December 24th: Christmas Eve

frippit

When my children we're age 6 and 3 I started taking them swimming on Christmas eve. They used to get so excited that it got rid of some energy and they slept really well that night. I used to hope they wouldn't get up too early on Christmas morning! Sometimes it worked!
We carried this tradition on well into their teens with the odd friend and boyfriend coming along too. The leisure centre was always very quiet with only a few dads and kids there, but they played Christmassy music and we used to go to the market after to get mistletoe and last minute bits.

Cotta

I have to agree that Christmas Eve tends to be much better than Christmas day. As a familiy we always go out to midnight mass together and it's a special occassion.

red_devil

What do people without children do

noodles86

red_devil wrote: »

What do people without children do

Go out and get drunk :rotfl: well at least that's what I used to do, Christmas eve clubbing!

applecrumble24

Soo excited about this christmas! My eldest will be nearly 3 so I'm hoping he'll understand what's going on.
The paln is to get the toddler to make biscuits as presents for his grandparents in the morning, then we've booked a trip on a santa train early afternoon followed by a tea time party at a friends house.
Love christmans eve!

applecrumble24

noodles86 wrote: »

Go out and get drunk :rotfl: well at least that's what I used to do, Christmas eve clubbing!

And me, one shameful year my friend and I decided to go to midnight mass after an evening drinking unfortunately for us both mine and her mum were there and we got dragged straight home!

Vampgirl

red_devil wrote: »

What do people without children do

Usually a trip down to the pub features at some point for us!

I'll probably be working Christmas Eve....though it will be from home, and if previous years are anything to go by then it'll be very quiet so I should have plenty of time to finish the cake and all the other preparations

My sister will arrive late afternoon (not Mum this year - she's visiting step-Dad's family and won't arrive till Christmas Day) and as it'll be the first Christmas Eve my sister hasn't spent with Mum I'm already trying to think of things to make it special for her. So far I'm thinking a walk around the houses to look at the lights and decorations, followed by a drink by the fire in the local pub - unless I can find any seasonal activities nearer the time!

Last year we had a fondue for dinner on Christmas eve - was very christmassy so I think we'll do it again this year

CupOfChai

Previously my mam usually worked on Christmas Eve, but she won't be working this year so I don't know yet how my day will be different this year because of that, if parents will want to go out or do anything different to usual.

I used to wrap her gifts from me, Dad and brother whilst she was at work and so no chance she'd catch me, crikey when will I do that now?!

newgirly

What a lovely thread

Our 3 are a bit older now, 13,13 & 16 so they are not as excited as they were but we try and do something special like a meal out or a family get together at our house plus a few traditions like carrots for the reindeer, Xmas eve hampers, Xmas movies from November onwards and Xmas cd's in the car as early as I can get away with :rotfl:

This year we are going to the harry potter studios as its all festive and we have been once before and wanted to go back. Whatever we do Xmas eve the kids remember, the years we have stayed in and played board games , the years we have gone out for dinner. I don't think it matters as long s you have a good time.

My personal favourite thing is to have a spotlessly clean bedroom ( that's rare!) and have my freshly laundered reindeer bedclothes on , a few candles lit and put midnight mass on the tv, we are a few doors up from a church and although I'm an atheist I love to hear everyone leaving after the service and then the stillness of the early hours of Xmas morning before the chaos starts when the kids wake up later.

Pitsypoolisa

Christmas eve is also my favourite day of the year, I love seeing the kids bubbling with excitement! I get up early and do the final housework before the kids get up. My hubby works nights for a fortnight before Christmas and he'll be in bed till around 11:30 so I'll spend the morning baking with the girls (8, 6 and my youngest will be just 3) while listening to christmas music. After he rises, it's lunch and then we wrap up warm and take the dog for a walk. Hubs 'forgets' something so pops back in the house to put out the Christmas eve hamper and a letter from our mischievous Elf. We walk up to the woods and collect our last stocks of holly and pine cones, then it's usually starting to get dark so we walk round the village looking at the Christmas lights.

When we get home the kids dig straight into the Christmas hamper, but first we tuck into big bowls of soup and hm rolls, get them bathed then it's on with their new pjs and they are usually fit to collapse in front of a Christmas DVD. This is my favourite part of the day- snowman soup in front of a roaring fire, all the fairy lights twinkling and lots of yummy smelly candles lit, the pooch snoring peacefully and stirring every few minutes as she rolls over and 'cooks' her other side in front of the fire. After our DVD we do the Santa plate (he is partial to a large Baileys when he visits us!), magic Santa key and the reindeer food then one last check of the Santa tracker. We all snuggle in our bed while hubs read 'The night before Christmas' and the girls get extra special christmas tuck-ins

Hubs and I will then enjoy and hours peace watching tv before we place all the girls presents and help Santa drink his Baileys. Then we have an early night as poor hubby will be fit to drop. Like newgirly, I enjoy listening to our neighbours drunkenly stumble back from the villages pub singing christmas carols and if all the fresh air and excitement hasn't made me crash before then, I also enjoy hearing the bells of midnight mass in the next village.

I can't wait now....