Read how Mumsnet users make their Christmas magical

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From picking out the perfect Christmas tree and hanging mistletoe above the door, to tracking Santa on NORAD, the Christmas period is full of magical moments for both parents and children alike. Whether you have certain traditions you do every year, or you want to try out something new this time around, IKEA want to hear the ways you make Christmas magical.

Here’s what IKEA have to say: “This season is about gathering your loved ones, being cosy and enjoying time together. Everyone has their own way of celebrating. Whether you put up a tree or simply light a candle, it’s easy to create a home that is designed for magical moments.
We love offering solutions to make it easier and more fun to interact at home, whether sharing a meal, playing games, or just having a chat. When guests are visiting there’s nothing like lighting candles to get the festive mood just right. Try some Christmas scented candles (out of reach from little ones), with the winter spices ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg, to help you create a welcoming feeling of warmth and cosiness.”

Which Christmas moments do your children love the most? Do you write letters to and leave treats out for Father Christmas and the reindeer? How do you keep the magic alive as your children get older? Which magical Christmas moments were your favourite when you were a child, and have you tried to recreate them with your own children?

Share how you make Christmas magical on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where 1x MNer will win a £300 IKEA e-gift card.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

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Watching miracle on 34th street, cuddled on sofa with hot choclolates, before midnight mass, with carols beforehand - always means we get a lie in on xmas morning

We love all the decorations, lights and candles for that Christmassy feel. The Muppets Christmas Carol is a must watch. We get a new tree decoration every year.

On the 1st December our elf delivers our Christmas tree, we put our tree up we then go to our local Xmas market.
Throughout December our elf gets up to mischief.
We bake cookies, watch Xmas movies very weekend.
On Xmas eve we bake Santa fresh cookies, put our new pjs on, get a take away and watch a Xmas movie. We then go to be ready for Santa to deliver our presents

Our Elf sparks excitement then numerous events leading up to the night day maintain the chaos. Family is priority during the season so lots of quality time is a must.

My kids are all way past the age of believing in Father Christmas now, but we still like to keep up our traditions on Christmas Eve - reading "The Night Before Christmas" together, before putting out a mince pie and glass of wine on the hearth, and some carrot and milk for the reindeer!

We put our tree up o December the first and make it a family thing. We have new pyjamas Christmas Eve. We open presents from Father Christmas before breakfast then open family and friends presents after breakfast

We are the annoying people that do everything - elf on the shelf, Christmas Eve boxes, advent calendars, visits to Santa, letters to Santa and making our own Christmas decorations, hot chocolate and Christmas movies. We just love it it’s not for show as we don’t put pictures on social media and we definitely don’t spend ££££ on gifts.
Oh and we also have matching Christmas jumpers

We didn't have very many traditions growing up but we are starting to make some now that my son is 7.

We have new pjs on christmas eve with a festive film before bed.

Visiting Santas grotto.

We've written a letter to Santa and are going on a Christmas light walk and en Elf Brick School too as well breakfast with Santa. I'm also going to attempt elf on the shelf this year too, anything to bring more magic.

We do 2 advent calanders each year. one is a giant one i made and every box has some family activity or craft in it like baking christmas cookies or making new decorations. The other is 24 christmas books (same ones every year but they get packed away with the decorations so that kids are escited to see them again, we get a book every day and cuddle up on the sofa with hot chocolate and I read it to them. I especially love our christmas eve book twas the night before christmas, just something really magically about it. The kids love it and it makes sure that we spend quality time together in the run up to christmas when i'm normally stressed and got a to do list as long as my arm.
When I was a kid we used to always have the stockings in our bedroom and we'd run through to our parents room to open them on their bed. It's one of my favourite memories about christmas. I do it with my own children now and love it as it gives me time to wake up properly and enjoy a bit time with my kids before the carnage of the presents under the tree start (probably the same reason my parents done it lol)

Choosing the Christmas tree and decorating it. Spending the afternoon at a local theatre to see a Christmas panto which my daughters absolutely love; the traditional mince pie and carrot left out on Christmas Eve; a game of scrabble with my mum; just trying to relax with the family.

