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

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Me and my partner wrap all the presents on Christmas Eve, while watching a film and having takeaway.
Christmas Day we have lunch at home, then go to my parents for tea. Boxing Day involves friends coming round, massive amounts of food, board games and alcohol 😊😊
 
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This thread is getting me excited for Christmas! I like baking lots of cookies around Christmas, and if I'm ambitious I'll make a gingerbread house.
 
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Glad this thread has been revived at a perfect time for me. My annual leave at work has just been approved for 2 weeks off over Christmas! Our traditions are more social events. A daytime ‘party’ with family friends the week before Christmas where someone dresses up as Santa and hands out presents for everyone - toddlers and their parents! Then we all go to the pub on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day we alternate every year between my parents’ and my husband’s parents but it’s always a quiet one. Looking forward to having children and getting the xmas excitement back into our lives
 
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I love Christmas! Decorating will be done a little early (First weekend of December) this year as we have guests the following week usually the run up is really busy with work, nights out, kids events etc so I try to get as much done as I can beforehand so I’ll make the sausage meat stuffing and freeze. Christmas Eve we will have pancakes for breakfast clean the house prep all the veg with enough for Boxing Day we will go to a Christmas service that evening and a few friends and family will call for a drink that night all in bed early for Santa and up at crack of dawn. Kids won’t open presents without us 🎅🏼 I usually do dinner for up to 15 people so far this year it’s just 8 then everyone relaxes for the evening my in laws will call over Christmas night. Boxing Day is a lazy movie day I don’t go near sales I don’t care if they are giving stuff away free in next I’m not moving from my bed before dawn for anyone! Other than that we do a family games night some evening between Christmas and new year again about 15 people for tea, we will also have a night at my sister in laws.
I however, hate new year as early January is my sister anniversary and I would gladly go to bed rather than go to the pub to the false cheer and fake happy new year hugs so usually we go to my best friends house for the evening and all home before 12 to ring in new year in our own house just the 4 of us Kids allowed to stay up and then sleep in our king size bed as a treat mind you we may need to rethink that as they get bigger 😂
 
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My husband and I moved to Canada a few years ago and now live far away from both of our families. We've been spending Christmas at home and making our own traditions since then, which has been really nice.

I tend to make a largish meal, and we survive on leftovers for days. It is a mish-mash of American, British, and Canadian foods. We go for long walks in the afternoon and play games to entertain ourselves.

We tend to send small packages to our families with various Canadian goodies for them to share on Christmas day. It is a lot easier than continuing the normal gift-giving, and everyone probably enjoys it more.
 
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My husband and I have just had a major rethink about Christmas this year and here is what we are doing.....
Due to our younger two kids last year having a complete come down after the excitement of Christmas morning the dinner was let’s just say not enjoyable.

So we are switching it up this year we are having a Christmas buffet on Christmas Day. Loads of yummy food, picky plates and there will be no set eating time just food on the table and the kids and us can graze and fill out plates when we want.

Then Boxing Day we will have our sit down Christmas dinner at a local hotel. It’s cheaper and will be a lovely family day out.

Trying to keep it as stress free as possible and I’m really looking forward to getting in all the yummy food for our buffet!
 
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My husband refused to acknowledge Christmas until December 1st but every year I manage to get the tree earlier by a couple of days. This year it’s booked in for November 23rd 🤣

Pi
My husband and I have just had a major rethink about Christmas this year and here is what we are doing.....
Due to our younger two kids last year having a complete come down after the excitement of Christmas morning the dinner was let’s just say not enjoyable.

So we are switching it up this year we are having a Christmas buffet on Christmas Day. Loads of yummy food, picky plates and there will be no set eating time just food on the table and the kids and us can graze and fill out plates when we want.

Then Boxing Day we will have our sit down Christmas dinner at a local hotel. It’s cheaper and will be a lovely family day out.

