Christmas traditions - what are yours?

CupOfChai

Probably our biggest one is that my brother and I each have a stocking, and then when we wake up we take them into our parents' room and all pile into their bed together to open them, taking turns to take out one thing at a time. Even though we're both now adults we still get in the bed together with both parents, it's ridiculously squashed! Every year we say we have to stop doing this now, then the next year it ends up happening again!

Once the stockings are open we then fetch our parents' presents from us and each other, and they open them in bed too. Only then do we go downstairs.

wendz86

I started doing an christmas eve bag for my little girl last christmas with christmas pj's , book, dvd and some reindeer food which i am doing again this year.

We always open stocking first and then rest of presents. My family also always do a christmas day walk.

In the evening there is one little present on the tree each which my mum started when we were young.

floss2

We always have scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and bucks fizz for breakfast on Christmas day.

tinkermcjingles

When we were little our Christmas was like this:

Christmas Eve we had a party tea of little nibble type food. Veg is prepared for Christmas dinner. Mince pie, carrot and whiskey left for Rudolph and Santa.

Christmas Day:
Our Christmas stockings were left at the end of the bed - although this only started for me when I was a little older (maybe 6/7) as before this I was scared of Santa coming into my room! - very sensible I think!

We then piled into mum and dad's room to open them on their bed (this changed to us opening them in our room when we got a bit older - with strict waking up mum and dad time!)

After stockings were opened, dad went downstairs and put the kettle on, the told us 'he'd been!' He still does this and I'm in my twenties! It was then downstairs for mad unwrapping! Mum and dad have Santa sacks too and we all throw the wrapping at dad!!! We had a deal that whoever unwrapped a cd first got to put it on!

Then it's presents from under the tree - sensible present off parents like a coat or blanket, plus presents from friends/neighbours.

Then it was get dressed in whatever clothes we'd got for Christmas and eat chocolate and play with our toys. If we got a bike we'd go out for a test run whilst mum did lunch.

As we got older we introduced a table present (a small present kept back to be opened at lunch).

Other than the party tea of Christmas Eve, we didn't really have a Christmas Eve tradition. When I've got kids I'm going to do the Christmas Eve hamper, reindeer food and Santa foot prints!

Oh I'm all excited for Christmas now!!!!

Pasanda

Oh this is a great tread! Both me and my husband are from Sweden but have lived in England for 13 years and both our children (10 and 2) are born here and have never lived in Sweden. So for me it is important they get both a bit of Swedish tradtions but also obviously English traditions so that they feel part of the culture they are born and raised in.

In Sweden, the big Christmas celebration is on the 24th and not the 25th so we do a Swedish christmas on Christmas Eve and then the English version on Christmas Day. We tried to pick parts of the traditions that we like best and reading this thread has given me so many new great ideas.

I never really understood the hamper thing for example but can now see that many of you tend to give it on the eve before which is great and makes sense (finally after 13 years... ). I also thought everyone had stockings by the fireplace but now see many seem to have them by the bed so might change that this year.

On the 24th we have a ricepudding like porridge with cinnamon for breakfast. It is quite sweet and really yummy. Then we have a traditional Swedish "julbord" which is like a big buffet or smorgosboard. The main event on it is a baked ham but we also have meatballs, small smoked cocktail sausages, a potatogratin with anchovies, ribs, pates, smoked salmon, herrings of various kind, a special homemade bread that is quite dark and sweet with raisins in it, potatoes and more. This takes hours to get through :-)

Then we view some traditional christmas movies, eat lot of sweets, eat gingerbread and drink mulled wine and put the kids to bed. Normally in Sweden, Father Christmas would actually come to your house and knock on your door and say "ho ho ho, are there any nice children living here?". Coincidentially, the dad or grandad in the house has always gone to put a letter in the mail or buy the newspaper etc so he always misses when Father Christmas comes :-) As a child you do start to notice they have the same aftershave or boots or something when you are about 5-6 years...
But we do the Christmas presents on Christmas Day to follow the English tradition instead.

On Christmas Day we eat breakfast in the lounge, sitting on the floor or in sofas and unwrap presents. Have turkey with all the trimmings for lunch and then eat more sweets, play with the gifts, watch films etc the rest of the day.

In the period leading up to Christmas I do the chocolate advent calendar for my eldest. We also have a Swedish tradition of Advent Candles. These are 4 candles in an oblong dish, filled with rain deer moss and decorated with red berries. Each 4 Sundays before Christmas day we will be lighting one candle. I used to love it as a child as you could see every week Christmas getting closer and my 10 year old gets very excited about being allowed to lit them etc. We also drink mulled wine and gingerbread snaps those days. Other pre-christmas traditions are to make our own christmas sweets - fudge and marsipan mostly.

This year we have been thinking about Beef Wellington instead of the turkey for Christmas day. Is that "allowed" or does everyone have turkey? If you were to have it, would you serve same trimmings or something different?

Laurajo_2

I'm really enjoying reading about other people's traditions....

It's my first Xmas as a married lady (although we've been together for seven years and spent all of those christmases together) and I'm hoping to incorporate some new traditions.

At the minute:
Decs go up the first Saturday of December. We will have a big tidy up the weekend before and sort out anything that can be skipped etc.

I always have an advent calendar (I know, I'm a big kid!).

Buffet/party bits for tea on Christmas Eve.

Baileys on Christmas Eve in front of the fire watching something festive.

This year, I'm hoping to get all new decorations.

Will be buying new pjs for me and dh for Xmas Eve - might make up a little hamper.

Xx

Cake4brains

Pasanda, beef wellington sounds yummy for Christmas dinner too. I'd personally serve it with all the same trimmings. We usually have turkey, beef and pork on our dinner, but then again we are really greedy!

AlexLK

My parents do a carol evening in their home once they've put their trees / decorations up. They invite about 30 people, really it's a gathering of their friends / acquaintances and to "show off" their Christmas decorations. However, it started when I was a boy because my parents are not church goers and felt it was hypocritical to just turn up to church for Christmas and nothing else.

We don't do anything else "unusual".

Poppie68

Had to post on this one...first time on this thread.

Christmas eve we all open 3 pressies each, dressing gown, slippers and PJ's, followed by a buffet and christmas film.
We have been doing it since our first daughter was born 22 years ago and have 2 more who twins of 21 and they would'nt forgive us if we stopped doing it. This year though we have the added pleasure of our grandaughter who will be 8 months old...can't wait.

Dimey

Reading all your Christmas traditions brings back happy memories for me. Its lovely to hear that some people still live the old fashioned way. I bet your children love it.

I don't have any family left now so, living alone, you tend not to bother. I do put decorations up but I go out to a restaurant for Christmas lunch. And then watch a lot of telly!

By doing the Christmas traditions you are putting memories in your children's minds that will last them a lifetime. They'll have that feeling of security and a sense of belonging which will help them through tough times. Lovely.