What are your Christmas traditions?

[wickesy]

With 7 days to go until the big day I was wondering if any of you have some unusual Christmas traditions.

For us Christmas starts on Christmas Eve when we always have shepherd's pie for tea. I'm not sure when or why it started but for some reason that became our normal evening meal for Christmas Eve and it became a running joke that when we had it at any other time during the year "tomorrow must be Christmas Day." :laughing:

Then on Christmas Day once we were all up we would have a glass of Bucks Fizz and a piece of shortbread each and then I would 'be Father Christmas' and dish out all the presents from under the tree to Mum, Dad and myself. We still do that although it's just Dad and myself to give out to now.

So are there any 'non-traditional' traditions that you have?

[wils]

We always have a 'family present' which we open on Boxing Day (or on the first day home when we are away for Christmas) It's a DVD or a board game - something we can all do together - this year its a game for the Wii.

When DS is a bit of older I'd like to start the tradition of going to the cinema on Christmas Eve (I think someone on here does that)

Oh and of course there's the tradition of finding at least one extra present which was meant for one of the kids in the loft about Easter time!

[PoppyAnna]

Great thread David I love hearing about this stuff:thumbsup2 especially up and down the country - facinating!

Christmas Eve is a light meal, so no shepherds pie for us;)

We have only shortbread for breakfast on christmas day too - must be peticoat tails, I wonder if it's a south London thing;)

Our presents are always distributed from under the tree, never the end of the bed (DH's tradition).

Shhhh but I now do what my parents did for me and it is........stand DH's size nine's at the front door facing in and sprinkle talcum powder around them to make it look like Santa's footprints :santa:

The Christmas holiday usually involves a walk down the Thames (southbank) and Dulwich Park and village (including a drink in the greyhound) - so more south London stuff again, then:thumbsup2

We also have to phone our close friends in France, a challenge for us to get to them before they call us - daft!

That's all I can think of, I look forward to hearing everybody elses.

[DisneyJo]

We don't really have any traditions as this will be our first year ever staying at home and we've been married 13 years!!!! DH has had enough of going from Kent to Norfolk then Suffolk he's put his foot down this year :rotfl:

Can't wait to start some though :goodvibes

[natalielongstaff]

xmas eve we always have a chinese (im a lazy devil :rotfl2: ) and then we always put out a mince pie and sherry for santa and a carrot and water for rudolph

we also watch NORAD to tack santa before getting the kids to bed !

the kids get stockings at the end of their beds and the rest of the presents Are left on the sofas in the lounge (my mum used to do that !)

xmas lunch is here with all the grandparents and boxing day is a buffet at my inlaws :)

[scottish mum]

On xmas eve I always have new pyjamas for the kids to wear so that they look nice for santa coming and then we read "my xmas adventure" which is a personalised book about the kids helping santa :santa: :santa:
No real traditions on xmas day except that every year the kids get far too much:rotfl2: :rotfl2: .
My mum and dad always come for dinner and we leave all their presents until afterwards.

Oh I forgot I always hang my stocking up at my mums even though I left home 12 years ago.

[tennisfan]

We always have a chinese on Christmas eve. Have presents in the morning on Christmas day & in the evening we always had a little present each that was under the tree.

[thelittlemermaid83]

We dont really have any traditions.

I know this year we will be leaving out the talcum powder foot prints for Kyra.

This year shes really into Christmas.

[Graeme]

Unfortunately it's my birthday on Christmas Eve so my Christmas traditions tend to be getting too drunk and then having a hangover all Christmas day. 40 this year though so I think it's about time I forgot this one!

[irongirlof12]

we always have a take away pizza on xmas eve as I work all day! I also set the table and do the table decorations etc ready for the big event. DH and I also open a present each when the kids have gone to bed :thumbsup2

[Joanne UK]

Christmas Eve we always go to a Christingle service at 4pm. Every year DH has to go back because he's forgotten something or says he'll catch us up. WHen we return Santa's Elves have been and left out a new pair of pyjamas for both DD's.

