Starting traditions

choccyface2006

Oh, and we also have boxing day presents!

My mum buys everyone a present for Boxing day, she always has done. She says every year that she won't do it next year or we will have a secret santa Boxing day present, but she always gets them anyway!

Shes the most wonderful mum!

sturgeon62

When the children were little (16 and 14 now) I made a cross stitch advent calender that has a small brass curtain ring under each number, I attach a wrapped sweet each to this with ribbon. I still have to do this now.

We always see a panto with family, about 20 -30, including grandparents aunts, uncles and cousins.

They still have a stocking each that is hung throughout Christmas, goes up with the tree, then it disappears Christmas day, late evening they get to open it once they can find it. When they were very tiny it was just hidden, as they have got older they do a treasure hunt which involves wordsearches, crosswords and other puzzle solving, keeps them quiet for ages, and me spending about a week making up the clues.

I am always amazed that they still insist on doing these traditions despite becoming teenagers, but it really helps make Christmas special

Edinburghlass_2

This is one of our favourite Christmas books The Jolly Christmas Postman

ShockingPink

Edinburghlass wrote:

This is one of our favourite Christmas books The Jolly Christmas Postman

Oh, I love that book! And the others in the same series...

aurora_borealis_2

sali_mali wrote:

Regarding the picture on the stairs....

I think we should stop that one as I've alwaysjust woken up and am in my dressing gown and look like a cave woman! Not pretty! :rotfl:

Sorry SM,

I thought you were 18

I think I've got a condition

... when did my children get so old?

irchy_mum

On Christmas Eve we give the children pretty bags filled with 'reindeer food'-which is actually oats mixed with glitter which they sprinkle on the lawn/back garden/yard etc to attract the reindeers to fly to our house.

lisaann72red

Before we go to sleep we make santas footprints using a template and some flour we make the trail from fireplace to presents sacks . its only takes a second to hoover and the childrens faces are great.

earwig

hi i never cook xmas dinner on christmas day we alawys have ours on christmas eve we have dinner drive and see the lights cook sauage rolls for christmas day ect open one presant christmas day we have a buffet style dinner no one wants much as they have been eating the sweets we have a raffle on christmas day so every hour two numbers are picked so the kids spend time with there new toys before getting the next one and the fun lasts all day no famley is let in unless they sing a christmas song and it wouldnt be christmas with out the turkey sandwich and a re run of only fools

spendapennysaveapound

Rachie_B wrote:

new pjs "early gift from santa " lol to wear to bed on xmas eve

I am so glad to see that somebody else does this. I have been giving my 7 year old new pj's on xmas eve since she was born. All my friends think I'm mad.
Other traditions
Listening to christmas music while putting all the decorations up
Moving all my daughters videos, DVDs and books up stairs and replacing them with christmas ones.

On christmas eve we have Hot Roast Pork sandwiches for late tea/early supper then just before bed we have hot chocolate with marshmellows in a christmas mug.
Mince pie and a glass of either Sherry or Milk on the fire place.
Magic reindeer food sprinkled over the garden path leading to the back door with a carrot waiting on the step.
Hang our stockings on the fire place
Then my daughter puts her pillowcase at the end of her bed ready to be filled with presents.

Christmas morning she comes into my room with her pillow case and opens the presents on my bed. Then we go downstairs to open the rest.
and we always wear any new clothes Christmas Day.

Please don't all laugh too hard at our traditions

ncsmummy

We always have to listen to xmas music whilst decorating the tree, we go out for a family meal and then 10 pin bowling every Xmas eve and then let the kids stay up to watch Santa Claus the movie before putting out something for Father Christmas. Stockings get hung on the bedroom door. They have a stocking of lil pressies that they open in our room and then all the others downstairs!!
Definately think we need to try the new pjs thing - sounds lovely and the los are still young enough not to remember what happened last year!! lol!