Merry Christmas!! tips, tricks, traditions & tantrums.. stockings etc 🙂

[Oohthedrama]

Don’t @ me I know it’s September

But I was just wondering, what do you do for Christmas?
When do you start preparing!?
What are your favorite recipes or Christmas food to buy for the day?

When do you start shopping?!!!
In the next few months if you see any deals on toys or ideas for gifts!!! Post them here!!!
Especially if you find kids toys at a cheaper price

Any tips and tricks you want to pass on?
gift ideas for adults, secret Santa.... how to survive elf on the shelf Best offers on alcoholic beverages all things festive

or just a place to write about your traditions and how much you hate the in-laws

Merry Christmas you filthy animals only 109 days to go

 

[PinkMermaid]

I have some gifts I've seen over the year stashed away. I have ideas for the kids. But tbh I've not considered much at all. It's the 1st Xmas without my father in law so will be difficult especially for the husband and kids. And my mother in law. Last year we all had Xmas at the in laws house but not sure what to do this year. Just us 4 or ask mother in law too.

Got the bloody elf to sort again, might have to start on ideas now. 4th year it will be here and the 8 year old does nothing but talk about the elf all the time.....

Our traditions are real tree, Xmas eve boxes, croissants on Xmas day. Not really much else.

 

[YouDeserveWow]

We have a new tradition over the last couple of years of only buying for 1 person to keep costs down. It's almost like secret Santa but it's not a secret we have a 1 year old this year and I have no idea what to get her so any tips would be gratefully received!!
I always try and make sure we put our tree up on the 1st December but depends on my husbands shifts. We always listen to christmas music and eat quality street whilst we do it.
Christmas Eve is "prep" day. Literally just get everything ready and then have a few drinks and watch Christmas films.
We always get up super early on Christmas Day (although now I'm a mum it's actually just the time we normally get up ) and open a few presents. Stop at 8:30ish for bucks fizz and croissants. Carry on until we finish opening presents and then make lunch. After lunch is games and then buffet tea and more games. We've never had the tv on Christmas Day unless it was for the Queen's speech but this year with Gavin & Stacey coming back we might have to break that rule Christmas is honestly my favourite time of year to be around family
Would people recommend Elf on the Shelf? Was considering doing it (not yet coz she's too little imo) but I've heard a lot of parents moaning about it

 

[bubbletea123]

We have Christmas by ourselves. My SO's family is across the country and mine are in the UK. We used to travel to my SO's parents but it is a 12-hour drive, we built our house and have a dog so decided to stay at home to make our own traditions.

My SO is Polish so on Christmas Eve, we have Polish food that we make (pierogi, cheesecake, fish, etc). We used to make a British roast on Christmas Day but last year we had Christmas Eve leftovers on Christmas Day and made the roast on boxing day. It was much more relaxing, we stayed in our PJs all day. We make the pierogi and dumpling a month ahead and freeze them as it is a tedious thing to do.


Christmas morning breakfast was smoked salmon on a bagel with cream cheese, capers, lemon and bellini to drink. We also have Panettone in which we love.

For presents, we do: something to wear, read, need and want. Makes it much easier.
We also do stockings, with things like bath bombs, candles (DW brand is our fav), beard oil, etc.

 

[mRu]

We have a new tradition over the last couple of years of only buying for 1 person to keep costs down. It's almost like secret Santa but it's not a secret we have a 1 year old this year and I have no idea what to get her so any tips would be gratefully received!!

A ball pool if u haven't got one already! Also the little skuttlebug scooters are great, or a little car they can ride in / ride on. My little one is 16 months and that's the toys he plays with most, along with building blocks, and any kind of ball or car.

 

[Oohthedrama]

Love these!!

Got the bloody elf to sort again, might have to start on ideas now. 4th year it will be here and the 8 year old does nothing but talk about the elf all the time.....

I swear to the actual baby Jesus, elf on the shelf was designed by Satan himself.

Christmas is hard work I love it don’t get me wrong!! But there’s so much pressure to get everything right
I tend to wait until after Halloween to start planning gifts but I'm starting to think about it all today, when I saw tesco have advent calendars out

We have a new tradition over the last couple of years of only buying for 1 person to keep costs down. It's almost like secret Santa but it's not a secret we have a 1 year old this year and I have no idea what to get her so any tips would be gratefully received!!