Eldest DD(8) said to me a couple of days ago. "I wonder what pyjamas the elves will leave for me this year while we're at Church". She hasn't yet made the connection between the PJ's being left and DH having to pop back home though.

She still completely believes in Santa - don't know if that's unusual for an 8 year old or not? I don't expect she'll believe for much longer though.:sad2:

[wilma-bride]

I am a real stickler for traditions at Christmas - as such, it is rare we spend Christmas with other people because they don't do things 'our way' and it just doesn't feel like Christmas.

Like the Longstaffs, we always have a chinese on Christmas Eve - mainly because I usually spend the next few days cooking so feel I deserve a night off in advance ;)

We put out mince pies, milk and carrots for Santa and the reindeer before the kids go to bed and they do their stockings then - they always write their name and a little note to Santa on a piece of paper to leave with their stocking.

On Christmas morning, the kids open their gifts from Santa, then we don't open any other presents until after dinner (which we usually have about 1ish). Once all the washing up is done, the kids play 'Santa' and give out the pressies, which we then open in turn so we can 'ooh' and 'aah' over what everyone has got. Usually, the kids have that many pressies that we end up putting some back under the tree for Boxing Day. Me, Gary and the girls usually leave a few presents to open in the evening once Daniel is in bed.

Oh, and one last thing, I never eat anything on Christmas morning - the very first thing that I eat on Christmas Day is always a piece of turkey from my dinner :rotfl:

[jjk]

Christmas day the boys open there stockings upstairs and we all sit on our bed with a cup of tea,nobody is allowed to go downstairs until we are all together then we open pressies together,break for christmas dinner,go for a walk and finish the rest in afternoon.

[Tillybud]

this is the first xmas eve in about 5 years that hubby and I have both had off so I can't wait :goodvibes

we always get new pj's on xmas eve and we try to make sure we're all locked up and ready for Santa coming quite early. We used to have domino's delivered but they now close on xmas eve so this year it's just going to be light nibbles and party food.

We always watch a xmas movie, dd's favourite is Elf so we'll probably watch that and when she goes to bed dh, ds and I will watch another.

We will also ring Norad, we started calling them a few years ago and they really are amazing ... my brother, sister and I then all send one another text message updates about where he is at !

Don't do the Santa footprints anymore, ds is too old but maybe I could introduce them to dd, thankyou for reminding me :goodvibes

We also try to get to bed early after hanging up our stockings and leaving out some goodies.

I love xmas day morning, even now ds is older I still have to go into the living room to check he's been ... it's fab !!

[fizz13]

So nice to hear what others will be getting up to. Xmas Eve is and always has been since I was tiny, dinner with my grandparents and we get pressies from them. They used to spoil me and now its my kids, so we have a roast, then toast marshmallows on their fire. this year my boyfriend will be coming and i am hoping he becomes tradition too:lmao: I try to go to midnight mass but wont make it this year, but it is the one time of year i go to church.

Xmas day I have put my foot down since i had the kids that we are at home. i want my kids to be able to just enjoy their pressies, and me and my brother take turns having my mum over. this year is my turn, so i am cooking for 6 now she has a boyfriend too:lmao:

Boxing Day is chill out day. the children go to their dad and it is junk, pyjamas and not much else.

have a great xmas everyone!:hug:

[T16GEM]

This is a lovely thread, it's really nice to hear about the special things that everyone does with their families.

We haven't really started any traditions yet so maybe this year could be the time to start? I have bought a lovely story book for the kids that we will have at bedtime of Christmas Eve, and we will be leaving a can of Strongbow for Santa :rotfl: along with some Bombay Mix! (DH's fave snacks!:lmao: )

I plan on tracking Santa with Shelby before bed too.

We usually have bacon or sausage sandwiches for breakfast and then we will have a late dinner, - well about 2.30pm. I'm cooking for me, DH, my parents, the kids and two grannies.

