Find out what users favourite family moments are in the home with IKEA

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From snuggling on the sofa and watching a film, to reading your child a book before they go to bed, the home captures hundreds of small moments in day-to-day life that often bring a lot of joy. With the Christmas season coming up, it’s these kinds of moments that play an important part in the festivities, whether it be making mince pies in the kitchen, or ceremoniously putting the star on top of the tree. With this in mind, IKEA want to hear your favourite family moments in the home, and what makes them special.

Here’s what IKEA have to say:
“Incorporating playful elements into any room creates an inviting space for a whole host of indoor activities. Whether you’re a kid – or a kid at heart – it’s easy to turn your living room into a place for lighthearted fun! Whatever space you have to play with, planning a space where children are free to express themselves boosts their confidence.
Read your favourite book on the sofa, while the rest of the group turns dining room chairs into a game of musical chairs. Or, turn display cushions into an impromptu pillow fight. Simply add matching seating for kids and adults, then the little ones get to imitate grown-ups. Role play is great for developing their social skills. Who wouldn’t feel twenty years older sitting enjoying a cup of tea in a POÄNG chair?”

What are or have been some of your favourite family moments in the home? How have these changed as your children have grown older? Which rooms in your house remind you of the fond memories you’ve created in them? With the winter months closing in, which Christmas traditions in the home do you do as a family - and which are you most looking forward to? Perhaps you have a favourite festive film you watch every year without fail?

However big or small, share your favourite family moments in the home with IKEA on the thread below, and you will be entered into a prize draw where 1 MNer will win a £300 IKEA voucher.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

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I love it when my litle boy utters those 5 little words.. 'can you play with me?' - it's either 6am & I'm prising my eyelids apart to face the day & he wants a tug of war with my dressing gown cord.. or it's just before bed & I am falling asleep on the sofa & he wants to play wrestling.. but whatever it is, & whatever time it us & however tired I feel - I know there will be a time where he won't be seeking out this 1:1 time with me - so I try to make the most of every minute.. even when we are playing leapfrog at 06.25 & I get a knee in the back of the head!!

Sitting down to Christmas dinner, on my own...

My maternal and paternal family memories are not like the above, due to sexual abuse. I have new memories, created with my husband and my children. I remember hearing a strange noise, and opened the living room door, to see (very briefly) 3 children sat on a sleeping bag, whizzing past me, down the stairs. The youngest, only 2, had her hair whipping about behind her. Her two older brothers were in charge. I LOVED it! She was running with the pack! I had to tell them off! It was 2 days before Christmas. I couldn't risk broken arms. Mine.Trying to save them.

Again, not quite a normal Christmas. The Bloke and I had bought a very sad house. Ripped it to the ground, almost. Repaired it, and, for once, I was actually at home, with the Herberts (AKA The Children) We'd already been out puddle jumping. Well, I'd been puddle jumping and taken the Herberts with me. They could join in or not. LO! and Behold! Chestnuts! That's Christmassy! So I bought 3 bags. 1 each. We got home, and I already knew that due to my previous life, I had no idea or knowledge about chestnuts. Daunted was and still is, not in my vocabulary. I dug out my cast iron saucepans (trying to be authentic) and whacked the chestnuts inside. Covered it with a cast iron lid, and stuck it in the open fire. The next thing, the chestnuts exploded and sent the cast iron lid of the saucepan flying past my head. It was so close, it left a singe mark in my hair. Almost, embedded in my stupid forehead.

Bought our newborn daughter home on Sunday, and finally introduced her to our dog. He's amazing with her, and now our favourite family moment is sitting on the sofa in front of the fire with our daughter and our pup. Absolute dream come true, here's to keeping cosy family traditions for many years to come!

Favourite times have always been reading to my 2 boys. Usually at bed time but not exclusively. From the simple books for the very young, to children's novels. I love reading the books and they always love listening. Even if they can read themselves. I have always loved reading out loud, so it is a perfect setting.

Ever since my boys were babies I have read them the same copy of 'twas the night before Christmas, it's the usborn one with sound effects. We get into Christmas pj's and all sit on my bed on Christmas Eve.

