Christmas traditions

[nessajane]

I dont really have a tradition ive done differently every year since my parents split up, this year my mum and brother are coming to mine , my mum is going to cook dinner for us as if baby here ill have my hands full and if he aint i know i wont be bothered to cook!! Oh parents will then come down for tea i expect

 

[danni2609]

Normally go to my mums and dads but this year we going out for lunch hubbys booking us a table somewhere!!!

 

[Purple_Kitty]

I used to have traditions... then I moved to England and got new ones which once again changed when I was living alone. I always used to spend Christmas Eve with Mom and my sisters and my step-father and his parents and brother, but they don't do this anymore. Then I used to go to Mom's Christmas day with Jonah, but for reasons I won't go into as I'm already feeling rather aggressive today, we don't do that now. SO, gotta make new traditions. Last year was good with just Jonah, Kevin, Bailey Dawg and I, we got up, did the gift thing, Jonah watched his new DVDs... then we took the dog to the big park down the road for a run in his spiffy bandana Jonah picked out for him (How To Embarass A Male Labrador 101, pg. 24 ), and came back to have a Christmas lunch. Then Mom popped over for about ten minutes in the evening, and Jonah went to bed early as he was exhausted, and Kevin and I flopped with the dog to watch movies.

I think this year we'll keep the long walk with the dog, and all the other stuff we did, but I need to come up with some new stuff to maybe start some traditions for us, because I really miss having those little things to look forward to!

 

[o0oCharlieo0o]

iv made my own traditions the last couple of years, some of them are from what i always did when i lived at home, they are,

on christmas eve i have to watch the muppets christmas carol (the one more sleep till christmas song gets me all excited)

we all open one present xmas eve which is new pjs so u have nice comfy new pjs to wear in bed

have to have xmas stockings they are the most exciting thing

on xmas day get up and charge in looking in stocking first then ripping all the presents open lol, then i gota get crackin on the dinner, dont usually see family till xmas evening when they all come round or if they dont make it xmas day we see them boxing day

 

[jms895]

I am normally cooking and getting stuff ready Xmas Eve (and P*ssed) this year considering going church for midnight mass, think It will be nice to give something back,
Xmas day spent eating and drinking with the families and pretty much continues till the end of Dec!! xx

 

[kadey]

every year without fail the whole family goes to my nanas house. im from a large family so there is normally about 30 of us. we all do r own little bit to help. last year i did carrots for example. xmas day is the only day the men do the washing up aswel haha
this year will be the last year i can do what i want to do coz next year ill have LO and both my family and his family will want to come and see him/her. we have already decided the plan for next year. go to either families house for dinner and then spend a few hours after dinner time with the other family. and vise versa the year after. its so hard trying to please everyone but i wouldn't be able to cook dinner at home and have a xmas day in my own home. i think its about visiting family, seeing the smiles on the kiddies faces as they open prezzies. getting together that one day a year and smiling and enjoying the whoel day.
i love xmas. i hope it snows

 

[katieandbump]

oooh ye good point, most of us won't be able to drink this crimbob or new years i'm used to drinking cinzano and lemonade and then falling asleep in a chair like a crazy old aunt or something.... not even 22 yet lol. oh dear x

 

[kadey]

yea im not looking forward to a sober xmas but im sure one or two wont hurt. u never know that might make me tiddly seen as i havn't drank at all since finding out hehe

 

[katieandbump]

I don't know what's going to happen as this year has been the first year of me rly getting to know my OH's parents and we live closer to them but i've traditionaly always spent it with my family 3 hours away, it will be weird not having it with them and putting up the decorations and helping mum in the kitchen. We'll prob end up visiting both parents lol I can't wait.

