What do you do on Christmas Eve / Day? (A restful Christmas)

[chapterthree]

Hi all.

I’m curious, what do you normally do on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day? Do you have a specific routine or set timings? Any particular activities, games or must do events.

I’m intrigued but also looking for ideas. I want and need, to unwind this Christmas. This year has been truly stressful and I want to relax. For the sake of my mental health and to recharge before the new year.

Thanks!

 

[Sibz]

On Christmas eve we get all the chocolates, cakes, drinks, snacks, biscuits we've been hoarding upstairs and bring them down. Last year I had work in the morning, this year I've got the whole day off woo so I'm planning on watching lots of TV and Christmas films, always watch the Snowman and carols, this year I've made a Mary Berry Christmas cake, so I will ice that Christmas eve.

Christmas Day we open the presents in the morning, then I go have a shower and use some of my bath stuff and smellies I've got as presents and make myself presentable. Family is coming over for lunch, we have that at 1pm, then watch the Queen's King's speech, watch the afternoon film on BBC, doze off asleep, watch Strictly, the soaps, Call The Midwife and will watch Doc Martin christmas special this year. Eat a bit of buffet and have some drinks.

So if the TV breaks down, that will be christmas ruined for me

 

[coconochanel]

I look forward to reading what other people get up to .

Christmas eve- On Christmas eve I take gifts round to family/friends then come home and have a root in all the Christmas food goodies I have bought. I usually have an easy lunch/dinner this year is Lobster Mac & cheese then relax and watch tv for the rest of the day/night.

Christmas day- Get up, open presents and have a slow morning then get ready, have lunch with family about 1pm then maybe play some games etc. Watch some tv, have a cheese board and picky bits then get cosy in pj's and relax.

 

[S29S37]

I love reading other peoples Christmas traditions, I was just talking to my sister about how different we do Christmas to each other.

On Christmas Eve we (me, husband,10yo,8yo,6yo) go visit my brother in the afternoon to drop off presents for our nieces and nephew, then we drive home in the dark to look at Christmas lights, get a drive through McDonalds and eat it in the car. Come home and get the kids ready for bed and put bits out for Santa.

Christmas day we wake up, open stockings upstairs, go down for breakfast which is just the usual cereal etc, then go in the living room which Santa always blocks off with wrapping paper and tinsel etc - always fun for the kids, but a massive ballache to setup. Once presents from Santa are open we then get ready to go to husbands parents to exchange gifts, we come home and have a normal lunch, then open presents from each other and my family who send gifts. Then we have Christmas dinner which I make for us all but then my children usually end up not eating it and having cereal instead (autism and arfid)
On boxing Day we put all the presents away and take down the tree and decorations, except this year they're staying up until new year because family are visiting after Christmas and we want to do a second Christmas.

 

[chapterthree]

I love reading other peoples Christmas traditions, I was just talking to my sister about how different we do Christmas to each other.

On Christmas Eve we (me, husband,10yo,8yo,6yo) go visit my brother in the afternoon to drop off presents for our nieces and nephew, then we drive home in the dark to look at Christmas lights, get a drive through McDonalds and eat it in the car. Come home and get the kids ready for bed and put bits out for Santa.

Christmas day we wake up, open stockings upstairs, go down for breakfast which is just the usual cereal etc, then go in the living room which Santa always blocks off with wrapping paper and tinsel etc - always fun for the kids, but a massive ballache to setup. Once presents from Santa are open we then get ready to go to husbands parents to exchange gifts, we come home and have a normal lunch, then open presents from each other and my family who send gifts. Then we have Christmas dinner which I make for us all but then my children usually end up not eating it and having cereal instead (autism and arfid)
On boxing Day we put all the presents away and take down the tree and decorations, except this year they're staying up until new year because family are visiting after Christmas and we want to do a second Christmas.