[Tillybud]

I forgot, we always roast some chestnuts on xmas eve ... I just love them ! I remember the year dh forgot about them in the oven and they started banging like popcorn in the microwave :rotfl:

[mandymouse]

I love reading all your different Christmas traditions

We don't really have any traditions, now that the girls are older. But we'll probably get up, open our pressies, I'll make Bacon sarnies, and then we'll stuff ourselves with chocolate before we have dinner around 3pm :santa:

[Bolanette87]

Wer get new PJs on Christmas eve, and we make a buffet of party food.... We then watch 'A Muppet Family Christmas' and relax in the evening. We then put the pressies out on display and go to bed. Then I stay up being obsessed with when Santa is coming!! :lmao:

Christmas day we get up (after I've been setting off alarm clocks outside doors, flushing the loo, etc...!) and do the pressies, then we have Bucks Fizz and Bacon Sandwiches.... :goodvibes

Bob xoxoxox

[wilma-bride]

Isn't it funny how we all have our own little ways of doing things.

Are we the only people who don't open our presents in the morning then :confused3

[T16GEM]

Joh - we open ours in the morning, but some do get spread out to later when we do the rounds to the in laws house.

[Dimplenose]

We've always maintained that the presents in the stocking are from Santa and the others are from us or other family members. This lead to embarrasmnet on Christmas morning when a lady at church asked my DS what Santa had brought him and he listed the tiny stocking fillers and not the big presents he'd had.

Stockings can be opened as soon as the kids wake up. The other pressies wait until after breakfast or church if we haven't already been to the midnight service.

[thelittlemermaid83]

Are we the only people who don't open our presents in the morning then :confused3

Before i had Kyra we usually opened one present in the morning then the rest before lunch.

This year with the amount of presents Kyra has we will be around the tree all day :rotfl:

[florida sun]

No traditions here, but for the first time in years, Vicki is spending Christmas lunch with me, as we normally split it between her dad, nan and I, but she is seeing him on Boxing Day, so Im really looking forward to it, lovely thread and great to hear how everyone spends Christmas:goodvibes

[Lizzybear]

I always watch The Snowman, Father Christmas and the Chipmunks Christmas Special on Christmas Eve. Also, me and my sister decorate my parents' tree while wearing santa hats and fight over who gets to put the fairy on :rolleyes1 On Christmas Day my bf is working so i'll be taking him to work for 8 then going to my parents', back again at 3 to pick him up then back to my parents AGAIN for dinner. Just call me Lizzy's taxi service ;) We always exchange gifts in the morning and have dinner relatively late (5ish) As me and my sister have got older some of the past traditions have disappeared but i'm sure me and Steve will start more when we have kids :)

[les2425]

i have start one this year, after hearing julie on the dis podcast saying she hide christmas orniments on her friends christmas tree and she waits to see how long it takes for them to find the item.
i have done that to my mum's tree its been 2 weeks and she not noticed yet !
if she does not notice i tell on christmas day, the funny thing is the box is under the skirt of the tree right now.
i think she may find the box on christmas eve.

les

[Cyrano]

We have a mixture of traditions that I brought with me and one that OH's family do at New Year.

On Christmas Eve we have a glass of mulled wine while watching Santa on Norad with the troops :)

Christmas morning once Grannie and Grandad come down I make bacon rolls for everyones breakfast :goodvibes

On New Year's day Grannie has a parcel for the grandchildren and the adults get another large bar of chocolate. This goes back to OH who did not have a chimney in their house when growing up. Her Grannie used to tell them that Santa would leave their other parcels at her house because they had a lovely coal fire :)
OH's mum, when she became a Grannie maintained the tradition :goodvibes

Great to read what others get up to at this lovely time of year.

[Tammy Stringer]

Isn't it funny how we all have our own little ways of doing things.

Are we the only people who don't open our presents in the morning then :confused3

No Joh we are much like you - the girls open their stockings on Christmas morning and then after breakfast they normally open theirs from us if they want to. All other presents are left until after Christmas lunch has been eaten and we have cleared away. In days of old they were traditionally opened after the Queen's Speech - but these days there are so many of us on Christmas day that we have rarely finished eating and talking in time to watch it. So presents are normally dished out by my brother around 4pm. Then time for a nice cup of tea and a slice of Christmas cake before my Mum tries to get us to do a Christmas quiz or we all play games. This year my sister is bring her Wii - so we will be having fun with that until the cold eats and salad in the evening - yum, yum - the best bit for me.

