I’m loving this thread. I start to shop towards the end of the month after my stepchildrens birthdays.
Our traditions:
1st December: North Pole box. I do this as then we get a full month’s worth of use out of the things in it. Usually consists of Christmas PJs, T-shirt’s, books, advent calendars, cups etc. Either bought in the sale or used each year as my youngest knows I do this. The older two are 12/14 now anyway.
Christmas Eve: The youngest and I go to my mums to have a pre christmas day with my mum and sister. Nice food and present swapping. Partner works half a day and wraps my presents that he’s told me all month he’s not got me
he’s a good one!
Christmas Day: Croissants for breakfast, stockings upstairs in bed, youngest opens his pressies, we have dinner early afternoon and then get cleared away for round two for my stepchildren. Then we spend the rest of the day playing with things and have snacks for tea.
Boxing Day: Chilled morning and then afternoon/evening party with family. Not sure what’s happening with that this year yet!
I make my youngest an activity advent. Each day he has something to do. Sometimes this is really simple such as have a nice hot choc, watch a Christmas film, read a Christmas book etc. I try and do one “big” thing each year involving us all. Last year it was the Polar Express. This year will be a challenge thinking of ideas! My youngest is now 8 so I need to start thinking of older ideas as he gets a bit embarrassed if we happen to bump into Santa when he’s visiting any shops/places we’re at
So would love to know how you keep the Christmas spirit going with kids growing up? I want to make some new traditions!
Love Christmas and these are our traditions, apologies if its a bit long just get a bit over excited haha!!
We have 3 kids and the eldest helps a lot more with decorating but the younger two are already starting to mention Christmas seeing the little bits and pieces in the shops etc. We always decorate on a Friday , I go a bit overboard with the decorations but its my favourite part of Christmas. Love family time after the tree & decs go up with just the Christmas lights on watching a Christmas movies with a nice hot chocolate.
What are your must watch Christmas movie(s)?
We have done a version of Elf on the Shelf since eldest was very small (10 years+) and he arrives on 1st of December with advent calendars and usually the Christmas Jumpers / clothes to wear on the run up to Christmas - does nice and naughty things all the way through till Christmas Eve.
We usually have some time on the run up baking and making Christmas goodies and deliciousness - Christmas Cake, biscuits, sweet mince pies and then we bake and freeze what we can for NYE party -
possibly not this year though! Usually we do pantomime and Christmas markets and fairs on the run up to Christmas but they both will not happen this year due to COVID, one weekend we do go to the local garden centre and pick a Christmas tree decoration to come home and hang on the tree. We also may have a Christmas day out, in the past we have done winter wonderland, railway museum Santa special, safari park Christmas celebration and last year we did Alice in wonderland light festival.
On Christmas Eve we have a day of watching Christmas tv, fit in a Christmas craft if there is time and make sure the house is all clean and tidy for Santa coming. In the late afternoon we visit family for nibbles and hot chocolate and whilst there we track santa on norad. On the way home we look at Christmas lights on the trip home. When we get home our elf has "gone to help Santa" and left behind one present (Christmas Eve Pjs and usually a small chocolate treat), although our eldest is older and no longer believes the elf still leaves her something last year we had different flavoured hot chocolate with candy canes, cream and marshmallows to share once the others were in bed! Santa has a special plate and mug for his treats and drink - this is put out, stockings are hung, we only put out the santa stop here sign on christmas eve, sprinkle reindeer food and then we all pile into our bed to read the night before Christmas before attempting to get the kids to sleep haha!
Whilst waiting for the kids to settle husband and I usually prep as much as I can for dinner the next day we usually have it with 13 of us together so we all take responsibility for part of it and then come together at whoever's house is hosting that year. We have simple breakfast on the day, big 3 course christmas lunch which is usually starter, lunch then dessert about 3 hours later haha! After lunch we swap gifts with family and usually play a silly game or two.
Boxing day is our day where we usually stay in pyjamas and relax we play with toys, eat chocolate and go nowhere. My parents usually come over and dad cooks boxing day curry with leftover meats for us all. Then we will have buffet style tea late in the day - cold meats, cheese and crackers etc.
Sooooo excited now hahah!
Love reading other people's traditions - what are yours? xx
It’s always one extreme to the other for me. I either slob in PJ’s or I get all dressed up. Either way, we go nowhere and see no one
Same as others, I always had new pyjamas on christmas eve but never christmas ones as a child. Then a new outfit on Christmas Day. We have done Christmas Pjs only the last 2 or 3 year but they then wear them on the run up to Christmas the following year, apart from my eldest who has been wearing last years christmas pj bottoms since about April - she says she is keeping the spirit alive (and they are comfortable
). Still do a nice outfit on christmas day for us all.
He gives no shits and nor do I.
especially hearing what everyone is doing for others.
) to bring in nice shampoos and wash bits. We'd have to wash some old ladies with the hand wash at the sink or the hospital emollient 
We'd try and 'borrow' a little something nice for those who didn't have from those who did. I don't know what hospitals will be like accepting bits this year but if you have a friend or family member who works in dementia wards or MH, might be worth asking if they're accepting. Body spray, hairspray, mini tooth pastes, Bobby pins- they were so useful as everyone deserves to feel a bit special 
Xmas pjs just for me then!