Wow! Decs normally down on Boxing Day! I leave mine up until epiphany, but they don’t go up until the 15th. I would find it too empty / cold without all the decs up over NY! Plus January is so depressing, I like to have that warm cozy feeling for as long as possible

 

[S29S37]

Wow! Decs normally down on Boxing Day! I leave mine up until epiphany, but they don’t go up until the 15th. I would find it too empty / cold without all the decs up over NY! Plus January is so depressing, I like to have that warm cozy feeling for as long as possible

We put them up on November 30th and one of our cats I am convinced is the actual devil incarnate
By December 2nd I've usually had enough of rearranging the tree so I always look forward to boxing day to refresh the house and go into the new year after a nice deep clean

 

[JSquared]

Christmas Eve, we have a dinner with my parents and brother where we open our Christmas Eve boxes (don’t ask, I’m in my 30s but my mum insists we do them still ) and watch a film. My OH then goes out with friends and I chill indoors with a Christmas book, though I’m going with him this year.
Christmas Day is alternated between mine and my partners family. But we wake up, do stockings, have a light breakfast (croissants & Buck’s Fizz) and then do presents. Then hopefully we get to chill before we go to family.

 

[Debtex]

Christmas Eve (day) long walk with the dog around the local lake and quiet country tracks .
Full English breakfast with Buck’s Fizz with a dash of orange liqueur. Early evening trip to local pub .
(Evening) have some food - mini pies sausages etc - sleep .
ChristMas day similar but with presents in the morning and Christmas dinner around 3 pm

 

[candyland_]

Christmas Eve morning I get up early and make sure the house is clean and then we have a chilled day watching Christmas films while we bake. In the afternoon we see my parents for food with family before going back home to have baths with our Christmas bath bombs from Lush, into new pjs and then open the Christmas Eve box. We always watch The Snowman and Father Christmas before bed. I don’t like to go anywhere else on this day.

On Christmas Day we open presents (My daughter still opens her stocking in my bed first) and then get showered and ready to head back to my parents for the day.

 

[Snippysnips]

Used to be quite peaceful with Xmas here

Xmas eve we would normally just do some party food for dinner an pick away at it, do some last minute cleaning then a relaxing bath an I'd maybe have a game or two with some friends online

Xmas day we normally lay in a little bit then open presents an have some chocolate lol, watch some tv then get dinner started at 4 then usually fall asleep after it cause we had too much

This year though I have my neice now so Xmas eve will be building up her presents an making sure we have enough batteries then Xmas day the family will all be round so I imagine it will just be mess an toys absolutely everywhere

 

[Emsie]

Ooh I love reading what other people do.
Christmas eve, slow morning bacon sandwiches, Xmas eve box then get the bikes and dog and tire the kids and dog out for a couple of hours in the park. Lunch is snacky and then pork baguettes for tea, baths for the kids and Santa stuff. Once they are asleep we bring the gifts down fill the stockings and then me and hubby eat cheese and drink gin
Christmas morning woken at ungodly hour, open all presents in the morning, get dressed, my mum comes to us, lunch is around 2pm, then evening just chill and eat picky bits.
I do all my cleaning in the week before and put batteries in before I wrap presents, connect things to WiFi etc to try and have a bit of calm on Xmas morning.
Boxing day we usually go to my in-laws.
I take my tree down on either Nye or nyd.

 

[candyland_]

After reading this thread and the food on Christmas Day one I feel like we need to add a nice breakfast into our days.

My daughters requested a full English.

 

[Emsie]

After reading this thread and the food on Christmas Day one I feel like we need to add a nice breakfast into our days.

My daughters requested a full English.

I'm too scared to have a full English on Christmas day in case I'm too full for my dinner but I do love a boxing day fry up. Christmas morning were gonna have croissants and fruit. The only fruit my kids will eat until 2023

 

[candyland_]

I'm too scared to have a full English on Christmas day in case I'm too full for my dinner but I do love a boxing day fry up. Christmas morning were gonna have croissants and fruit. The only fruit my kids will eat until 2023

I think I’ll do it Christmas Eve. My parents do Christmas dinner for about 2pm.

