December 24th: Christmas Eve

lizalexander

Flowfy wrote: »

This is my first post on moneysavingexpert. so I hope it is ok.

Christmas eve is my favourite day, I feel once the presents have been unwrapped and the excitement over, Christmas is done with.

Our Christmas kind of begins late November as my son is a musician, he plays in a brass band, swing band and orchestra. So basically I am out every night with him whilst he plays carols and makes other peoples lives very merry too. this means though that Christmas and its food has to be well prepared before the end of nov and it is. Christmas is very tiring but wonderful. last year he played at Manchester Cathedral and the Bridgewater Hall amongst others.

So Christmas eve begins early. I like to watch Olive the Other Reindeer in the morning (weird I know) I always have a pair of new pyjamas wrapped under the Christmas tree for us all (might start the Christmas hamper tradition this year though - 1 question though - whats santa soup?)

After I we have had a special breakfast (usually some kind of pastries or cinnamon porridge) and I discovered about 3 years ago how to make my own eggnog latte so will give all the family one of them in a 'go-cup'. we have to go out carolling in the village at 10am. everyone is very merry and happy to see us and sings songs. I do not play an instrument but usually I play the sleigh bells on that day we all wear a santa hat, but usually have to wear gloves as the brass instruments are so cold. about 1, the band finishes and goes off to the pub, which has a real fire etc but we walk home.

At this point I start to cook the Christmas Ham, which DH loves. I will probably have something on radio 4, like a story or talking comedy show. also finish off all the prep for the following day. Nigella Lawson is my hero, so her recipes have been used year after year with absolute success. Her bread sauce is to die for!!

I will have highlighted the Christmas Radio Times to see what is on and usually we watch some of this. I do a buffet at tea time and always a massive sherry trifle. old fashioned rules in our house. the new pyjamas are put on at tea time.

I warm up a pan of mulled wine and add lots of extra stuff. and we will drink this. DD is 21 and DS is 14. we may have DD boyfriend over Christmas as he lives in Norwich (we live on the saddleworth moors between Yorkshire and Manchester)

We still put out mince pie/carrot etc at night but the only stockings we put out are for our pets lol.

DH and I, after all preparations have been made for the morning like to watch a horror film in bed. shocking!!!

Yummy - Eggnog Latte ! Oooo, would you please share the receipe ? Many thanks x

Flowfy

I had an electric milk heater and frother (nespresso) a couple of years back. I put about 2/3 milk and 1/3 advocaat in and frothed it on the latte setting, then add it in a big cup with 3 espresso shots and top with cinnamon/nutmeg combo.

I found proper eggnog last year. our local Tesco sold it in big cartons. I used that instead of milk, so fully eggnog in the frother. but it was not as nice. so went back to the advocaat.

its a simple throw together but it is good. dd likes some choc syrup in the eggnog latte too.

I have some proper recipes for eggnog as I bought a Martha Stewart Christmas Cookbook through amazon. they look a lot of faff but I might make one and see how that works. I have seen a recipe on the internet which you can freeze, so that would be ideal as you only need a small amount for a latte.

DigForVictory

My Christmas Eve is a bit different - not so full of new-wedded wonder, or well organised happy times. Joy to you all though - you have plans & that makes everything more likely to happen!

In fact, my Christmas Eve is usually bedlam, only noone would pay to come and gawk.

So I'd probably better go find the things Ive squirreled over the year for stockings (or perhaps ask a child - one has a disconcerting knowledge of all my secret stashes) and crate them seperately, along with the bottles or the neighbours.

What else did I make a havers of last year? As I seem to recall being crackered & drizzling furious frustrated tears & drawing up a list of things to "get right" next year.

Festive greetings, in anticipation!

LalaGomay

Flowfy wrote: »

This is my first post on moneysavingexpert. so I hope it is ok.

Christmas eve is my favourite day, I feel once the presents have been unwrapped and the excitement over, Christmas is done with.

Our Christmas kind of begins late November as my son is a musician, he plays in a brass band, swing band and orchestra. So basically I am out every night with him whilst he plays carols and makes other peoples lives very merry too. this means though that Christmas and its food has to be well prepared before the end of nov and it is. Christmas is very tiring but wonderful. last year he played at Manchester Cathedral and the Bridgewater Hall amongst others.

So Christmas eve begins early. I like to watch Olive the Other Reindeer in the morning (weird I know) I always have a pair of new pyjamas wrapped under the Christmas tree for us all (might start the Christmas hamper tradition this year though - 1 question though - whats santa soup?)

After I we have had a special breakfast (usually some kind of pastries or cinnamon porridge) and I discovered about 3 years ago how to make my own eggnog latte so will give all the family one of them in a 'go-cup'. we have to go out carolling in the village at 10am. everyone is very merry and happy to see us and sings songs. I do not play an instrument but usually I play the sleigh bells on that day we all wear a santa hat, but usually have to wear gloves as the brass instruments are so cold. about 1, the band finishes and goes off to the pub, which has a real fire etc but we walk home.

At this point I start to cook the Christmas Ham, which DH loves. I will probably have something on radio 4, like a story or talking comedy show. also finish off all the prep for the following day. Nigella Lawson is my hero, so her recipes have been used year after year with absolute success. Her bread sauce is to die for!!

I will have highlighted the Christmas Radio Times to see what is on and usually we watch some of this. I do a buffet at tea time and always a massive sherry trifle. old fashioned rules in our house. the new pyjamas are put on at tea time.

