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

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

I love going to the pantomime on Christmas Eve with the family and baking with the kids and watching a Christmas film before bed, I love their excitement!

We always like to cook the Christmas dinner together as a family and it's something we all like to do.

I always hang up clean socks on the mantlepiece. Everyone knows their own socks. Every Chistmas eve I fill them with small fruit & nuts in their shells for all to enjoy. My granny did this, so did my mum & I have carried it and my older children do the same for their children. It is just a healthy treat for all in my home.

I think that putting up the tree and decorations is a special moment. As we don't tend to put ours up until the 15th or so. Its only when you see the decorations up that you realise that Christmas is just around the corner.
This was something that i felt was special from my childhood, and have tried to instill that idea in our children.

We walk around street to enjoy Christmas light decorations. Our favourite is just white; simple yet magical. Usual stuff like mince pies, stollen make us feel Christmas.

We always write a letter to Father Christmas and put treats out for him and Rudolph on Christmas Eve. However our favourite time is when we put up the Christmas tree and decorate it. ........and then we slob out and watch a Christmas film.

I always enjoyed going to Midnight Mass, it meant I could stay up really late.

We go for a walk around our local streets on Xmas Eve admiring all our neighbours xmas lights. As the children get older in will be fun to continue this but we able to venture further afield and tie it in with other activities.

I love taking them to see santa, but the eldest is starting to see through the fake beards. They are also loving sending him letters, it's really sweet seeing the randomness of their letters

we love the tradition of preparing something for father christmas and his reindeer to eat and drink and carefully laying these out before hanging up the stockings. Its a simple but important ritual and a private family moment after the hustle and bustle of a christmas eve buffet and the chaos of christmas day. Second to this- we love getting out the decorations and seeing their faces light up and stare at some of the musical models in wonder

To start with my daughter(9)and her daddy put the tree up together then they decorate the ceiling, then they do the same in her bedroom. We love making Xmas cookies together. On Xmas day we go to my sisters and spend the day as a family with my nephews, great nephews and wives. We eat then family tradition we go for a lovely family walk with the dogs and then chill watching the Queens speech and then movies before tea unless we are full from Xmas Dinner xxx

Dressing the tree together but leaving out goodies for Father Christmas and his reindeer and then seeing their faces looking at the crumbs the next morning is priceless!

This year we will be giving my daughter a christmas eve box and picking a christmas eve movie to enjoy.

I'm a big kid at heart and so still love the magic of christmas like elf doors and reindeer food, even though my children are older! I love to make Christmas feel warm and inviting for my family.

On December 1st every year, we put all the decorations up and then watch The Polar Express with a mince pie and a glass of sherry

We have pancakes for Christmas breakfast. :D

My children love the Christmas spirit, my youngest is 4 so they’re both at a great age now. They love sprinkling reindeer food on the front garden, leaving a mince pie for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph. We have hot chocolate before bed and get into our Christmas pyjamas, making sure to leave stockings at the end of the bed for Santa

polar express DVD - we've got the bell too!

The 1st week of December is all about dd’s birthday, when she was tiny I used to tell her everyone’s festive lights were being put up to celebrate her birthday, she loved that!
Now we snuggle under a throw & watch movies. We always dress our tree together the weekend after her birthday

Just being together is enough. We always eschew the traditional Christmas meals. It's not so much "When do we order the turkey?" as "What unusual meal shall we spend our money on this year?" It's the chance to cook something special, something different, but mainly as a family.

We start off by making our own Advent Calendars (something my brother and I used to love doing as kids), then we bake Xmas goodies for dipping into throughout the month. On Xmas day we have bucks fizz and a cooked breakfast, open our presents and then just chill for the rest of the day (especially after lunch), then in the evening it is always cold meats, salad, bubble and squeak and various bits and pieces, such as cheeses, breads, pates...so yum!

We spend lots of time with family, attend services and do a lot of good deeds for charity.

I used to get our son to put out some oats on the grass on christmas eve for rudolph and carrots and mince pies for santa. When he went to bed I would paint a red nose mark on the window and some hoof marks on the kitchen floor (and told him that rudolph must have looked through the window and then used the magic key to get in through the door).

Christmas has always been special as its a time when we all make time for each other, and there is no expectations from anyone apart from having a loving and relaxing time! For us its all about having some luxury food, good films to watch with nibbles, lots of visitors and visiting and everyone being happy!

My little girls can't wait to start opening the doors in their calender and love all the decorations.

We have a "caga tio" - you hit him with a stick, If you've been good, he poops sweets and presents. If you've been bad, he poops herrings.