Oh brilliant!!!! The kids in my family are all from 3 to 5 it’s like a land fill by the end of the day

I have some gifts I've seen over the year stashed away.

I know someone who went to the boots 70% off sale last year and bought Christmas 2019 gifts

 

[PinkMermaid]

I don't mind the elf. I just hate actually thinking of 25 days if new ideas that aren't stemmed from America where it wouldn't make sense in the UK. Google, I have to say in the elf situation, is useless. Especially if you've done it for more than 2 years.

You have to be creative. I'm not creative in the slightest. I end up making tiny accessories for the stupid elf. And his wife. And their baby. I have even resorted to asking my students, all 16+, for ideas. Some cannot be repeated.

But the 8 year old loves it and it is worth it.

 

[Notfazed]

We do elf on the shelf, Pinterest is good for inspiration. The only problem I have is usually when I'm in bed for the night I remember I forgot to do the bloody thing. The kids love him though. Also don't get your kids to name the elf as my son has named his snow jinglebells man
We always spend the day the morning at ours and then take it in turns each year to either go to my sisters, mums or ours for Xmas Dinner. So we only have the hassle of cooking the dinner every 3 years. Boxing day we go to the FILs.
We always try and put the tree up on the 2nd of December as my father passed away on the 1st so doesn't feel right to do it that day.
We do stockings for the kids and fill it with cheap stuff and 1 big present from Father Christmas. All the rest of the presents are from mummy and daddy.

 

[Oohthedrama]

It’s honestly so shit Santa gets the credit for the best gifts,
I remember my mum told us that parents have to pay a monthly subscription to Santa to keep the north pole open (she didn’t use those words it was the early 90’s ) so the gifts were actually for parents but Santa made them

I think I take after her

 

[Aabbcc]

My baby is 1 so too young to really understand but my intentions are:

One gift (& stocking) from Santa. Any others from family - I don’t agree with everything being from Santa, how do you answer why some children get more and others get less? Being naughty and nice has NOTHING to do with it.

I’m not intending to do elf on the shelf or any other such nonsense. Aside from the fact that it’s an Americanism “for the ‘gram” that I don’t agree with, I don’t see how an elf that causes mischief around the house is exactly modelling good behaviour to a child when the purpose is that it keeps watch over the child to report to Santa each night whether they are being naughty or nice.

Something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read.
Also a board game for the family to play together (probably for the older child)

I think I’d like to encourage my children to donate some old toys/clothes/books etc in the run up to Christmas because a) it helps to clear out space and b) it helps teach charity.

The one thing I quite liked that I saw on Pinterest is where the presents are stacked in boxes one smaller than the rest and wrapped so they look like a Christmas tree/snowman/Santa etc which I think I quite like the idea of, although not sure how it would work in practise.

We also do church in the morning. When I was younger we had to wait until after church before we could open presents, or we could open one present before and the rest after. I haven’t really decided what my intentions are with that yet.

Generally speaking we either have a meal with my family on Christmas Eve/day or Boxing Day depending on when my brother and his family visit. Then it depends on my partners family and where they are. Sometimes we do a little get together for his brother’s birthday which is Boxing Day.

We’re still building traditions and it’s early days for our little family but my main goal is to try not to overspend on the children. The older child who is only interested in whether he gets the new xbox game he wants has his birthday at the start of December so it’s tough to have two lots of presents for him sometimes. I guess that’s part of the reason that I want to try to encourage minimal spending overall. We usually pick him up from his mum’s later on in the afternoon on Christmas Day and he spends the night and Boxing Day with us.

 

[Oohthatslovely]

I prefer to get the presents around this sort of time. Last year I did all the presents last minute and it was all rushed and panicky. I prefer being all set and ready with the presents.

 

[SoTired]

I bought my first Christmas present of the year last week. One of the kids really likes those Ugg type slipper boots which sell out when it gets colder (found this out last year ) so when I saw them in Next I was right in there.

Over the past few years I've became a bit obsessed with finding what my OH calls my "perfect tree"... resulting in us now having about a dozen trees up the loft. . Each year I'll see another one and I'll order it, OH will moan, I'll say "But, but this one is my perfect tree" and he'll let me keep it and so it goes on. This year I've already been told "NO new tree" but we'll see!