Trying to keep it as stress free as possible and I’m really looking forward to getting in all the yummy food for our buffet!
Picky food at Christmas is the best!! We go to M&S and buy a ton of appetisers and canapés. So so good!
 
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My husband refused to acknowledge Christmas until December 1st but every year I manage to get the tree earlier by a couple of days. This year it’s booked in for November 23rd 🤣

Pi

Picky food at Christmas is the best!! We go to M&S and buy a ton of appetisers and canapés. So so good!
That’s a fab idea! We are planning M&S too and a local market to us does the most amazing tapenade 🤤 As long as I have bread and tapenade I’m happy 😂😂
 
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We’ve ordered our food - I agree with the M&S comments. We’ll put our tree up on The 1st. Really looking forward to this year. Our twins are at the age now where they get it.
 
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We’ve ordered our food - I agree with the M&S comments. We’ll put our tree up on The 1st. Really looking forward to this year. Our twins are at the age now where they get it.
Awww so lovely!! We hold off until the 1st too. I’m usually not a big Christmas person but this is the first in our first home and I’m excited about decorating!! 😂

I have three boys and my youngest two and 4 and 2 it’s the first year I’ve found all the kids are fully into it 💕

We are sticking to this present idea for the kids this year as a way to scale back and buy stuff they actually need 🤯
 

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Well my brood will be 28, 26 and 20 this Christmas but they know mommabear loves Christmas on a Zoella scale so they humour me. On Christmas Eve they (including partners that may be there) STILL have a bath, new PJs, put out Rudolph magic food (oats and glitter) read Twas the Night Before Christmas and are in bed by 10pm.

Once asleep (no peeking or he wont come) Santa arrives and leaves magic footprints from the fire to the tree (flour and glitter and the other half in wellies, stomping around the room grumbling "im not hoovering this tit up)) and then the door to the room gets gift wrapped so no-one can come down and have a cheeky sneak peak. The lovely children then get me up at 5am "He's Been!" (i say Children, its me, with Jingle bells)

The only difference is; rather than dash downstairs i receive a few expletives and then they dash downstairs and instead of having to build barbie houses and scalextrix they play drinking roulette and are wrecked by 10am, they refuse to come to Mass with me and see baby Jesus and then the rest of the day I am in the kitchen (also wrecked) ruining a turkey and dancing to Now Christmas! 5pm everyone has passed out.

8pm wake up to watch 'Enders and crack open the baileys. Drinking games resume.

Bliss. I frigging LOVE it.
 
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Well my brood will be 28, 26 and 20 this Christmas but they know mommabear loves Christmas on a Zoella scale so they humour me. On Christmas Eve they (including partners that may be there) STILL have a bath, new PJs, put out Rudolph magic food (oats and glitter) read Twas the Night Before Christmas and are in bed by 10pm.

Once asleep (no peeking or he wont come) Santa arrives and leaves magic footprints from the fire to the tree (flour and glitter and the other half in wellies, stomping around the room grumbling "im not hoovering this tit up)) and then the door to the room gets gift wrapped so no-one can come down and have a cheeky sneak peak. The lovely children then get me up at 5am "He's Been!" (i say Children, its me, with Jingle bells)

The only difference is; rather than dash downstairs i receive a few expletives and then they dash downstairs and instead of having to build barbie houses and scalextrix they play drinking roulette and are wrecked by 10am, they refuse to come to Mass with me and see baby Jesus and then the rest of the day I am in the kitchen (also wrecked) ruining a turkey and dancing to Now Christmas! 5pm everyone has passed out.

8pm wake up to watch 'Enders and crack open the baileys. Drinking games resume.

