What are your (childfree) Christmas traditions?

Snorkypants

My OH and I drink mulled wine and watch Christmas films on Christmas Eve evening. It's always It's a Wonderful Life followed by Scrooged. I might suggest changing films this year before we get bored of them.


We spend Christmas day at my Mum and Dad's but have tea back at our house and that's when we open our presents to each other. And we watch the Dr Who Christmas special.


It's all lazy stuff but we really enjoy it.

DomRavioli

We do our celebrating on Boxing day (Christmas eve I work until 5am Christmas morning, and Christmas day is a blur of family and Dr Who).

We do each other a little box of weird things, we pick them up throughout the year.

We also have a competition of who can buy the worst tat for a quid, I won last year with a rose that was a folded up man thong. Classsy!

sweetilemon

I'm pregnant so should be our last childless christmas. We usually open a present on Christmas eve and have a party food dinner. Christmas day we have finest orange juice, croissants, butter and jam. We walk to my MIL and exchange presents then come back, open presents and start dinner at a leisurely pace, who - ever fancies taking a turn. We eat and drink wine and champagne ( although not this year!). Watch TV, sleep, play with gifts. Sometimes go to the pub or round to friends. Love christmas day.

ladymarmalade

We'e been together ten years now, married for two. Each Christmas tends to be slightly different, but so far our traditions seem to be:

an afternoon/early evening drink on Christmas Eve
new pjs in the evening
a homemade turkey and stuffing pizza on boxing day or the 27th (this is my favourite!)

Izadora

Bucks fizz for breakfast

LutonGirl

moromir wrote: »

We always try and buy a new bauble for the tree somewhere on our travels that year.

I've done this for years and love unpacking my ornaments each year, reliving the memories as they come out of the boxes. Whether it's the festive fish I bought in Harrods when shopping with my now late Mum, or the Graceland bauble I bought 30 years ago, they're all special. I like adding the current year's newbie to the tree too.

Gouldy

New pajamas on christmas eve so you wake up with new pajamas :-)

alb1

We have the traditional Christmas meal at lunchtime, then cut the cake with tea and a new board game/card game at 5pm (ish) and have a late supper.

It's been a family tradition to play a game with tea and cake since my mum was small and it's really nice to sit down together during the day. It works for children and adults alike (the youngest in my family is now 25), although the games have changed over the years and the tea is often finished very quickly in favour of something a bit stronger.

catwoman73

moromir wrote: »

We always try and buy a new bauble for the tree somewhere on our travels that year.

I really like that and might pinch it. However, I'm not sure where one would buy Christmas baubles out of season and possibly in foreign countries.

Things we (early 40s childfree couple) often do. Only buy a very token Christmas present to open on the day. Then on Boxing Day, we go into town first thing (first hour is bearable, after that too busy) and buy lots of presents together half price in the sales (eg Hotel Chocolat, Calendars, slippers). Also have breakfast or coffee and cake while out.

Go out for a meal before Christmas (or just coffee and cake) and have a wander round the city's Christmas lights and see the big tree in the city square.

Once or twice we have also cooked the Christmas dinner to have on Christmas Eve and then gone hiking on Christmas Day with turkey sandwiches and mince pies. Hip flask optional. Surprisingly many people do this.

pavlovs_dog

catwoman73 wrote: »

I really like that and might pinch it. However, I'm not sure where one would buy Christmas baubles out of season and possibly in foreign countries.

You'd be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is as it is something we like to try and do too. Crafty shops and cathedrals often have suitable offerings year round.

Love the idea of the hike with a Christmassy picnic. That could well become a boxing day tradition for us in years to come.

I also really like the idea of Christmas cake, tea and board games not only as way of uniting people in one activity, but as something that adds structure to the day. One of my favourite things on Christmas day is the evening get together at the outlaws. OH's uncle makes a quiz every year. It has become as much a part of Christmas day as the turkey to me. Such a simple tradition, yet it brings such great joy.