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

[AbbiCMumsnet]

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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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We sit down at some point during the afternoon on New Year's Eve every year and look back at the photos we've taken over the year. We talk about our favourite days, our times on holiday, our times spent with family and friends and the sad times if we've lost someone/a beloved pet along the way. It's been lovely to see DD reflect and see what she's especially enjoyed and it makes me so grateful for this little family unit of mine.

Another favourite memory is of us dancing around the kitchen on a Saturday (and sometimes Sunday!) morning with the radio on, making pancakes and my DP dancing with my teeny tiny DD who was just a few months old. We all loved it but it was one of those pinch me moments where I didn't care about the exhaustion, the mess or the finances, it was us three in our beautiful little home making the most special memories

We aways put out Christmas Onsies on, get a tub of celebrations and hero's and put on the Christmas Channel on the TV and watch back to back movies, we get the beanbags out from the playroom and get comfy warm and just eat !

I love silly hour in my house when the kids come in from school and my dh and me chase the kids around running up and down the stairs everyone laughing their heads off I swear it helps them sleep too!
But Christmas for us is all about family and getting the most out of the festive period, we do the tree all together and my dh always lifts up the kids to put the star on the top he's done that since they was babies so not sure if we'll be carrying that on when there to big to be held .
We also bake stuff, and watch Christmas movies and have lots of snuggle days I love fairy lights so from the 1st December I don't use my front room big light it's just all cosily lit with different fairy lights. I cannot wait till Christmas this year

We love baking together in the kitchen, we make something every week, whether it's brownies, cupcakes, pizza or even a big family cottage pie that the kids help peel the veggies for. It really is the heart of our family home and full of memories and happy times together.

It has to be bringing new babies home for the first time from hospital, those memories are etched into the brain and are there to stay. Mine usually consist of sitting on the sofa, with this new bundle of joy and crying with happiness and being very emotional; that I never wanted this special moment in time to end.

My favourite moments are impromptu play times. After watching kung-fu panda 3 with my nephew, and all he wanted to do was roll down the hill like a panda. So, we changed the whole lounge into a pillow fort, took a mattress from the bedroom to make the hill rolling off the couch, and spent (what felt like) hours rolling around and pretending to be pandas.

I made a very large Santa Claus, and every year my girls loved to help make our very own grotto under the stairs, with Santa sitting on his chair, surrounded by tinsel and decorations. We'd place old toys beside him, for Santa to take and give to other children who might like them. My girls would often sit with him, telling him about their day and thank him for giving their old toys away. It was so magical, and memories that I will treasure forever! And now my one of my daughters does the same for her little girl.

Christmas morning when the kids open their presents is always wonderful

Christmas Eve always springs to mind. Curtains shut, door locked and presents being placed round the tree. Then putting out mince pies, carrots & milk for Santa & the reindeer. Special times.

We love to bake on Christmas eve (and it takes their mind of the excitement of the next day) we make cornflake buns, cupcakes which we decorate, and we make a start on the trifle. We usually eat the cornflake buns with a glass of milk (leaving the same for Father Christmas). We love to watch the Grinch on Christmas Eve, and last year we got out the brio and laid a track all around the living room, hallway and dining room and sent sweets around the home to one another - we expect to get the Chocolate Express out this year too.

Love Sundays at home, doing lots of cooking, playing a board game, doing any homework, reading, playing in the garden. I'm a total homebody and having one day at the weekend where I don't leave the house helps me calm down and recharge for the week, even though the day will often be busier than if we went out.

Love the wild wet weekends this autumn as we're enjoying lots of time at home .

My favourite family moment has got to be when the alarms go off in the morning when we’re in bed, and my two boys get out of bed and walk down the corridor to our room, hop in and join us for a big family cuddle! I love it so much I don’t mind even if it’s before the alarms, well as long as not too far before

My family is small - just me and 14 year old DS. He spends almost all his time in 'The Gaming Room' (spare bedroom) but emerges when hunger drives him from his lair. These everyday moments, when we're together in the kitchen, laughing, talking, eating are wonderful. These are the times I still get my hugs.

When everyone is asleep

Our favourite time of the day is supper time. We eat together and catch up on the day. It is an amazing time time of the day

My middle DC has come up with this idea of a 'Christmas Concert' on Christmas Eve. We gather in the living room by the tree, and he announces (with much pomp!) every piece - eldest DC will play something on his violin, middle DC on the guitar, youngest sings a song - and we often end up singing one together at the end. Then we read the Christmas story together, put the stockings out, and get the treats ready for Father Christmas/reindeer.
I know it doesn't sound like much but it really gets everyone in the mood! Just thinking about it makes me look forward to Christmas

My front room holds the best memories for me, movie nights with popcorn in front of the fire, board games on a games night or everyone round for dinner for birthdays and christmas. As a family at christmas we make decorations, gingerbread houses and decorate our tree with memories from both my childhood, decorations my children and family have made and images remembering family of previous visits to father christmas. I always look forward to everything about christmas with my family.

Watching Christmas films & sharing special snacks.

One of traditions at home that we all do together is watching Jack Frost on Christmas eve then sorting out Santa snacks.

Baking/craft afternoons and a Sunday roast

Playing board games together over the Christmas holidays, especially Mouse Trap

My favourite moments are in the lounge room, snuggled up watching movies with snacks and generally having a good time together

our favourite things to do as a family are watching tv together and making delicious dinners and cakes to enjoy whilst snuggled up to the sofa during the cold weather

Love christmas eve at home. Christmas eve boxes, hot chocolates, Christmas films and noard games

Opening our Christmas presents together.