 

[liarliarliar]

I LOVE this thread!

So someone gave me this tip a few years ago and it helped loads as I managed to get really good deals. Download the hotukdeals app and spend 10 mins every couple night scrolling through new deals to see if anything good comes up. Also set notifications on keywords so eg. One year I did ‘kids bike’ and got a good deal when one came up in Halfords. I got a huge bottle of Ralph Lauren aftershave for pennies. I think it was tne year before there was a glitch on boots website where I got 3 of the large Yankee candles for around £19 something like that

 

[SoTired]

When Marks and Spencer do their 20% off I get knitwear, nightwear or slippers for my Mother and MIL which makes a bit of a saving.
Also sometimes they do a half price sale where I've also bought stuff for them.

 

[Rose91]

We have a new tradition over the last couple of years of only buying for 1 person to keep costs down. It's almost like secret Santa but it's not a secret

My family do this, then we buy my mum and dad a joint present between me, my brothers and sister. Makes things so much easier.

I’ve been going to my aunties and grandad for Christmas since I was 10, but this year I’ll be with my auntie and Nanny as my grandad sadly passed away in July.

We do a Xmas eve party at my other auntie and uncles and Boxing Day sale.

Shopping hack - we save all our nectar points through the year then use them towards the food shop. We also find ordering and collecting the food gives you extra points. Also get PJ’s etc. When Sainsbury’s have their 25% off clothing

 

[Oohthedrama]

I LOVE this thread!

So someone gave me this tip a few years ago and it helped loads as I managed to get really good deals. Download the hotukdeals app and spend 10 mins every couple night scrolling through new deals to see if anything good comes up. Also set notifications on keywords so eg. One year I did ‘kids bike’ and got a good deal when one came up in Halfords. I got a huge bottle of Ralph Lauren aftershave for pennies. I think it was tne year before there was a glitch on boots website where I got 3 of the large Yankee candles for around £19 something like that

I LOVE tips like this!!
Christmas is expensive, especially with kids. And it’s always after the deal is gone that you find out about it
I know last year there were a lot of people looking for toys that had sold out in certain areas, I like the idea of users being able to help each other with gift ideas and offers as we find them!

I’m not intending to do elf on the shelf or any other such nonsense. Aside from the fact that it’s an Americanism “for the ‘gram” that I don’t agree with, I don’t see how an elf that causes mischief around the house is exactly modelling good behaviour to a child when the purpose is that it keeps watch over the child to report to Santa each night whether they are being naughty or nice.

Famous last words we said the same here but when the oldest got to 3 it started this will be the 2nd year doing it properly

Shopping hack - we save all our nectar points through the year then use them towards the food shop. We also find ordering and collecting the food gives you extra points. Also get PJ’s etc. When Sainsbury’s have their 25% off clothing

Love this! We do the same with Tesco vouchers save them throughout the year and use them at Christmas!!

I’ll be with my auntie and Nanny as my grandad sadly passed away in July.

the first Christmas after loosing a family member is always hard.

 

[Lars Guinard]

Love this thread. Really enjoy reading about other people’s traditions and how they come about and just views on buying presents. Great to know others feel that not everything is from Santa.
My eldest two just want money, the middle ones are at a sceptical age and I think last year the game was up concerning the existence of Santa and the link to the North Pole and my youngest ones are too young to really know what is going on... just me waving the ‘Santa stop here’ sign.
We always opened one present on Christmas Eve before bedtime, I suppose in a bid to deter us waking extra early on Christmas Day.
We always visit my parents house for Christmas and I think this year I may just break tradition and stay at home rather than transporting the children and all the presents and everything else I overpack...I just need to break it to my family, any tips welcome.
Thank @liarliarliar Off to sign up to hotukdeals and hopefully start on the present buying.

I did ask my children about a ‘theme’ for the Christmas tree this year and we are going with the traditional ‘PawPatrol lights’ with ‘like, erm...cute rose gold or a pink, feathers and stuff’ and ‘a LOL doll on the top’...Well, I have until the 1st of December to persuade them otherwise.