 

[MummyJade]

Normally we get up well i am jumping on the bed cos i still get excited!
we go downstairs and have a cuppa and open prezzies (OH picks the best prezzies ever)
we then have dinner at my mums as MIL works xmas morning, then go visit my dad and step mum, brother n his family, FIL, BIL and his family, (SIL we dont get on with) and then in the evening we go to MIL's has she has a party type thing.. but we wont stay long as of LO x

 

[kiwimama]

Since I have been with OH, we get up and exchange pressies with each other - then we head 5mins down the rd to my parents and we have a pancake and bacon breakfast and exchange gifts. Then we all head around to my grandmas house where my aunties/ uncles and cousins on dads side come over and we exchange our secret santa gifts and have either a ham or turkey lunch (alternates each year.) Many years ago when us cousins were kids, we had a few years in a row where one of us ran into my grandmas artificial xmas tree, ever since then one of us makes a point to knock it down "by mistake"! We also always have wrapping paper fights after opening our pressies!
Then after lunch, we head down to OH's parents and spend the evening with them (usually can't eat much by this time!)
It's been a bit different since OH & I moved in together, but next year we will have our LO, so I'm sure it will change how we do things once again - I can't wait to make traditions with our little girl!

 

[Blah11]

This is the first year I'll be with my OH for Christmas so I'm excited about that (we live with my mum at the moment).

Well we always go to marks and sparks on Xmas eve to get last minute food shopping like the trifle, cream, some lazy peoples prepackaged stuff like potato croquettes and ofc the turkey we order! At night for dinner we always get a chinese with my auntie and my gran (we didnt do this last year since she had a really bad back and couldn't sleep over but she's better now so hopefully she'll stay over this year too), Watch crappy Xmas movies/Xmas specials.
Get up early, get a hot drink (used to be hot choc and baileys, i'll skip the baileys this year), open presents, make breakfast (pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausages, french toast, fruit, waffles etc etc), get washed and dressed, get started on Xmas dinner, get it around 3pm at the table, clear up a bit, have dessert at about 5pm, watch tv all whilst drinking (usually I have bucks fizz and mulled wine, this year itll be shloer LOL) then go to bed when we all get tired.

Boxing Day = a repeat of Xmas day at my dads house!

 

[leeanne]

Although I haven't spent Christmas with my mom for a number of years, I carry on the tradition of Baileys in my coffee every Christmas morning. It's something that ties me to my mom and past Christmas' after I turned of drinking age.

 

[jms895]

My mum drinks the Baileys coffee too!! I stick to Tea! Dont really drink Xmas day as I am normally so full.....

 

[Rah]

Hubby and i go to a pantomine the week before xmas (its the 20th this year peter pan)
We usually meet up with my best friends for drinks on xmas eve its in my house this year but may change it as i wont be drinking
while the turkey is cooking

Then on xmas day we have a fry up (YUM) open our presents then go to his parents about 11am where all his sisters and kids and his brother come round (11 adults and 8kids) swap pressies and get the kids excited then leave about 1pm to my parents mums usually finished work by then (nurse) so we do presents there mum and dad my sister and us 2 so loads quieter have a glass of champers then head home at 3pm lock the door have a drink so we cant go back out lol
and cook dinner for about 5pm
Collapse on the sofa as we have eaten way too much then tuck into the chocs and i give my last "oopps i forgot this present" present

I think it will be the same this year only i will have 1 glass of wine on xmas day with out meal but looking forward to the dinner already!

We then do the same on boxing day only difference is the grandparents are at the parents houses not all his sisters (headache free day)

 

[Mrs R]

Oh I love Christmas traditions!!

This will be our 3rd Christmas married so our traditions evolve a bit each year.

A few weeks before Christmas we go shopping in Edinburgh, just to get into the Chistmassy mood.
And as our wedding anniversary is on Dec 22nd, we go to Dublin Christmas shopping on that day too (I love shopping!)

On Christmas Eve, we make cookies and go to Midnight Mass. I'm not very religious but this is something we've both always done. It's such a nice thing to do and I just think about Santa the whole way through it

Anyway, we stay at my parents house with my 2 sisters and my nephew because he's only 2 and we wouldn't miss his little face seeing all his pressies. We lay out all the presents before we go to bed (put the stockings up, take some pictures and take them down again to fill up!!)