Christmas Eve we normally go to Mum's for mulled wine and nibbles in the evening and someone will play the piano (not me I am the non-musical one in our family) or the girls will watch Box of Delights with my brother - he is ridiculously sentimental for traditions.

Tam

[pixiepower04]

Isn't it funny how we all have our own little ways of doing things.

Are we the only people who don't open our presents in the morning then :confused3

In our house we'd wake up and rummage threw our stockings and then when we heard my mum stirring we'd leg it downstairs to open our pressies, kettles would be brewing tea, breakfast would be cooking, chocolate would be stuffed down our throats, wrapping paper would be strewn everywhere, nuts would be cracked, satsumas would be peeled, music would be on as would the telly and it was chaotic fun.

When DH and I first started dating he phoned me up about 10am on our first christmas together as a couple and I discovered that they didn't get to open their presents until after lunch which was at 1pm, so he didn't get to open them until about 2/2.30pm.

I was flabbergasted, I mean isn't that like dangling a carrot in front of a donkey, how could anyone do that to a child, it's like "there's all your fantastic presents from Father Christmas but you can't have them", wrong, wrong, wrong!

Before I get flamed that's how I reacted 15 years ago when he told me BUT I do still feel that way and I love the fact that my kids will run down the stairs and get completely hyper seeing the presents but I do insist that we are dressed and have breakfast before we start ripping into them but they can do what they like with their stockings and they have been known to eat all the sweets in them before DH and I even get up!

I understand why everyone has different ways of doing things at Christmas and so from when the kids were born we've always had christmas at home so we could do what we wanted when we wanted and not offend anyone.

We have no family near us anymore so starting our own traditions has become quite important to us.

[Ware Bears]

It's really nice reading about everyone else's Christmas :goodvibes

We don't really have any traditions apart from DH refusing to leave the house on Christmas Day once we had our own children. I think he hated being dragged round various relatives when he was a kid so Christmas Day is always spent at home. It's just the five of us Christmas Day so when we wake up we usually have a bucks fizz and shortbread whilst pressies are opened and then it's lunch around 2.30pm. Boxing Day was always an open house buffet and all the family used to come ~ my parents, my in-laws, my sister and brother-in-law used to come down from Manchester, DH's brothers and their families came but sadly things have slowly changed. I lost my dad four years ago and my mum now always goes to Manchester to my sister's, DH lost his dad last February, one of DH's brother emigrated to Australia and the other got divorced and re-married but now always goes to his new wife's family. So this year Boxing Day will just be us five and MIL :eek: who gets very depressed over Christmas at the best of times :confused3 but (understandably) this year will be much harder as this is her first Christmas without FIL. If it starts getting a bit heavy-going I'll just remind myself that this time in 2009 we'll be in WDW ...... oh and hit the :drinking:

[Cyrano]

When DH and I first started dating he phoned me up about 10am on our first christmas together as a couple and I discovered that they didn't get to open their presents until after lunch which was at 1pm, so he didn't get to open them until about 2/2.30pm.

This reminded me of the first year MIL invited me to their's for Christmas to open up my presents with them when I was dating DP :)

I arrived at 9.00am. Waking them all up :rolleyes1 I had been up since 6.30 but thought that was a bit early. They were expecting me more around 1.00pm :scared1:

They have learnt fast ;) If they are not down to ours for 7.30/8.00 then everyone's presents will be well opened :goodvibes

[higgy66]

Great thread!

Christmas Eve

Pick my sisters up and we all go to my parents house where we sit in Christmas hats wearing our Christmas earings drinking some concoction from my Mum's rumtoff! I'm always driving so just have a sip!

We sit round peeling enough veg for 20 and then finish off with a milky coffee (made by Dad) and one of Mum's home made mince pies! (yum yum)

If you can imagine being in the company of Dawn French and Julie Walters then you've more of less got the picutre - lots & lots of laughter!

I return home to DH and the girls and have a nice full works Sunday lunch with crackers etc.

