on! When the children are asleep husband and I decorate the house and pretend it was the Christmas Tree Fairies, they always leave the tree up but never decorated, instead they leave a message on the box of baubles saying they left it for the children as they know how much they like doing it

go to woods to get our tree

We have the usual traditions - mince pie and carrot for Santa. Midnight Mass. One present on Christmas Eve. I have enjoyed over the years incorporating new traditions such as looking at when the International Space Station goes overhead and telling the kids it is Santa and personalised videos online from Santa.

we always go to see a pantomime and a Christmas event in the muesums

Making the cake, making a new decoration for the tree each year, then putting the tree itself up the weekend after DD1's December birthday. Once her birthday decorations come down, it's Christmas all the way - music, scented candles, festive stories and copious hot chocolate with marshmallows. A week before the big day, we then take a walk around our village to see everyone's decorations, as there's a truly spectacular house 5 minutes away raising money for the local children's hospital.

we always go to the lights switch on, Xmas eve is movie day in pyjamas with hot choc and sweets. I also let the LO open a present before bed. we stick stockings up Xmas eve ready and sprinkle reindeer food on the grass outside. the porch light is always left on and LO checks. we are considering elf on the shelf as new tradition but not sure!

We start the Xmas proceedings by attending Santa's arrival and watching the accompanying parade. We then visit Santa's grotto after writing a letter and posting it to him. We attend the local theatre to watch whatever pantomime is on. On Xmas Eve a box of goodies arrives on the doorstep complete with pyjamas for all and two new Xmas books.

The Christmas Carol service at our local church kicks off Christmas for us

Sounds a bit silly but we all go out together with the sole intention of buying a calendar for the following year. It's something which is going to be on your wall as a focal point for 12 months - you'd better love it!

We always have a good old clear out and de-clutter at the start of December.

I cook two Christmas cakes, a dark one and a light one. The dark one has dark fruits, dark cherries and walnuts and is made is black treacle, lots of spice and dark sugar. The light one is made with yellow and green saltanas, bright red cherries and blanched almonds, peel, white sugar and golden syrup and has vanilla in it. I cut them in half and splice them together (putting the other halves in the freezer) and marzipan and ice it. It is to indicate that we have survived another year, had good and bad and dark and light moments. When you cut into it, you have no idea which you will get. It's symbolic of us celebrating another year of family life. I inherited this tradition from my Godmother and I love making my two Christmas cakes and raising a glass to her.

I am start in one this year! Cheap Xmas jumpers for all! So we can ALL look silly and Christmassy this year

A trip into the local village to see their Christmas lights with a chippie dinner after is my favourite tradition!

We always go to the panto on Christmas Eve. It really gets us in the festive spirit!

We always take part in National Christmas Jumper Day too!

Ours are pretty standard - new pjs, Christmas film snuggled under a blanket with hot chocolate. We also go to my parent for a night of board games :)

When the DCs were younger it was going to choose a tree (only a week or so before Christmas) and decorating it together while playing carols and drinking mulled wine (me) Burning the advent candle every night .Reading 'Twas the night before Christmas' on Christmas Eve after the Christingle service and beef stew with baked potatoes .Now they have grown and flown it is all about just being together-which this year means taking Christmas to the city where DD2 lives as she is working Christmas Eve night ,Christmas night and Boxing night

We put up the tree and the kids help by taking all of the decorations off! We wait until the kids go to bed and get a box of chocolates to fuel us whilst we wrap the presents. We love doing stockings and filling them with nice little things

New Pj's, film and hot choc (with baileys for the grown uos) here too, we have taken this tradition with us wherever we are, US, Serbia! I buy the PJ's in the sales the year before.

We do Christmas biscuit baking then go to a pantomime & a visit to santa usually 2 weeks before the big day. The day before panto day the tree goes up those 2 days are definitely the start of the season for us [santa]

Every year my family go shopping to each choose a special Christmas tree decoration, we then go for a hot chocolate before we take the decorations home and put the tree up. Our new decorations always go on first, before all the previous 17years worth of decs go on the tree.

we wait til 12 days before christmas to put our tree up then make mince pies and cookies

We have a Robin that is one I made when I was 8 - it always goes on the tree and only has one eye and one wing but I'. 40 now so it's lasted bless :)

New pjs Christmas Eve for adults and children alike. Since our wedding 5years ago we've been going back to our wedding day church for Christmas carols. Its not our usual parish but a family member is the priest so it combines a visit to him and lovely memories of the day in a magical Christmassy setting.
Always have Cadburys hot chocolate with croissants for breakfast Christmas day. Hot milk with dairy milk chunks melted into it. Mmmm.
My Mum has a massive home made advent calendar which she made when we were little, it has 25 hand sewn pockets which she fills with treats herself. She still fills it now for the grandchildren, 25 is big enough for full sized bars! Mine was always a Cadburys caramel.

We bake gingerbread and have a selection of Christmas shape cookie cutters. DD loves decorating them (and eating the icing when she thinks I'm not looking....)