Christmas traditions - what are yours?

Old_Git

christmas day ,avoid family all all costs .Seriously it has worked for 3 years .

lobbyludd

These are ours: those with * were from my childhood.

*1st december - we each get to choose 1 new christmas decoration (have a John lewis decoration saved for this year that I got free - so posh decs!!)
nearest weekend day to 1st december - choose and buy new tree from local christmas tree farm - I know this is an extravagance, but I LOVE real christmas trees and the excess branches for the basis of a wreath and garland.
Advent calenders (1 each for kids, same ons- handsewn with chocs in)
christmas tree and decorations on 1st december
*new pj's on xmas eve.
whiskey/sherry/milk/mince pies for santa, water and carrots for reideer. norad tracking.
*if at one of my parents - option of midnight mass or evening service and carols.
*xmas morning: children creep down and try their very hardest not to wake adults until at least 6. Once all adults are up (7 at latest) and have a cup of tea/coffee in their hands:
* open all presents under the tree in one big frenzy.
* cooked and continental pick and mix breakfast with sparkling wine/orange juice or a cranberry/sparkling wine (there are usually 8 to 16 of us for breakfast- I love a big christmas )
* general playing/chatting then prep for xmas dinner (which is a special meal but not nec. trad english turkey/duck etc)
*mid afternoon xmas dinner with crackers, terrible jokes, a table present.
* a walk, followed by christmas film/snooze whilst littlies play supervised by older cousins.
* evening: games, cold meat/fish selection and the christmas pud/cake that no-one could face at lunch.

there are some variations depending on who is hosting e.g. at dad's we have to put on a "turn" for a family variety performance (shudder), at mum's christmas carolling is compulsory (shudder again).

when the kids are at their father's the day is very different (every other year), presents after lunch, all menfolk disappear to the pub at opening to wander home (late) to a held back traditional christmas dinner which is always lovely but exactly the same. Womenfolk look after children and do all the cooking/cleaning etc. Boxing day - men off to hunt - women do more work, (I never really fitted in!!!!).

when the children are at their dad's I take the opportunity to sleep until noon, and then wander over to join friends for the pm - also delicious

MrsChristmas

Just wanted to pop on & say how lovely it is to read everyone's different traditions & memories X

joee

I cannot express my happiness for this thread, I love coming back to read the posts and I am always so excited when there is a new reply.

I thought that it was about time I should share my own"traditions" -

Christmas Eve

Do the big shop at my Supermarket early morning and maybe pop in to town to getlast minute stocking fillers
Go to McDonalds as early as I can in the morning and get myself a McMuffin or two!
Have a walk along the beach to give myself time to process my feelings (as much as I love Christmas there are lots of bad related memories and as yetunresolved feelings), I also write what I would say to loved ones who havedied, put it in a glass milk bottle and put out to sea.
Phone my friend to open the last door on our home made advent calendar together
Go for a drive with my friends and godson in the dark and look at the lightsand decorations
Place my presents under the tree and take a picture because I am always soproud that I have wrapped so many presents!
Make some food for Santa (I know I am in my mid twenties!)
Put the meat on to cook slowly overnight
Watch Home Alone 1 or 2 and prepare the veg for the big day
Iron my favourite PJ’s (whatever they are at the time) and wear them after myshower in the evening using Aussie Shampoo and Conditioner and a special showergel (I am thinking Nivea sunny melon this year)
Watch the Gavin and Stacey Christmas special before going to sleep with a boxof chocolates
Finish off stockings with the last minute bits I bought earlier

Christmas Day

I usually wake up first and go for a walk and a crafty cigarette!Open up all of our presents except for our tree presents, we open these after lunch
Cook egg and bacon sarnies for all and for drink fresh orange juice
Make dinner for 12.30 and wash up as I go!
Watch some crappy TV and hope that one or two good films are on
Listen to the obligatory row!
Wait for the Eastenders Christmas special

Umm that’s all I can think of for now!

joee

Hey all,

I was browsing online and saw this great website http://www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm it has lots of information about traditions from around the world!

Matt007

Mince pie and carrot left out for Santa and Rudolph. Soot by the chimney, stockings at the end of the bed ready to open at the crack of dawn, presents under the tree only one allowed before Christmas dinner.

Seen lots of good ideas on here too, always worth incorporating new traditions within Christmas.

Nix143

One of the nicest threads I've read in a long time, thanks for sharing everyone :T

My son is 19 now and so our traditions have changed but the main ones are
- always Chinese takeaway on Christmas Eve.
- I always buy one really nice new bauble for the tree and I love looking at the ones I've already bought and remembering prior Christmases.
- Poundshop Santa always leaves an inappropriate present for everyone on the Christmas dinner table

mackeroo

It really is lovely reading everyone's posts so thought i would add my memories and current plans
When small my 2 sisters and I would wake early and get to open stocking first, at the bottom was tangerine and 10 pence, we thought we were rich! Despite wanting to rip all the presents open at once, we had to wait patiently as mum wrote down who they were all from so we could write all our thank you notes on boxing day. As a child i hated doing this as it seemed to take ages, but have now instilled this dying art of letter writing/thank you notes onto my 2 step daughters.

Fast forward 30 + years and some of our traditions in the lead up to Xmas are to watch 'Its a wonderful life' which is the only film that my DH cries at. Xmas day always spent with family, smoked salmon scrambled eggs for brunch. Throughout the day we open our presents one at a time, showing everyone what we recieved. This is interspersed with some tv watching, preparing Xmas dinner and general chit chat. I always make Nigella's Xmas cocktail for the drinkers and a mocktail for mum. Glad to report that tangerine is now replaced with choc orange which is usually eaten by midday:)

Simo429

Really like this thread

We do all the local Christmas markets this week were starting at Chatsworth then it's bakewell and Lincoln.

My wife doesn't let me have my Christmas CD or watch any Christmas films till 25/11

We've already bought our pack of glass bottles of coke ready for the start of christmas

On Christmas eve my wife has to work so my dad and I get up early have a full English and do some last minute jobs, we then go for a few beers in the afternoon. My wife then opp picks me up from the pub and we have a pizza then go to the pub together.

Christmas day my family comes round to us early and we have breakfast (this year pancakes, compote and fresh yoghurt with a glass of champagne) we open presents and about 9.30 head to the in-laws for more champers (none for me I don't like it). Me and my dad go to the graveyard and put flowers on my mamas grave. Then about 20 of us go to the local for a beer while the mums get on with the dinner. The in-laws come to my parents for Lunch which makes life really easy. In the afternoon after me and my dad have done the pots we have a couple of hours before the rest of the family descend on my man and dads 2 up 2 down and we try and wrestle the remote from my uncle.

daisiegg

I love this thread; it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside