Share your tips for staying in this festive season - chance to win Lidl vouchers NOW CLOSED

[EmmaMumsnet]

We know there's still 4 months to go but if you can bear to think that far ahead, we'd love you to share your tips for getting the family together and throwing a great value festive party – in winter!

Lidl would love to know how your end of the year party plans changed once children came on the scene. Perhaps your crazy nights out for NYE went out the window the moment you became a parent (or maybe you're working to a slightly tighter budget!). Whatever the occasion, we'd love to hear about all the new winter traditions you’ve created to have fun at home with the family. Perhaps you have some genius recipes for easy, kid-friendly party food – or maybe you’ve perfected a signature non-alcoholic cocktail so the kids can join in with a New Year’s toast. And of course, we’d love to hear your top family-friendly party games – how do you and the kids like to celebrate?

Share your great value party ideas, tips and recipes below and you’ll be entered into a prize draw where you could win one of five £50 vouchers.

Thanks and good luck

MNHQ

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We get together with friends & family... it is much nicer and not expensive. We take turns in hosting and it has a real family feel, and everyone sleeps where they can if they want to stay over.

heater in the summer house for the peeps who want a bit of quiet and tea with fairycakes an enjoy the solar lights! inside there is a tent for the kids to go mad in, buffet with all kinds of stuff on it so everyone happy as they just eat whatever they want (and they love going home with a doggie bag) and the adults? well they usually end up falling asleep on the sofa after a few drinkiepoos watching the latest kids film on tv. Is it as good as NYE out? well probably not, but its more relaxed and the only thing you have to worry about is being on youtube snoring! haha

Christmas Eve I always do a large buffet family and friends call for a chat eats and some Christmas cheer!

New Year's Eve is such an expensive night if you go out, taxis cost a fortune so it's much better to have a party at home. It's so much better for those who have children as they can bring them along to enjoy the fun & games too. We usually set up an event on facebook & all list what type of food we're bringing so we don't end up with hundreds of sausage rolls & nothing else & it's fun to do themed nights. In the past we've done cocktail parties where the lads are in tuxedos & the girls are in gowns & tiaras, Hawaiian luaus, schoolies, chavs & geeks & 60s & 70s nights.

I love to do the food and get guests to bring the drinks. Cake and pudding are always made early and we have a silly session with a glass of sherry and Christmas Cds on while we make them. Which probably sounds weird in October when the cake is baked.

we invite everyone round boxing day and the requirement is everyone brings a little bit of food to add to the buffet and we provide the drinks. We ask people to find exotic things or 'different' stuff so it can be a real fun occasion. We also have the £1 present where the adults must get each other the most useless ridiculous present for a £1 last year i got a budgy beak sharpener...I have no birds/budgies. I bought my male friend a £1 bag of cotton spools. The kids love watching us all open our daft pressies.

I host little buffets, each one with each friend circle

A variety of nibbles that everyone can enjoy, festive music & films and lemonade in wine glasses to make the kids feel 'grown up' :)

When getting together with people ask them to also possibly bring a dish then it is less stress for you and plenty of yummy food dishes to go around!

Always organise sleepovers for the children in the families which they find fun especially if they are in sleeping bags. Buffet food so everyone can graze, & none alcoholic drinks in plenty as well as some more toxic for choice. Plenty of games, especially the nostalgic ones that gets every one laughing. At midnight NYE a dark haired man does the 'hot footing' ceremony too.

My son's birthday is 4 days before Christmas Day so I normally have a group of his friends over for the day, which my son loves. They get to play video games, chat etc. Christmas is normally manic in our house as we have a family get together on Boxing Day. But my favourite bit is having my children help me decorate the tree.

We have a festive get together with friends and all arrange a secret Santa for the kids and adults.We have a bit of a party tea and everyone brings food so it's fair to the host!! we mostly let the kids play and do a few simple games too.:-)

There is always a big get together at ours and I start hoarding bargains around about now. By the festive season my freezer is always full of bargains which means I have almost everything I need with very little extra to buy :)

NYE is very low key post-kids but you know what? I prefer it!

We all choose some nibbly bits, (Lidls mini stollen would be definitely in there!!) the kids get the Shloer -style drink, we get a nice bottle of wine - and we play board games, and watch the inevitable 100 best whatever countdowns that are usually on.

Then wake the kids up as they usually give in about 11.50pm, for the bells, and pack them off to bed :)

I don't miss going out at all.

Make sure that there are more soft drinks around so you can drink less alcohol

Each of us provide part of the meal so that one person isn't overwhelmed.

Best tips is good finger food for the buffet, pop for kids and lots of board games for the children and adults to play and have fun with, good old family fun all round. Maybe later when the kids are in bed a little tipple for the adults! Perfect!

Have friends round to watch the X Factor at the weekends as thats always on around Christmas time, or do come dine with me nights they are really good fun with friends. Staying in is the new going out for me i love it :) xx

We stay in all year round so not much changes, new year is just another night. We usually have nibbles in the house for any guests but no parties as house is full as it is!

We always play our old board games. We ask the children to draw/paint a picture and we have a competition to guess who did which one. Best of all we have a huge sing song around the piano.

Plenty of good food and wine

We have Christmas Eve at home. We share Christmas Day with my eldest daughter and family and my younger daughter comes over to open presents on Christmas Day morning. Boxing Day we go to my younger daughter's and play games with the children.

Get people to bring a dish each and whatever they are drinking! :)

Entertain at home, it's so much cheaper and easier at times, and you don't need a babysitter! Ask people to bring something each so you're not spending a fortune!

Doing a xmas eve box. Brand new pjs and a book