"elves" always decorate overnight on the last day of December so it's all nice with their when DSs get up with their advent calendars set out
Christmas Eve floor picnic with a Christmas film too

Our local foodbank requests specific hampers, and I've cut down buying presents for people to fund those instead. Putting the hampers together feels very Christmassy indeed.

All the Christmas baking!

We start The season by buying a new decoration each year for our home (we don’t have that many yet) which I love as a tradition. My favourite thing is when we put all the presents in stockings and under the tree, it always feels magical!

All the Christmas Crafts is how we really go for the Christmas feeling.
Hama bead decorations blutacked to the door, paper chains and cutout snowflakes with tons of glitter, loo-roll-middle-snowmen....
It may be simple but it really brings our Christmas Spirit out, as we make them together and that’s the nicest bit!

DD is approaching 2 so this is the first Christmas that 'matters' from that perspective. I'm planning lots of decorations, going to carol services, etc. rather than presents - it's more the atmosphere than the receiving of gifts that's exciting anyway!

Every year on the first of December we put up the tree and decorate after cleaning the hourlse the day before. Then on Christmas Eve we have new bedding, new pjs and a movie and a story with treats

We keep it simple - just the 4 of us Xmas morning (me, DH and 2 X DS). Sneaking down the stairs to see if "he's been", then pain au chocolat and croissants for breakfast while we open presents.

After Xmas dinner we all go out for a walk to blow off the cobwebs, then a massive buffet for tea.

I love Christmas!!!!

We start Christmas off on the 1st December with the arrival of Elvis our elf, who then gets up to mischief every day as we count down to Christmas with the homemade advent calendar I sewed (taking 5yrs so it definitely comes out every year!)
Christmas Eve the elves deliver their box containing PJs, Arthur Christmas, popcorn and hot chocolate so we all settle down to watch that with party nibbles before plating up a little something for Father Christmas and turning in for the night.
Christmas day is the usual present opening, Grandparents coming over, eating far too much, a good stroll after dinner then a chill out with some games and a cheesy Christmas movie.

We finally round Christmas off on the 6th January with a trip to the Panto, just so DH has something to look forward to after the New Year!

We love Christmas in our house, we still have a little one who believes and Xmas eve is our fav time! It is so magical, and we always go for a walk to look at the lights and try and spot Santa’s sleigh before coming home to prepare for his arrival!

We nearly always have Christmas as just the four of us. As long as no ones ill, I love it that way! We visit family Boxing Day onwards.

For us Christmas starts on Christmas Eve (obviously not counting my internal stress and panic buying in the run up) - the DC get new pyjamas, hang their stockings on their doorknobs and I read The Night Before Christmas before bed.

We have lots of traditions that help us make Christmas magical. We put the tree up on 17th December after all the birthdays in the family are over so that nobody feels like their birthday is hijacked by Christmas. We listen to Christmas songs while decorating and then snuggle up to watch a Christmas film (usually It's A Wonderful Life). We are all back home on Christmas Eve by 7pm and open new Christmas pyjamas which we wear while we watch a Christmas film (usually Elf!). On Christmas Day, the whole family comes round for a big fry up and then we go to the pub for a drink while the turkey is in. We then return for Christmas dinner- where we do Secret Santa. After dinner, we play games, have a drink, and watch Christmas telly. This makes it special for us!

I am really enjoying Christmas now that I have my own child who at three is only this year understanding who Santa is. There is a lot more excitement about Christmas that I haven't had for many years. It definitely feels a lot more magical and I can't wait to decorate the tree with my toddler and my husband on 1st December. We are able to begin new traditions in our family which feels amazingly liberating. One of the traditions I'd like to introduce this year on Christmas Eve is reading a new Christmas book at bedtime.

Decorating the house makes everything feel special.
I love the smells of Christmas so even if we have a fake tree I have smelly candles or plug in air freshers & we bake a lot. ( Christmas cookies/mince pies)
We will watch a Xmas film, snuggled up with our Xmas throws & from 1st Dec we try to read as many Xmas books as possible.