 

[Dannie]

As soon as the kids start back at school I officially start planning. This year it’s been late as my daughter went off to university last weekend. I have ordered my wrapping paper, tags, gift boxes and gift bags, As soon as Matalan have their Christmas stock online I order. I do it then as things seem to go out of stock quickly. This year I have the blush pink Christmas swan theme. My living room as been newly decorated so have ordered new Christmas sacks, stockings and garland to match. Especially now the kids stocking and sacks from when they were little have gone away into the memory box. The elf on the shelf won’t be visiting this year as my youngest now thinks it’s cringe lol. So our four elves won’t be visiting our household till there is a grandchild. This is why I decided now to order new stocking and sacks to show the more grown up household we have.

I have bought two gifts so far but we have strict lists due to lots of holidays next year. We don’t tend to buy outside our little family. Hubby buys for his mum and this year I bought a little Christmas decoration for a friends little boy to put on his tree. Apart from that we don’t buy others.

Traditions are Christmas tree goes up first weekend before the 1st December. The weekend that’s closest. In between we tend to have a weekend visiting Christmas markets, last year was Bath and we want to do Harrogate next year. This year is undecided so far. Christmas Eve we always go for a walk early evening before coming home and have homemade goats cheese and pepper tart, potato gratin and coleslaw. I know it’s not a typical Xmas meal but we had it one year and the tradition as stuck. Then we finish off later on in the evening with port and mince pies. While watching Die Hard. I then put out the stockings. Kids presents are already under tree now they are older. Xmas morning we open our stockings in bed while I drink coffee. Once downstairs Kids and hubby have croissants, orange juice, Buck’s Fizz, etc. I have smoked salmon & Blinis and we open our presents taking it in turns. Then I am in the kitchen with Xmas songs cooking the dinner, while the kids play games or just do their thing which mainly is straight on FaceTime with their friends. I serve dinner at 3 just in time for the queen speech. We watch that and do a toast. After dinner we go for a lovely late afternoon stroll. We come back get our pjs on settle down to the tv. Boxing date we hit the sales. Another reason we don’t want to go mad with presents as both my kids are now older and prefer to shop on Boxing Day, in the night once we get back we have a cheese board with part baked rolls and all the trimmings. New year we went out last year with friends. This year we are planning cinema, bowling and meal out as oldest will be out with her fiends as she is now 18. Will be in our pjs by 8pm . This New year will be me, hubs and the youngest. Cost wise I am being careful due to the holidays we have planned next year and it’s my 40th in March.

Whatever your traditions are tattlers, I wish you and your family a lovely one x

 

[Kake20]

Love this thread! It’s so lovely seeing everyone else’s traditions

The tree always goes up on the 1st of December every year, without fail haha
My Mum always does a buffet style tea on Christmas Eve, she’s done that for as long as I can remember!
We always open one present on Christmas Eve.
We always spend Christmas Day at my Mums house and my Nan and Uncle always come round for Christmas dinner as they live the opposite side of the street to my Mum, so that’s always nice!

Does anyone else’s Mum always sit there on Christmas Day with a bin bag on “wrapping paper patrol”

My parents have always put mine and my sisters presents on different sofas, so we sit opposite sides of the living room and take it in turns to open presents, they’ve done that since we were children.
My other Nan and Grandad always have a buffet on Boxing Day evening, so we always go there for that!

But my Mum always stays at home as Boxing Day is her day off during Christmas! I don’t blame her really, she does so much for all of us she deserves it

Also I want to wish you all a lovely Christmas no matter what you’re doing for it X

 

[TheMotherHen-Kathryn]

Hey

We have Christmas by ourselves just my hubby and the kids we do visits to family the days before or after.

I’ve told my friends now to stop buying gifts for the kids as they simply get so much and I now with three kids I don’t expect friends to buy them all.

Also with my friends we no longer buy gifts for each other and instead put money together for a Christmas lunch out. We love this and it’s something to look forward too.

My eldest boy doesn’t believe anymore but he’s very excited to be “Santa” for his little brothers. What we have started doing is that we say Santa brings one big gift their wish gift and Mummy and Daddy save up and get the rest. Just so there they don’t think Santa brings EVERYTHING

We are vegetarian so we go a veggie roast. Loads of roasties, veggies, mash, veggie gravy, veggie stuffing and I do a nut roast which has been a hit