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

[Tree_]

This year we are staying home just the 4 of us xmas day. My parents and brother will come round in the morning and I'll do some brunch or something. But then they can shove off lol. I'm undecided on a christmas dinner or not. I just don't think i can be arsed. I'm going all out on the decor this year for a tacky grotto theme. I love it. Last year i rediscovered foil ceiling decs and this year I'm going to get more, namely the red and green ones. Tack i know. I've also got myself a 6ft multi coloured fibre optic to go in the dining room window as an extra tree

 

[Oohthedrama]

he tree always goes up on the 1st of December every year

I come from a family that used to put the tree up on Christmas Eve night
When we came along (the kids) it would go up around the 18.

Now we’re the “adults” tree goes up the weekend closest to the 16/17 ish.
It’s a fake, it always has to be fake, can’t be doing with a dodgy ass tree

multi coloured fibre optic

You’ve just described my idea of hell

Last year i rediscovered foil ceiling decs

80’s decorations!!!!!

 

[Hereforthehottea]

Anyone have any tips on telling people you want to stop buying gifts? I’ve SO many to buy for and have broached before but they all want to continue!

 

[LasVegas702]

Favorite food Christmas Eve is gumbo with crab, chicken, shrimp and sausage. And Christmas Day honey baked ham, turkey, cornbread dressing, dirty rice, collard greens, sweet potatoe pie.

 

[Wambam]

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

Just don’t go mad on your 1 year old they appreciate anything especially a good box and they tend to get lots bought for them x

Anyone have any tips on telling people you want to stop buying gifts? I’ve SO many to buy for and have broached before but they all want to continue!

We stopped buying brothers and sisters when they had children we now just buy nieces and nephews I suggested it as my partner wasn’t working one year and they all seemed really happy to do that

 

[SunshineDreamer]

Every year I say I’m going to be organised...and it never happens. We’ve just found out that my husbands amazing colleague who doesn’t celebrate Christmas is going to cover his shifts on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day (and I’m not going to lie, I may have cried). We always put up our tree on the 1st but after last year I’m looking at a way to secure it from 2 toddler tornadoes!

We don’t have many traditions yet as our kids are only 2 years and 2 months but we will do one main gift from Santa each then the rest from us. We do tend to go all out at Christmas though and I can’t wait.

 

[PoorPatrol]

Not so much a what we do do, but what we don’t, is I don’t ever change the decorations etc. I spent a fortune on beautiful glass decorations when the children were tiny, and that’s that. I’ve stuck to that because I have such fond memories of my grandmother’s glass decorations, for literally about thirty++ years and I’ve got a real emotional attachment to them. I wanted my children to feel the same when everything gets unwrapped each year, rather than theming or buying new.

That being said, we always buy a Christmas decoration on holiday. For one thing we often go away for a few days before Christmas so there’s Christmassy things around, but actually if you notice they sell them pretty much everywhere you go for the rest of the year. We’ve bought one in a random street in Portugal in August, Amsterdam in spring, New York in winter after Christmas was over. So they’re the only new additions that come along.

We go to the same place as a family each year to buy our tree, and always have hot chocolate with toppings when we arrive home with it and let it settle.

We have some really lovely Christmas themed toys, too. So that box comes out December 1st and they play with the little Christmas sets and start feeling festive. As they’re put away with the decorations for the rest of the year, absence seems to make the heart grow fonder and they’re always thrilled to see the Christmas toys again.

 

[Looney toons]

Best Christmas I've had started 3 years ago, i stopped putting decorations up, didn't do a meal, i ate what i wanted when i wanted, i work every Christmas day at some point either late, early or the night. I still buy presents and like to receive. I have a partner and parents, no children so I'm not alone. Since i stopped 80% of doing Christmas im so so chilled with it all. I don't hate it, it just doesn't bother me at all. Point im making is do what you want.(i realise its difficult with kiddies) i stopped bowing to pressure to do what is expected at Christmas. Now I go to mass on xmas eve, cheese and biscuits maybe for dinner, and go to work to earn double in the blue light sector. that's it. No gutting the house through on xmas eve and then putting it all away again 2nd January. For those celebrating, i wish you a good one though. Life is about each to their own right.

 

[Tree_]

I come from a family that used to put the tree up on Christmas Eve night
When we came along (the kids) it would go up around the 18.