Bliss. I frigging LOVE it.
Ok even this has made a grinch like me get into the Christmas mood 😂😂
 
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Me and my friends usually do a Christmas Day out, theatre trip/zoo lates etc, however I’ve busy every weekend before Christmas so instead of going out, they’re coming round whilst I dog sit (the owners are family friends so don’t mind) and I’m doing a full Christmas dinner and may just have to get the M&S Christmas version of Colin the caterpillar
 
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Me and my friends usually do a Christmas Day out, theatre trip/zoo lates etc, however I’ve busy every weekend before Christmas so instead of going out, they’re coming round whilst I dog sit (the owners are family friends so don’t mind) and I’m doing a full Christmas dinner and may just have to get the M&S Christmas version of Colin the caterpillar
This sounds so lovely! And it’s what Christmas is all about spending time together 🙌🏻
 
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Well my brood will be 28, 26 and 20 this Christmas but they know mommabear loves Christmas on a Zoella scale so they humour me. On Christmas Eve they (including partners that may be there) STILL have a bath, new PJs, put out Rudolph magic food (oats and glitter) read Twas the Night Before Christmas and are in bed by 10pm.

Once asleep (no peeking or he wont come) Santa arrives and leaves magic footprints from the fire to the tree (flour and glitter and the other half in wellies, stomping around the room grumbling "im not hoovering this tit up)) and then the door to the room gets gift wrapped so no-one can come down and have a cheeky sneak peak. The lovely children then get me up at 5am "He's Been!" (i say Children, its me, with Jingle bells)

The only difference is; rather than dash downstairs i receive a few expletives and then they dash downstairs and instead of having to build barbie houses and scalextrix they play drinking roulette and are wrecked by 10am, they refuse to come to Mass with me and see baby Jesus and then the rest of the day I am in the kitchen (also wrecked) ruining a turkey and dancing to Now Christmas! 5pm everyone has passed out.

8pm wake up to watch 'Enders and crack open the baileys. Drinking games resume.

Bliss. I frigging LOVE it.
This will be my plan in future!! We are coming to the end of the big man but I’m not giving in the 11 year old is afraid to bring it up but I still have my baby 9 for a year or two some of my favourite Christmas memories at home were when were were late teens/early 20’s best one was a storm no power we all went to the pub went home and attacked the ham by candle light 😂 Christmas Eve definitely the best part
 
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My husband and I moved to Canada a few years ago and now live far away from both of our families. We've been spending Christmas at home and making our own traditions since then, which has been really nice.

I tend to make a largish meal, and we survive on leftovers for days. It is a mish-mash of American, British, and Canadian foods. We go for long walks in the afternoon and play games to entertain ourselves.

We tend to send small packages to our families with various Canadian goodies for them to share on Christmas day. It is a lot easier than continuing the normal gift-giving, and everyone probably enjoys it more.
I am British and also live in Canada. Moved here a few years ago. We don't have family close by either so do our own traditions too.
 
Well my brood will be 28, 26 and 20 this Christmas but they know mommabear loves Christmas on a Zoella scale so they humour me. On Christmas Eve they (including partners that may be there) STILL have a bath, new PJs, put out Rudolph magic food (oats and glitter) read Twas the Night Before Christmas and are in bed by 10pm.

Once asleep (no peeking or he wont come) Santa arrives and leaves magic footprints from the fire to the tree (flour and glitter and the other half in wellies, stomping around the room grumbling "im not hoovering this tit up)) and then the door to the room gets gift wrapped so no-one can come down and have a cheeky sneak peak. The lovely children then get me up at 5am "He's Been!" (i say Children, its me, with Jingle bells)

The only difference is; rather than dash downstairs i receive a few expletives and then they dash downstairs and instead of having to build barbie houses and scalextrix they play drinking roulette and are wrecked by 10am, they refuse to come to Mass with me and see baby Jesus and then the rest of the day I am in the kitchen (also wrecked) ruining a turkey and dancing to Now Christmas! 5pm everyone has passed out.

8pm wake up to watch 'Enders and crack open the baileys. Drinking games resume.

Bliss. I frigging LOVE it.
I love you! I aspire to be like this!
 
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