What do you and your family get up to on Christmas Eve? Do you have any family traditions?
My family
My family tend to go out in the morning to celebrate, it’s my Mother-In-Laws birthday on Christmas Eve so we usually go for a walk or a meal.
We like to be home early so the children can be bathed and in their PJ’s and ready for bed nice and early!
Christmas Eve Boxes
The last few years I have left a Christmas Eve box under the tree for my children. The Elves leave the box from Santa. I don’t spend a fortune, I put in some nice, new matching PJ’s, a movie, some hot chocolate and this year a personalised door plague with their name on.
Snack for Santa and Rudolph
In our house, we leave Santa a glass of Baileys as we’ve heard it’s his favourite tipple! We also leave him a yummy mince pie and of course a carrot for Rudolph. Do you and your family leave something different?
Christmas Film
We love to put our new pj’s on early and settle down for a Christmas film. One of our favorites to watch with the children on Christmas Eve is Arthur Christmas! What’s yours?
I asked several bloggers to tell me about their family traditions on Christmas Eve:
Becka over at Mummy Est. 2014 has very similar traditions to my family, Father Christmas leaves her little one a Christmas Eve box full of treats and new PJ’s after a family dinner. Her family also hangs up a magic key for Santa!
Cathryn from Cardiff Mummy Says takes her family to the cinema on Christmas Eve to take some time to take some time to escape from the wrapping and sorting. It’s something her family enjoy and can do together. After leaving their stockings out and leaving Santa’s snack, they sit together to read The Nightmare Before Christmas, which they have done every year for the past 9 years.
Nicola and her family from The Merralls Home like to wear Christmas jumpers during the day and go for a walk. In the afternoon they prep some of the veg for Christmas day whilst the kids do some crafts. Then in the evening, it’s Christmas pj’s and a take-away pizza!
Lucy from The Parent Game likes the idea about giving books on Christmas Eve, a great alternative to Christmas Eve boxes which can get a little out of hand, cost wise. On her blog, she talks about the Icelandic book tradition where relations give books on Christmas Eve, and everyone spends the evening curled up with a hot chocolate and a new book. Leigh from Dadgeek is doing this very tradition this year which is called ‘Jolabokaflod’.
Shel from The Willow Tree gives her children a ‘goodbye present’ from the Elves on Christmas Eve. She likes to carry on the tradition of receiving a gift on Christmas Eve just like she got as a child. This year the elves will be leaving some lovely matching PJ’s and a Little Miss/Mr biscuit box to enjoy before her little ones go to bed.
katie from Mummy In A Tutu tells me how randomly they get the whole family together to have a Mexican feast! They all love Mexican food and go to town with fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, nachos, beans, cornbread! They love it and it starts off their Christmas.
Jenni from The Bear and the Fox explains that on Christmas Eve, after Church, they open all their presents and the children are allowed to stay up for as long as they like. She goes on to say that it’s a German tradition and that Christmas Day is for sleeping in!
Catherine from Rock and Roll Pussycat goes to the Christingle service at their church, stay and have a cuppa with the older congregation. Then it’s home to wear their brand new festive PJ’s.
Jemma from Have Kids Will Travel UK says how they save all their wrapping until Christmas Eve. After putting the kids to bed, they change in their PJ’s, put on some Christmas music, enjoy some mulled wine and mince pies and get wrapping!
Danielle from Oh Positive Mum explains how on Christmas Eve they like to enjoy Salmon for their tea as over the next few days it wouldn’t be something to eat. Danielle’s husband does the cooking as he loves to cook but never usually has the time. They like to play games with the children and send the Sparkling Elf and Monkey home who leave new PJ’s and a movie to watch.
I have enjoyed reading about other peoples traditions, don’t forget to leave a comment and share yours!
Out and about mummy 