Suggestions for Christmas Traditions please ;+)

[Kristine30]

I've only just found this forum and love it!

My LO will be 18 months at Christmas and I'm looking for some ideas of traditions and things that I can start this year for her.

I'm seen the Christmas Eve box idea and I like this so might get a couple little treats for her then, but just wondered what other peoples traditions are?

Thank you

 

[xprincessx]

We are going a christmas eve bag this year

It's gonna have in it

- pyjamas
- dvd
- book
- colouring set
- snowman soup
- reindeer dust (to sprinkle on the lawn so rudolph can find our home)
- selection box
- tube of maltesers

Some people are also doing a christmas elf, the elf turns up on 1st dec and reports back to santa when the child is good or bad. Some people also make the elf do silly or naughty things when the child isnt looking so they think he is real

We are going to bake cookies on christmas eve ready to leave out for santa

you can make salt dough decorations as a yearly tradition

i am also going to a carol service on christmas eve (without LO this year as he is a bit impatient and troublesome )

 

[shellie]

My friend always buys a christmas chocolate yule log and lets the children decorate it with sweets etc. xxx

 

[missbabypo]

This year I am starting my Christmas traditions as Riley is old enough. We are doing Elf on the shelf, I have planned all of my things just need to decide which days to do them on. On christmas eve our elf will bring the boys their christmas eve bag with a letter explaining that he has to go home and these are things to make his last day with us fun. We are going to have new jammies, dvds, popcorn, sweets and the night before christmas book. There will also be cookies in a jar (as long as i can get the jars) so another tradition will be to make our own cookies for santa x

 

[ljo1984]

We're doing the elf and the shelf and Xmas eve bags. X

 

[snowy-willow]

we are doing a December 1st bag, it has colouring book, sticker book, Christmas book, Christmas cup and as she gets older will contain various Christmas themed activities.

 

[Chellxx]

We are doing elf on a shelf, and have brought lots of Xmas activities from wilkinsons that the elf will bring.

We'll be baking cookies on Xmas eve (slimming world ones haha) to hang on the tree and will make some popcorn on a string to put on the tree.

We'll have Xmas eve bags and after a buffet dinner will watch disney DVDs and drink hot chocolate with mince pies

My Los are still to young to understand any of this but I'm going to enjoy it lol

 

[meldmac]

Going to be doing Elf on the shelf. On Dec. 1st he will bring Colin's advent Cal as well as a Dec. 1st bag. In it will be a Christmas DVD, a pair of pjs, a book and some Christmas activities. Throughout December the elf will bring other little gifts like crafty stuff to do and get up to some mischief. On Christmas Eve the Elf will bring another little gift bag with a few things.

 

[ljo1984]

We are doing elf on a shelf, and have brought lots of Xmas activities from wilkinsons that the elf will bring.

We'll be baking cookies on Xmas eve (slimming world ones haha) to hang on the tree and will make some popcorn on a string to put on the tree.

We'll have Xmas eve bags and after a buffet dinner will watch disney DVDs and drink hot chocolate with mince pies

My Los are still to young to understand any of this but I'm going to enjoy it lol

Your Xmas eve sound perfect! I was supposed to be working until one but they've taken me off it now (shan't complain lol) so want to do some cleaning in morning while imogen does some colouring etc from what the elf will bring, then do a buffet/picnic for lunch, open Xmas eve bags, do little craft bits from there while watching a DVD. Then make cookies for Santa before dinner. Then they'll have a nice bath before Xmas pj time eeeeeek can't wait. X

 

[wendzwoo]

We are starting the xmas eve bag this year. We will also be putting out a mincepie etc for santa.

On christmas day we always go on a walk which is a tradition since i was little.

We also have a little present on the tree that is left by santa that we dont get till the evening.

 

[Nats21]

We are doing the xmas eve bag for Callum for the first time this year, we're also putting reindeer dust out and a mince pie for santa on the night. I've read on here that some people are buying 24 books and giving their LO a book a day starting december 1st til xmas which I think is lovely and i'm very tempted to start doing next year with Callum as he loves stories. When we were kids we used to have a mini pass the parcel on xmas eve night which I always remember and loved so think we'll start that in a few years when we've got more then 1 and they're older xx

 

[ljo1984]

^ oooooo pass the parcel sounds fun. What sort of stuff did you have in it? Our friends do one on Xmas day but as their kids are grown up they put silly stuff in and funny bits from Ann summers like chocolate sperm etc lol.