Late in the afternoon Steve meets my brothers back at my parents
house and they fetch the special Christmas table up from the cellar and put it together ready to seat all 20 for lunch Christmas day.

When Steve returns we all watch a Christmas film together then the girls leave out the usual stuff for Santa and Rudolf. They then shout up the Chimney (something I did as a child) what they want for Christmas while Steve and I hold our breath and hope they don't say something we haven't got!

With the girls in bed around 7.30pm Steve and I watch White Christmas with a glass of wine. Then after this when the girls are fast asleep we put all the presents out on the sofas with Steve and mine's fitting under the tree!

We then revert to the conservatory and watch it's a wonderful life with another glass of wine!

Christmas Day

Get up when ever the girls do. They fetch their stockings in to our bed and they open those presents. We then move into the lounge and they spend the rest of the morning opening their others gifts - while I try to keep a track of who bought what for thank you notes!

We have a snack about 12 and then the girls play for a couple of hours with their new toys.

At 3.00pm we go to my parents where we meet up with my brothers and sisters and their familes. We eat Christmas Lunch about 4.00pm and then spend the rest of the night drinking, talking and playing the usual Christmas games we've played for years. All the Kids usually put on a play or talent show.

Everybody leaves about midnight but Steve, myself and the girls sleep at my parents as were the only ones who don't live in the area.

Boxing Day

I help my Mum tidy up and then we get the buffet ready. Until 5 years ago my Mum prepared another Christmas Lunch with Pork but when she turned 65 we persuaded her to do a buffet.

My Auntie M turns up just after lunch - drops her bags and gets stuck in with preparing the feast as the family turns up again at 4.00om with added boyfriends/girlfriends and we repeat what we did on Christmas day.

For as long as i can remember there was a strick rule of no TV on Christmas Day or Boxing day except for the Queen's speach and TOTP but now we don't even bother with that. In my parents eyes Christmas means family and I have to admit my daughters have picked up on this already. They're more excited about seeing their aunts/Uncle and cousins than anything they unwrap Christmas morning.

[higgy66]

Forgot to say I went to my MIL's just once. She was washing and ironing and then just sat in front of the TV and nobody spoke to each other. The FIL got up and went to the pub and I was amazed.

Needless to say I've never been again since!

[wickesy]

drinking some concoction from my Mum's rumtoff! I'm always driving so just have a sip!


Wow, that brings back memories!! My Mum and Dad went through a period of doing a rumtoff - it started stewing away around about October and was topped up several times if I remember rightly - lethal stuff. :rotfl: I think we've still got ours somewhere.

[Snowy-girls]

Great thread David :thumbsup2 .I have loved reading everyones traditions+what you get up to,here's ours..........

Christmas Eve-------Hubby+girls will be watching Snowman+Father Christmas whilst i am in the kitchen preparing+peeling the veg,making my home-made stuffing,making a trifle etc...all being washed down with Sherry+christmas music playing.
Always a pizza or chinese takeaway in the evening.Girls will have baths+put on there new pj's(i always had new pj's on Christmas eve+still but myself a new pair now)When the girls have gone to bed me+hubby sought out Santa's pressies+assemble anything that Santa cold'nt do-this year it is scooters.Hubby will nibble on the carrot,drink the whisky+i will eat the mince pie-which have been left out on a tray next to the tree by the girls for Santa+Rudolph.We then settle down to watch National Lampoons Christmas Vacation,whist sipping on the Baileys+eating some ice cream or chocs or both.

Christmas Day---------Me+hubby get up first+feed the cats,prepare brekkie+take it upstairs for the girls to eat.Then we all come down and the girls open there pressies from Santa+us+what they bought each other.Then me+hubby open ours from the girls and what we get each other.Pressies from family+school friends get opened after Christmas Dinner.
Once the pressies are opened i am off into the kitchen with the sherry bottle again,to start getting dinner going,whilst jive bunny christmas cd blaring out( i know i am sad :lmao: ).This year my Nan+Grandad will be round for dinner which will be abour 1-30pm.Pressies from them+for them will be opened.My mum+her hubby will then be round about 4ish to see us+more pressies will be opened.
Once girls have gone to bed in the evening,me+hubby have some left over meat,pickles,cheese+biscuits etc..with more alcohol.