We get up at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning and all fight about who's allowed into the room first!!

Dinner is usually at 3pm (we alternate between his parents and mine) and the rest of the day is spent eating and watching films. Can't wait!!!

When we have a family of our own (hopefully next year!) we will stay at home for Christmas as DH loves to cook but has never had the chance to cook Christmas dinner

 

[Laura--x]

Lately, our christmas's haven't been as good.

Normally, our christmas would consist of on xmas eve getting together with my nan and aunty, have a few drinks ect then my dad,grandad,uncle ect all go out on the night whilst the girls stay in watching films and so on. Then on xmas day we get up, open presents before we do anything, then have breakfast, put the meat in the oven then head off down to my nans where my aunty and uncle are. Then we'd come home, have dinner, watch christmas films and play a board game that we got for christmas on the night ( this was up untill the age of about 13 ) Then on boxing day we would all go up to my auntys who lived in dudley and all the girls would have drinks and food and play games whilst all the men go out again.

It was always the best time of my life and i used to cry when it was over , now, we do nothing on xmas eve, open prezzies xmas morning , cook the dinner watch tele and thats about it ! Don't do anything boxing day as my aunty moved away and no-one else has house partys !

 

[Sweetie]

Waking up to
Six White Boomers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gosGBYU5vIE

And... Snoopy and the Red Baron
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlf---13Q0g

I'm not sure why but my dad has always played these first thing in the morning as long as I can remember

 

[Ell.Bishh]

For me it starts on xmas eve.

We go to the 'north pole' on an old fashioned steam train, about a 20 minute ride to the other station basically (tanfield railway in north east if anyone around newcastley area is interested...tickets quite cheap) where it is completley decorated, snow and all, with a big grotto with santa in, all kids see santa and get a present off him and then we have a lunch before getting a train back. Its a gorgeous 2 and a bit hours tbh
have done this ever since i was little, and theres always been at least 3 younguns in my family(cousins and what not), so ive been able to go every year...i like to keep the spirit alive haha.

Then back home and we get the presents in santa sacks in the boot of car and get our santa hats on and deliver them to cousins, aunts uncles, neighbours etc.

From there we go to church and then back to mams for the night, and do chief elf pyjamas lol. Mam goes to minight mass, sometimes i go with, probs will this year, then my mam plays santa lol.

In morning, open prezzies with a bacon sarnie and a cup of tea, can take up to 4 hours though as we have mam dad me OH alex brother my 2 little cousins and mams sister and uncle all staying over on xmas eve lol. then dinner with all the family (20 people this year hopefully) and then trivial persuit and my dad falling asleep and us decorating his face....thats a xmas tradition in itself

Sorry for the long post. I get excited when i write about xmas haha.

 

[Whisper]

I love love love christmas!!

Usually Xmas is spent at my nans in the countryside, she lives in a lovely village just opposite a beautiful church, i love hearing the churchbells ringing always makes it much more christmassy!
So we would have about 12 people staying in my nans lil house, it starts on Christmas eve my nan would prepare all the food during the day whilst we go to the village pub have a few drinks and play some games of pool, the midnight mass over the road to the church. Christmas day is just the best, all the kids would have stockings (and a few of the adults!) we would all pile into my nans bedroom everyone with a stocking and open the santa claus presents
Get washed and put on our special xmas outfits while nan goes down and makes breakfast and bucks fizz for everyone.
In the morning until Christmas dinner we amuse ourselves with the stocking presents, watching tv or playing in the snow outside!
The main presents under the tree we are not allowed to open until after dinner is done and all the dishes are washed, put away and nan is sitting down with a nice cuppa tea! (lol usually about 4pm) This is my most favourite tradition it makes it way more exciting.
Then one person is nominated to hand the presents out 1 at a time (usually me ) the whole present opening can last anywhere from 2hours to 4hours! After that we have little tidy up and play games likes charades or cards and the old folks fall asleep on the sofa!

This year however is just me, DH and my little princess (and the animals). I'm very excited!