Now we’re the “adults” tree goes up the weekend closest to the 16/17 ish.
It’s a fake, it always has to be fake, can’t be doing with a dodgy ass tree


You’ve just described my idea of hell



80’s decorations!!!!!
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Lol. I think I'm in the minority with my coloured trees. I just love them. Love others classy trees but they just aren't me

 

[Rose91]

Not so much a what we do do, but what we don’t, is I don’t ever change the decorations etc. I spent a fortune on beautiful glass decorations when the children were tiny, and that’s that. I’ve stuck to that because I have such fond memories of my grandmother’s glass decorations, for literally about thirty++ years and I’ve got a real emotional attachment to them. I wanted my children to feel the same when everything gets unwrapped each year, rather than theming or buying new.

That being said, we always buy a Christmas decoration on holiday.
.

We have decorations from my mum and dads first Christmas together, plus get a new one each year. We also have Mable the fat fairy my mum made when she was a little girl, although she has seen better days!

My sisters birthday is the 14th December so we put the tree up afterwards

 

[urghwhy]

My brother and I are both in our 20's so have moved out, but this year my parents separated. This is the first time my family has been so split up and in different places in the country (because of work). My partner is Polish so we don't see his family at Christmas time. Got stuck in the snow once! So we visit in spring time instead.

This year we have decided to have Christmas on our own. It's going to be pizza, Yorkshire puds and cheesecake. Really random, but they are our favourite foods!

I don't even decorate for Christmas anymore... I deffo think it is for kids, unless there are adults with no children that also go "all-out"?

Anyone have any tips on telling people you want to stop buying gifts? I’ve SO many to buy for and have broached before but they all want to continue!

Oh.. I'd love to know this, too. Also, about receiving them! I always get random toiletries that I will never use and I just re-gift them at my work secret santa.

 

[Definitelyme]

Anyone have any tips on telling people you want to stop buying gifts? I’ve SO many to buy for and have broached before but they all want to continue!

Simply say “we have so much already we don’t want any gifts this year. And because of that, we won’t be buying any either.” And remind regularly “remember we aren’t doing any gifts this year so if you buy us one you’ll get nothing in return”.

If it’s family maybe suggest secret Santa so everyone still gets a gift but it’s easier to manage

 

[Elsass]

We always spend loads on fancy advent calendars which I’m stopping this year. Last year between us we had gin, hotel chocolat, Lindt and I’m sure another. I’ve decided this year I’m buying some advent calendars and chocolate tree decorations for the food bank instead as we just don’t need all that, we’re both 28

This leads into my favourite tradition, my Nan always sends us both an advent calendar with a note saying one a day or he won’t visit! Those are the calendars we’ll have to open

 

[grumpy-nosy-cow]

Anyone have any tips on telling people you want to stop buying gifts? I’ve SO many to buy for and have broached before but they all want to continue!

i used to buy for all our close friends children until one year i totted up just how much it was costing us and i was coming to an end on a FTC job. I just sent a nice text well in advance of the big day to them all saying hoping people wouldnt be offended but would they mind if we stopped buying presents at xmas & just continue to buy birthday presents.
im not tight and i love buying gifts for children but it became harder & harder to buy for my own children as friends would club together and buy big gifts that they wanted. Everyone was OK with it and one friend commented she wished she could stop it too! .

 

[Mustard]

Any good tips for Christmas puddings this year?

 

[ScrambledEggs]

I've always liked Sainsbury's or Tesco Extra special.

 

[ComeonLen]

I love Christmas pudding!!!

I’ve always wanted to make one myself but it looks like a lot of faff

 

[Oohthedrama]

I love Christmas pudding!!!

I’ve always wanted to make one myself but it looks like a lot of faff

it’s hard work!!!

christmas pudding and hot brandy sauce is the tit

 

[Bluetomato]

I come from a family that used to put the tree up on Christmas Eve night
When we came along (the kids) it would go up around the 18.

Now we’re the “adults” tree goes up the weekend closest to the 16/17 ish.
It’s a fake, it always has to be fake, can’t be doing with a dodgy ass tree


You’ve just described my idea of hell



80’s decorations!!!!!
View attachment 43507View attachment 43508

omg I love these decs! My dad used to hang them all over the downstairs of our house, much to my mums delight

 

[ReginaDiva]

We do Christmas just us, me hubby and little one stay at home.
We make a trip to M&S and get all our food, go a little crazy and basically stay in eating for a few days