They still really look forward to it every year at 11&8, they have added a snack tray to the tradition and we usually chat for an hour or so after before they go to bed. It's one of my favourite times of the year.

I really love that as our children are growing up we’ve started to form our own traditions rather than follow those of each of our own families. My favourites are

• decorating the tree while drinking hot chocolate and dancing to Christmas songs
• wrapping presents while watching Elf, in the living room when the children are asleep
• Watching Home Alone with the children (we have a lovely Ikea sofa that pulls out into a double bed sized thing which we have never used as a bed but is prefect for a family film night with duvets and extra pillows)
• Opening stockings in our bed
• Hosting both sides of the family on Boxing Day which is my DDs birthday! It makes her feel so special.

Baking in the kitchen with my son making a mess everywhere!

We love Friday nights, we have a quick easy tea get in our PJs and play lots of family games!

No moments in our little family yet as this year will be dd's first Xmas, but I can't wait to recreate the making of goodies for Santa's tray, putting it under the chimney and singing songs to Santa. It may need to slightly be adapted tho, as we have no chimney!

We had 5 years without a sofa because we couldn't afford to replace one which the children had gnawed holes in when they were tiny. Now we have just got a new one - nothing fancy - but we all had a go sitting on it when it arrived and it was such a nice moment!

I love eating meals I've made with my 11 year son, after watching Masterchef he has become a mini food critic & the laughter and conversations.

At the moment, we enjoy the fact that our living room has been transformed into a theatre/concert hall, as our 4 year old son loves "putting on a show" , using the living room curtains as his backdrop and acting, singing, even trying his hand at a bit of magic. It's more entertaining than watching TV, and it gives us a chance to do some comfy sitting down parenting while he performs.

Putting some tunes on and having a kitchen disco with DH and DD!

Any time spent with my amazing boys, especially when they're not arguing, is my favourite family moment.

I remember a wonderful, though bittersweet moment. My young foster children had some really bad news. My 8 and 12 yr old DSs set up a den in front the sofa, with blankets/beanbags/cushions and chose a lovely feelgood film. They sat snuggled up with the younger ones for the whole film, and organised snacks and drinks for them, so they could have a bit of TLC and relaxation while they dealt with the news.

I was so proud of mine, responding to proactively to the needs of the little ones.

Ten Favourite Moments in no partic order ... ...
10. Reading favourite books together.

1. Following a dog walk on a cold day, snuggling up on the sofa with a duvet and watching a Harry Potter.
2. Making a den with sheets between the sofas and keeping watch for pirates.
3. Sheet on the floor and indoor picnic
4. Each child having chosen a special new bauble, finding the special place to hang it on the Christmas tree.
5. Waterslide games in the backgarden
6. Games of hide and seek.
7. Making jellies as big as possible.
8. Easter egg treasure hunts.
9. Friends and family round for tea and celebrations.

Eating together around the kitchen table then clearing the decks for a good old-fashioned board game.

We’ve just started having pizza movie nights at the weekend, and the kids (8&3) love it. They get all ready for bed early, then we turn the lights off and snuggle under a blanket to watch a film, with a big pizza to share. Bliss!

My favourite family time at home is putting the Christmas decorations up - like we did tonight! I love having Christmas music on, decorating the tree together and pulling out the lovely things my son has made every year. We always have got chocolate with the works when we’re done.

On a more routine level, I love rainy Sunday afternoons playing board games.

I love the lazy Sunday afternoons where we all pile on the sofa under blankets and watch movies together. My son insists on sitting in between me and my partner so he can share the snuggles.

A few months ago we decorated my sons bedroom and got him a midsleeper and I love climbing into the den underneath whilst he shows me his toys or we look at books. We are hidden from the world and it's all just about him and me.

Both my children are really enjoying baking at the moment - we are upping our game from fairy cakes to big tiered cakes and may even attempt some mince pies this Christmas. My son’s comment that his birthday cake was the best he’d ever had because I’d made it (for the first time) made my year!

I love it when it's cold outside and we're all cosy, snuggled up, the xmas lights are on, hot chocolates in our hands and watching xmas classics!

Definitely having a snuggly Christmas movie night.