 

[Rippedjeanmaybe]

Slightly different for us this year as we have moved to a bigger house with room for guests & we are off Christmas Eve as it’s the weekend.

Christmas Eve-
Going to make Yorkshire puddings & desserts ready for Christmas Day. Then going to pick up my mum & brother who are staying with us for two nights.
We will then probably get a takeaway and watch tv with them.

Christmas Day- we are heading to the in laws with my mum & brother as well. They are cooking the dinner. We will probably head over there about 11am after we’ve opened our presents.

Boxing Day- that’s always a pjs & games day.

 

[Katienana]

Christmas Eve I usually spend the morning in the kitchen prepping veg, making my giblet stock and dressing the turkey. Then I'll write down all my timings for the next day. Makes cooking the lunch very easy. We usuly head out for a walk and when we get home our elf on the shelf has gone home but left new pjs. Some years we go to church, depends on kids moods and timings. We have a buffet for tea, quiche, ham, cheese etc.
Christmas Day spend the morning opening presents, eat at 1pm, afternoon play with stuff watch a bit if tv and play a game. Boxing Day eat leftovers, go for a walk, chill.

 

[Loveit17]

Christmas Eve we always go for lunch, a pretty big lunch so we just snack at night and have a cheeseboard and watch Xmas films, sometimes we go a long walk if it’s ok weather, if we’re hosting I’ll prepare what I can for the next day

Christmas Day - get up early with the kids, open presents, have a fry up, get ready, either visit family or they come to us, more presents with parents / in laws, dinner at 3pm, board games, playing with the kids, chatting with family after, go home, get the kids to bed, then me and my husband watch a Christmas film with a drink and chocolates / crisps at night! Usually asleep by 11 cause we’re knackered!

 

[Kim Mild]

I thought about doing little traditions on Christmas but I don't think the kids are bothered.

Eve- we wear our Christmas jumpers, try and keep the house tidy , hoover etc. Prepare the veg for dinner tomorrow

Day- stay at home, family can come to us as it's too time consuming to take kids away from there toys and load them all up in the car

 

[Bridgegal]

Christmas Eve - deliver pressies, visit family we won't see older Christmas week. Then afternoon service at church with the children. After that tea (sometimes takeaway, sometimes an easy all in one meal like stew), children do Santa stuff and bed. I'll go to the midnight service at church i if I haven't already fallen asleep.


Christmas Day - children open presents, we do a quick visit with in laws we are not eating with to exchange presents, go to church for the Christmas celebration. We rotate about who hosts dinner - us or my parents. As soon as my visiting is done pj's are on!!!

Last year I delivered a Christmas Dinner and presents to a person living alone in the community through a local charity which is nice

 

[justonemorepage]

I love reading what other people do, especially the traditions - they are all so lovely

Christmas Eve - if it's a weekday we work the mornings then after work we either visit family or have a chill out. Dog walking twice during the day. Evening time we watch Christmas films or put a series on. Usually if we have bought for each other (some years we don't if money is tight as we have what we want most of the year round anyway) we open our gifts to each other before going to bed.

Christmas Day - always pretty hectic considering we don't have children! We walk the dog, get all the presents ready for my family and drive to theirs. We open presents and have a drink/chat while my mother cooks dinner. We have dinner and then chill for a bit before leaving to drive back to ours to walk the dog again. We then get my in-laws presents ready to go there in the evening and have another dinner and open presents with our Nieces and Nephews and have a bit of fun with them before going home later that night. By Boxing Day we are exhausted so we have a bit of a lazy morning before going on yet another walk. Lots of hiking in between Christmas and New Year.

I'm definitely looking forward to having children to create traditions and memories of our own. I definitely think Christmas is super special for children and I love the magic of it