I warm up a pan of mulled wine and add lots of extra stuff. and we will drink this. DD is 21 and DS is 14. we may have DD boyfriend over Christmas as he lives in Norwich (we live on the saddleworth moors between Yorkshire and Manchester)

We still put out mince pie/carrot etc at night but the only stockings we put out are for our pets lol.

DH and I, after all preparations have been made for the morning like to watch a horror film in bed. shocking!!!

That all sounds brilliant, and mega Christmassy. Especially all the brass band music and carolling.

Horror films are weirdly festive, I think.

Snugglebunny8

welcome Flowfy, it sounds wonderfully festive where you live, love the idea of going out carole-ing and to the pub with a lovely log fire! x

ps - Die Hard in our house is a staple for over Chrismtas, somewhat tenuous I know! and also for some odd reason Monsters Inc, think it was out at Christmas when the kids were little and thats what makes it Christmassy!

lushlifesaver

I may well be working Christmas Eve this year - for the first time!

In previous years Christmas Eve has been a wonderful day for me. I would help my parents prep all the food for the next day, bake as much as I could muster (mince pies, a chocolate sponge, Victoria sponge, cupcakes, maids of honour (think that's what they are called) lemon tarts, jam tarts, ginger biscuits and fudge all get knocked out in record timing. Christmas CD on in the kitchen and films in the living room with popcorn and individual cones of sweets for each of us. I'm a terror for whimsical traditions and drive my family mad with them!

Last year was my first with bf and first having moved out! We went to see his grandparents who no longer really 'do' Christmas, a few of us went to the Christingle service at the church where he was christened and then back at our respective houses got ready to go out for a couple of drinks. BF and I laid on a mini buffet for us and his parents and then we all called in to town. We didn't stay out long and it wasn't necessarily my cup of tea but was a change.

This year I'll be six month pregnant so no nights out! I would like to start a new series of traditions though. As I'll likely be working the baking will all be done at my parents the weekend before with strict instructions that it is not to be touched! Then Christmas Eve I'm hoping we will be able to leave work early; I will head home and prepare a beautiful buffet with cold bits and bits to be reheated on my return from the Christingle service. I will try and muster as many people as possible to come to the service and then each call home to get ready to come to ours for a sort of open house. I will get each household a small gift (or more likely give them something homemade featuring 'Christmas 2013') and we will enjoy fine company and snacks and hopefully some fun and games

Christmas 2014 will be our first with baby and s/he will be almost 9months old so I will be going the whole hog - day off; breakfast for a king, a full day of Christmas fun capped with the Christingle Service and a walk/drive to see the lights somewhere if possible, reindeer food, snowman soup and falling asleep in new pjs to a new book after a Christmas DVD and not forgetting the carrot, mince pie and drink for Santa if bf has anything to do with it I think Santa might prefer a snowball to whisky or mil though!

Ahh you have me all excited just dreaming of it!

scholt

What a lovely thread
Beautiful ideas.
It's my favourite day of the holiday season too. The 'anticipation' is still there but for a lot of people the work/school has wound down too.

This year I'll be working 9-2 manning the gym (I've volunteered). Then relaxing with the family, enjoying some cooking

Happy wedding day *twinkle*

katskorner

We love Christmas Eve as it is our littlest son's birthday and this year he will be five. We usually have a hot pork roast at home and a bit of a party with rellies. But this year may be different as parents are going away so no firm plans as yet - considering going away too but no idea what or where!!

tracey12_2

I love Christmas eve as well. This year will be slightly different as I will be working from 9am to 12.30pm and then my girls are going to their dads this year

We do the Christmas elf each year which my girls love and he stays from 1st December until Christmas eve night when he goes home with father Christmas. So Christmas eve morning our elf leaves the girls a hamper with new PJ's, hot choc, a DVD, some popcorn, father Christmas magic key so that he can get in our house, the night before Christmas book and a new family game each year.

We have lots of family fun during the day and make reindeer food using porridge oats and edible glitter and before the girls go to bed they sprinkle this outside our front door.

During the evening we all settle down with the DVD and hot choc etc and watch a Christmassy film and then the girls hang their stockings on their bedroom doors and they say goodbye to our elf until the next year (always brings a tear to my eye)

When the girls are in bed I usually prepare the veg for the next day and watch something Christmassy and get ready for the next day.

I love hearing what other people do

Tracey

fawnsinthegarden

I love Christmas Eve, this year the aim is to make it as festive as possible.

We are going to have a North Pole Breakfast in the morning, listening to festive tunes of course, then have some craft activities to keep the littlies entertained whilst we prepare/cook the buffet food. We cook up lots of nibbly bits that can be tucked into throughout the day. At some point we will go for a walk and up to the shop to choose a big, juicy carrot for the Rudolf and let off a bit of energy.

In the afternoon the elves will deliver a Christmas hamper for DD to unwrap, then bath, PJ's, nibbley bits for dinner and a snowman soup after then we will all curl up watching a DVD in our PJ's.

Then bedtime routine, leave mince pie and milk for Santa and carrot for the reindeer, sprinkle reindeer food, hang up stockings on the bedroom doors, bedtime story (something festive).

The evening is last minute wrapping, stuffing stockings and making the house look perfect for the morning, Santa footprints and stacking up the presents whilst listening to Christmas tunes, mince pies (or pork pies for the OH!) and a cheeky drink or two. Early night(ish) for the Christmas fun in the morning!