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

[runner28]

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.

 

[coconochanel]

Haven’t had a stocking since I was a kid.
We don’t do presents for adults (although I do break that rule for my sibling) and we just buy for the kids.

We haven’t done presents in years sounds a bit miserable doesn’t it

Well i bet it saves you some money. I think when you are an adult you don't really want anything because you just buy it yourself.

 

[Apple In My Pie]

I don’t do stockings in my family but mum gets me a Christmas Eve box. It usually has pyjamas and bed socks in it (gotta look nice for Santa) a DVD or book and some snack bits (chocolate coins, candy canes, gingerbread man making kit). as a kid this had purpose - I’d never wind down before bed and so giving me an activity and a dvd to watch helped. Now I’m 20 and it’s just purely out of tradition

 

[Oohthedrama]

So, apparently the tree is up, who pulls it down first the dog or the kids.

(fake obviously, nature doesn’t grow a tree like John Lewis* does)

*Other retailers do exist. Not spon. The tree isn’t from JL, I have not been paid to promote the JL Christmas range)

 

[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.

 

[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

 

[Rose91]

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

 

[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

 

[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

 

[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

 

[SunshineDreamer]

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.

 

[Mrs Cucumber]

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 shit 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!

 

[Oohthedrama]

Haven’t had a stocking since I was a kid.
We don’t do presents for adults (although I do break that rule for my sibling) and we just buy for the kids.

We haven’t done presents in years sounds a bit miserable doesn’t it

 

[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

 

[LemonLife]

Does anyone else get really annoyed at buying lots of nice gifts for people and getting rubbish in return? I’m not talking about people who can’t afford it, I’m not at all well off, the people I buy for are and I either get cheap stuff or joint presents from entire families when I buy for each person?!

Omg this! I love buying for people and spend a long time thinking about gifts that will suit them. But then people I have known for years buy me absolute tat that is not at all suited to who I am and it boils my piss!

 

[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 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.

 

[rather not stop]

A full night's sleep!

 

[Hereforthehottea]

I’m really not ungrateful and I appreciate any gifts but when I’m going to the effort of buying for everyone individually and I’ve suggested stopping gifts but they say they want to continue, but I get one joint (cheap) present from literally five adults in a family I feel a bit hurt!