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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We see lots of family whether it be them to us or us to them. Put lights up everywhere and play/sing Christmas music. Dh works a lot normally but for 2 days we get to just enjoy ourselves and relax. Our traditional Christmas movies go on so thats The Santa Clause Movie for me and Die Hard for dh. We both help to cook so minimising stress and time away from everyone but we prep the night before so realistically not too much to do on the day. I love it.

Christmas has always been a highlight of the year for me when all my family get together and celebrate in one place which is a rare occurrence. so to do this at Christmas is wonderful.

i try and make it as magical as i can for my children and have always had a little pixie come to stay with us over the Christmas period who watches my children and reports back to Santa. this was the same pixie doll as my mum used with me and my sisters long before elf on the shelf became widely known and i carried it on with my own.

each year we plan a visit to Santa although my youngest daughter hates the thought of going to see Santa so we have to come up with creative ways just to bump into him !

we do different activities each day in December after school or at the weekend and then our main event starts christmnas eve. stockings get hung on the end of their beds so Santa can leave some bits in them for them to open before the come downstairs to all their gifts (if they've been good haha) and then its time to open Christmas eve boxes. usually pjs and a film and some chocolate and a Christmas themed bath bomb. just before bed we sprinkle the reindeer food (bird seed) on the grass and then leave out some treats for Santa.

my daughter loves seeing if hes eaten his treats shes left and he usually writes a letter of thanks too.

there isn't much i don't love about Christmas and i hope my children love it as much as i do when its their turn as a parent.

The excitement of Christmas Eve is my favourite time. Watching the kids put their sacks out ready and putting treats out for Santa and the reindeer - I find the anticipation of the next day really endearing.

Christmas Eve we go to Woburn Deer Park and the kids look out for Rudolph and his friends. They love this tradition which we have been doing for years. We take some carrots and feed the deer always looking for the red nose of course :). Then its home to mince pies, hot chocolate and a Christmas movie.

We try and see as many family members as possible throughout December and have fun, do Christmas arts and crafts and we always put the tree up together as a family. My Partner always holds the kids to put the star on but is finding it harder each year to lift them both to stick the star on as they are both getting older and heavier

As children we used to love going to see the Christmas lights in our local city on Christmas Eve and this year I hope to do this with my own children. We make mince pies together and make sure we save one to leave out for Santa!

Christmas starts in our house by making sure all the decorations are up in time for watching the late late toy show. Its a tradition that i have grown up with and i continue that tradition on with my children. We cosy up on the sofa with hot chocolates and treats and it truly does mark the start of Christmas for our family

When people start putting decorations up outside their houses on our estate we have a hot chocolate in travel mugs, rap up in our winter gear and go for a Christmassy family walk. Sometimes the householders come out and we have a chat and we have made many friends over the years.
Now lots of people do the same and it’s so lovely x

This our first year hosting Christmas- our son is 4 and both sets of grandparents are coming. We are all excited but it also the first year without my DGM and my DAunt, so it will be bittersweet.

I am decorating the tree with some family decorations - to help everyone feel at home.

Decorating the Christmas tree and putting up our Christmas socks

I like to start our festivities at the beginning of December, we always have an advent candle which my dd's take it in turns blowing out each teatime. I arrange to attend a light switch on in the town centre, a carol service and a christmas market or craft fair at some point through december to keep the christmas spirit alive. We also go to the panto every year and bake mince pies and a gingerbread house, send christmas cards and deliver our presents in the run up to christmas. When the big day comes we have a quiet family day of opening presents, watching a movie, playing games and eating and see extended family on boxing day! All of these things keep the magic alive for the whole month!

Christmas is all about Children so we spend time filling a advent calendar for them that was use year on year.
They also to get decorate the tree but escape all the meal preparation except for making mince pies which they love.

In my 37 years, this is the first Christmas we will be spending at home. DS is 6. I want to make it as exciting for him as when he goes to visit family so looking here more ideas. So far, on my agenda I have: going to santa's grotto, ice skating, going to see the christmas lights, having friends over for christmas drinks/snacks, baking mince pies putting up the tree, watching christmas films, santa fun run. Phew, sounds a lot, but he has 10 days off school before the big day itself...

We always go to the cinema with the kids on christmas eve then back at home it's time to track santa and watch the boys receive their portable north pole message from santa.

For me its about the time with family. From food to lovely Christmas day family walks, its the one time of the year you are all together

I love surprising the kids on the 1st December with an advent box from the elves (rather than a Christmas Eve box or elf on the shelf)- it is basically all the things I would buy them for the festive period (pyjamas, jumpers, craft kits, advent calendars, story books etc) but all given together.

My favourite memories of Christmas are just of lovely long Christmas dinners at my parents house with my big, crazy family and we still all get together at my parents to this day, but now there are about 25 of us! My mum still gives everyone stockings, we drink lots of fizz, play silly games, give lots of presents and have an amazingly huge and indulgent dinner. And never make it to the cheese course!

Every Christmas we make a few new decorations. Everyone enjoys making something themselves for decorating the house. Makes it more unique 🎄🎄

No visitors, just us. Christmas eve starts with a special Santa delivery - a random ring of the door bell (just after bath time so the DCs are upstairs and can't see) and lo and behold there are boxes on the door mat with new pjamas and a small toy. To be honest, I think if that was it, they'd be happy!

Making gingerbread biscuits on Christmas Eve and always doubling the recipe thinking it wouldn't bake enough, then making about 200 biscuits!

I just love how happy the everyone is and how exited the kids are, on Xmas eve we all watch movies and have hot chocolates and put our mince pie and carrot on the mantle piece. When the kids are in bed me and my husband excitedly put the presents out and put our special bauble on the tree that is a star to remember our little baby's in heaven.

My children love seeing all the family in one day, they get very hyper and excited, and seeing their faces opening the gifts they wanted is priceless

My favourite memory of being young is snuggling on the sofa watching the night before Xmas, which is what I do with my kids now

We make Christmas magical by using the Norad Santa tracker.

I love taking him to see the reindeers and santa claus

Every year I wrap the gifts that are from santa in plain brown parcel paper and use the same stamp to decorate it. The kids remember now and know that this is the official North pole wrapping.
We also always put everyone's stockings at the foot of mum and dad's bed as my dd is unnerved by the idea of santa going into her room when she is sleeping.

Our tree is up, we start early!

For years I've been doing an activity advent calendar. Something different every day & the children love to see what it is in the morning. A mix of dull & fun things. Some of the favourites are family board game evening, picnic under the Christmas tree & going to the zoo to wish all the animals a happy Christmas!

Every year on Christmas Eve, after dinner, there's a knock on the front door and the dc all rush to open it. The elves leave a bag with Christmas pjs for all of us. We only have one (partial) believer left, ds3 (9)
but dd(24), ds1(17) and ds2(14) all still rush to open that door!