What you do on Christmas Eve? Share with McDonald’s - £300 voucher to be won

[EllieMumsnet]

Whether Christmas Eve in your household is the calm before the storm or the storm before the calm, it can be a great day to just spend some quality time with family and/or friends. Christmas Eve is celebrated in a whole host of different ways, with traditions varying from going for a long walk, to having chinese takeaway for dinner, to even guessing what the presents around the tree are. With that being said McDonalds would love to hear what you and your household gets up to on Christmas Eve.

Here’s what McDonald's has to say: "“We know it’s a hectic time of year for families, so if it’s a quick coffee when you’re out shopping or popping in on Christmas Eve for some free Reindeer Treat carrots, we are here to help you get #ReindeerReady on your way to Christmas 2018!”

Is Christmas Eve a time where you stay in your Xmas pj’s all day and watch films? Perhaps you like to go to you the pub with friends and family? What about going for a winter walk around your local park? Are you still prepping the presents and dinner for Christmas day? Do you and your family host an annual Christmas Eve party? Or maybe you have a traditional Christmas Eve breakfast, lunch and dinner that you look forward to all year round?

Whatever you and your family gets up to on Christmas Eve share it on the thread below and everyone who does will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

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If we can fit in a church service then we still love to do that on Christmas Eve. We visit both sets of grandparents and try to get the kids to bed fairly early (after tracking Santa on NORAD!). A bit of last minute wrapping then Carols from Kings on BBC2 and we’re good to go! Luckily, my parents cook Christmas Dinner so I just need to make sure the desserts are sorted.

I grew up in another country so Christmas Eve is for opening presents and eating gumbo and chocolate mousse. Stockings from Santa with the rest of the gifts come the next morning.

We bake cookies for Santa in the afternoon then in the evening we have our friends over for a take-away and let the kids play together. Then we sparkle some reindeer food on the path, get in our Christmas pyjamas and put out the cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer

Something to burn off excited energy, like trampolining or a walk outdoors if it’s nice. Then Christmas films, making up Santa’s plate and tracking him online.

We have party food as a family, and then all play board games - a nice chilled evening before the big day!

We usually sit watching films in our jammies with hot chocolate and sweets. Then we usually play a few games, walk the dogs for a bit of fresh air and then go and see family. Then food is prepared for the next day and make sure everything is in place.

We always tend to go for a stroll through the park on xmas eve through the day come back early afternoon roll sleeves up and make homemade pizza with extra cheese with homemade cakes. Have the Christmas lights twinkling feels magical get freshly bathed into pyjamas and enjoy he feast whilst the firing is roaring and the polar express is on.always red the night before Xmas book and stick milk and cookies out for Santa after that tucked into bed. Whilst I sort the rest of the gifts with chocolates open listening the Xmas songs of the music channel.

We try to go out somewhere for breakfast and collect whatever we've ordered from the butcher on the way back. Buffet party food lunch, and then out to the park with bikes and scooters, weather permitting, to exhaust the small ones. Then an hour or two of food prep while the kids watch Christmas films. Quick tea for the kids and then church. Back home, bath, stockings and bed. Then quick dinner for the grown ups, stuff stockings, other last bits of present prep, eat/drink Santa's snacks, and bed for us.

We go to the Christingle service at our local church, it is so magical when all the candles are lit and the lights low and the carols playing in the background. It is a reminder to us that Christmas is a religious fetid also and not a retail festival.

We usually go to a local circus on Christmas Eve but this year we will be heading back from Prague. Kids [email protected] to bed early the. Adults open their presents so the next day is all about them. I rarely sleep on Christmas Eve. I’m too excited

I wish i had always done this, but for the last five or six years, every Christmas eve, we take our youngest son, others too old now to be interested, to the local cinema, and watch a feelgood family film, then we go for dinner, save the cooking til the next day, its wonderful, I really look forward to it now....

All the last minute jobs, and then chill out.
I'm looking forward to starting some new traditions with my baby girl, who just turned 1 yesterday

We usually spend the morning doing last minute jobs and shopping for the final bits of veg, bread, milk etc.

By 3pm the house is tidy, the lights are all on and we final feel Christmassy.

I do a casserole or similar in the slow cooker that is ready for when we get back from a walk and carols in the village.

Then it's a film, a glass (or three) of fizz, stockings hung up, everything ready for Father Christmas and bed!

well - my kids will be up after the crack of midnight screaming about it being Christmas tomorrow. After a couple of ibuprofens and 12 cups of tea, I'll make pancakes and syrup for breakfast and then it will depend on the weather what we do. Some years we've had a nice walk in a wood area and played in the amazing playground there. And if the weathers awful we might head into town to get some lunch somewhere, possibly go to cinema. Later, I can get them into bed earlier (because christmas comes quicker if you go to bed earlier :-D).

Me and dh always get a chinese take away after they're in bed and have a lovely chilled evening putting all the santa magic into the room. I LOVE Christmas eve and the excitement!!

Nativity service at church and wearing kids out so they sleep!

It's my first Christmas eve off with my daughter so I'm super excited this year! I think we will head out for hot chocolate and the beach during the day and after a mini party tea run her a nice lush bathbomb bath with all her lol dolls thrown in.
After we have left treats for Santa and put on our new pjs I will read her the night before Christmas and treat myself to a glass of prosecco.
Feel all warm and fuzzy thinking about it

Christmas Eve everything is done other than wrap the presents once my little boy is asleep. So in the day we go for a walk with Grandma, pop and get a Christmas coffee and look at the Christmas lights. Then it's home and PJ's for us all and as my little boy just turned 1 we'll be watching Santa Claus The Movie together for the first time and I'll tuck him in reading the night before Christmas with him

Panto and Xmas buffet with nearest and dearest - bliss

Were usually working xmas eve but this year i am off on the last bit of maternity leave with our beautiful rainbow baby!! This xmas eve is pure family cuddles and just being so thankful for what we have. Not just xmas eve but every day! Xmas is going to be the best we have had in a few years!! We cant wait x

We have an early evening buffet, then watch a family movie with our 10 year old daughter. Before she gods to bed, she leaves mince pies and carrots out for the big guy and his reindeers, says goodbye to the elf (Father Christmas takes him back on the sleigh when he drops off the presents) and then we get ready for the big day

I think I actually like Christmas eve better. My dh and dc rush about buying and wrapping a present for me and mil. We usually have some fizz and nice food on the go and we go to our local church for a special community service. Its nice to catch up with the neighbours.

We always have a family supper with both the mother in law and parents then all go back ours to peel the christmas day veg whilst sining carols!

work during the day. Christmas film, stories, leave mince pie and milk for Father Christmas

Preparing the lunch and getting the house ready for hosting it

Housework, cinema, christingle, cheese board and board games.