 

[Nats21]

^ oooooo pass the parcel sounds fun. What sort of stuff did you have in it? Our friends do one on Xmas day but as their kids are grown up they put silly stuff in and funny bits from Ann summers like chocolate sperm etc lol.

We definitely didn't have chocolate sperm in ours!

It used to be a little present - little play cars for my brothers, a dolly for me etc, we got some chocolate coins and a magazine. As we got older it was a magazine and a chocolate bar xx

 

[NOMORENUMBERS]

I do Christmas Eve bags. The other thing I do is buy paper plates and the kids decorate the plates to leave a treat for Father Christmas...it's more of a keepsake for me ...also this year I am trying o think of lots of Christmas crafts and try and make one thing a day.....So the plates are no 24 lol

 

[Nats21]

I do Christmas Eve bags. The other thing I do is buy paper plates and the kids decorate the plates to leave a treat for Father Christmas...it's more of a keepsake for me ...also this year I am trying o think of lots of Christmas crafts and try and make one thing a day.....So the plates are no 24 lol

Thats a lovely one, may do this too, sounds lovely xx

 

[shambaby]

We will be doing the elf for the first time this year - he will arrive on 1st December and will bring Hayden's advent calendar, then each night he will get up to something - sometimes mischief, sometimes a Christmassy craft, sometimes just hiding, and perhaps bringing a present or 2 (Christmas book / DVD / new PJ's on Christmas eve. Then we will put out a snack for Santa (we have a special plate we got last year, but I like the idea of decorating paper plates) and the elf will wait by the snack to be picked up and taken home.

I always make gingerbread around Christmas and will get Hayden to help decorate it this year. Usually leave some as Santa's snack.

We started stockings last year, and will be doing that again - we brought Hayden into our bed and opened them there before getting up, which was nice. I got 4 stockings last year, so they match and next year I plan to get buttons in the shape of letters to spell our names and will sew them on. Also thinking when Hayden and his little sister are older I will let them choose a decoration (like a button, badge etc) to add to their stocking to make them really personal.

We also like to go for a walk, but usually leave that until boxing day, as we make a point of not going out Christmas day.

Think that's about it. Oh, except to add it is compulsory to watch the snowman on Christmas day and the Muppets Christmas Carol at some point, too!

 

[Mummy2B21]

Were doing xmas eve bag, snowman soup, bag of sweets alongside stocking. X

 

[DanielleM]

We are doing Elf on the Shelf, he will come 1st Dec and bring a letter from Santa and the advent calendars.

We do the Christmas Eve packs which will include;

Pj's x2
Activity packs x2
Christmas cookie cutters (to make shortbread for santa)
Arthur Christmas
Popcorn ^ for this
Christmas books x2
Reindeer dust

We will begin Xmas eve by the boys entertaining themselves and me cleaning all of the house and changing the beds. Then we will make shortbread and cookies with the cutters, whilst they cook and I clean the kitchen the boys will use their activity packs (and daddy should be home from work then). All sit down to watch Arthur Christmas about 3ish, order our tea either Dominos or chippy. Bath the children and into new PJ's, sit and get Evan to read the books to Jacob. Take Xmas eve pics, do the reindeer dust, cookies carrots and milk for Santa. Jacob to bed, Evan to his room to watch DVD or read.

Time for me to play santa!!!

So to list other traditions

1. Elf on the shelf
2. Christmas Eve packs
3. Takeaway tea on Christmas Eve
4. Take the children to a santas grotto
5. Take them to a panto
6. Christmas morning bacon on toast
7. Party at my aunty's Christmas night

 

[missbabypo]

Oh we also do outdoor ice skating and a trip to see santa every year. The kids hate going to see santa but they have to go at least once a year lol x

 

[TwilightAgain]

We do a tea time gift on Christmas Day. Always done it, just something to look forward to when all the other pressies have been opened. Its usually something special and not something you know you're getting or typically that you've asked for. Tradition to do it just before the soaps start

OH doesn't get a teatime gift though I tried introducing him to our tradition last year but he was too excited to wait so he gave me mine early