Boxing Day-no plans have been made yet,but it always involves a buffet round my Nan's or my Mum's.(or mine if i haven't cooked Christmas Dinner).x.

[mark&sue]

I nearly always work christmas eve. We used to get a take away pizza in the evening when Kirsty was young but we now go to the Indian. We make sure we watch the Patrick Stewart version of a Chirstmas Carol, usually on channel 4.

We used to leave the mince pie out for santa and take one bite out. Kirsty would always ask why he didn't eat it all and I would reply that he had lots of other houses to go to and eat their food.

We all open our presents as soon as we get up.

My sister and I take turns to do the christmas meal. On our turn Mark always cooks the dinner.

This year we are going straight from my sisters to the gatwick hilton as we are flying off to spain early on Boxing Day morning.

Have a great Christmas everyone



Susan and Kirsty

[Jonjo]

DW and I load up the NORAD Santa tracking web site, to check his progress and then in the evening we join the rest of the village around the Christmas Tree on the village green for a Carol Service. Then pop into the pub for a drink on our way home.

[Tillybud]

Forgot to say I went to my MIL's just once. She was washing and ironing and then just sat in front of the TV and nobody spoke to each other. The FIL got up and went to the pub and I was amazed.

Needless to say I've never been again since!

omg, I shouldn't laugh but I'm just picturing the scene !!!

I remember going to a boyfriends house for xmas many years ago and it was lovely, a nice morning, great xmas dinner and everything was fine til tea time when his mum disappeared to the kitchen and I thought she was perhaps making turkey sandwiches but oh no, we were served turkey curry and chips ... she was so offended when I barely ate any of it but after a big xmas dinner and lots of chocolate there was no way I could eat it !

[tennisfan]

Whilst we have traditions that I mentioned previously, this year will be my dad's 1st Christmas without his mum, my nan (she always came over for Christmas) as she passed away in September. So we will start with a new tradition to carry on:thumbsup2

[Chilly]

I am looking forward to starting traditions in future years when we have kids. At the moment we still go to one of our parents each year. We didn't have any traditions when I was a kid, but DFs family are another one that don't do presents until after Christmas lunch.

[Lizzybear]

We used to leave the mince pie out for santa and take one bite out. Kirsty would always ask why he didn't eat it all and I would reply that he had lots of other houses to go to and eat their food.

Aww this brings back memories! Me and my sister would always leave out a mince pie and sherry for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph and in the morning there would be a bite out of each (the sherry would all be gone of course :rotfl:)

[Beep]

Since my parents moved to Cornwall we've got new traditions.

We arrive on Christmas Eve and have chicken with parma ham and the first of Mom's mince pies. We spend the night chatting as it's been a while since we last saw them.

Christmas morning we have croissants for breakfast, then go dog-walking on the beach - regardless of the weather! We come back and open presents, making sure we get the chocolates out and a glass of snowball. It is the only alcoholic drink I have all year so I'm a bit tipsy afterwards :laughing:

We spend the rest of the day chatting, with me helping Mom prepare Christmas dinner.

We sit down to eat at about 3pm, then veg out in front of the tv munching on sausage rolls, mince pies and chocolates. And still chatting!

On the night we have cold meats, salad etc and then play Trivial Pursuits where we all cheat like mad, argue over who is right and wrong and insult each other! Mom and Dad are on the G&T's, we are on the diet coke and the evening degrades... Absolute heaven :goodvibes

Funny one when I was a kid and still at home. I used to get up really early and decorate the dining room, then go back to bed and wait for Mom to wake me up. I used to tell them that Santa must have paid a visit in the night and decorated the dining room for us. It got more elaborate each year and took longer and longer but we used to have a great laugh over it. Santa left a half-eaten mince pie, footprints in the talc, sorry, snow and one year Rudolph left a 'present' in the form of chocolate brazils!

One year the dining room was wrecked and I said I was sure Santa must have been p*ssed when he came in and didn't do a good job.

Silly but it became a tradition :goodvibes :goodvibes