34 replies to this topic

[abentley]

I am trying to come up with new ideas as our family is changing by growing up. So far I have come up with watching movies and driving around that night to see lights. Food, food and junk food. We used to attend a party that had the "big red suit", but we aren't going this year. I am desperate for ideas to keep it fun, so the kids don't want to be other places!!!

[BF in Iowa]

12/24 - quick final tidy of the house, wrap some presents with the kids to get them in the spirit, quick trip to the mall to sit and watch the frantic men looking to buy gifts for their wives ( ), simple supper (homemade soup), then drive to see the lights/favorite DVD (Grinch or Hooves of Fire) then open 1 family present (traditionally new PJs for the kids), their favorite Christmas book storytime (Mr. Willoughby's Christmas Tree), then kids to bed and time in front of the fireplace with hubby.

[wyntyrose]

when we lived at home it was mall shopping till 3 then home to bathe and dress up for christmas eve with my family. Where we would eat, play cards and open gifts then midnight mass. When we are stationed near home it is mall shopping then dinner, open pj's, baths movie bed. Then the long wait for Santa to get here.

[Kimp67]

For me Christmas eve means working til 6 or 7. (I work that day so I can have Thanksgiving & BF off). Then after I get home we bring the gifts down, put on all the bows & ribbons & put them under the tree. While I'm at work, I have my son deliver my cookie trays to the neighbors that I bake for. Then we just hang out & relax cause we know the next day is gonna start early!

[lucyismycat]

Christmas Eve at our house always starts with homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and then usually a little bit of last minute people-watching at the local mall. In the afternoon, depending on the weather we either 1. if no snow: go to the movie theater 2. if some snow: go sledding 3. if so much snow we can't get out: Christmas movie marathon at home. That evening we play board games, but mostly we have a domino tournament. Then around 10pm we head out to church for an hour or so, and then come home to open one gift each. When I was a kid, Christmas eve was when my parents would throw their big holiday party. All of the relatives and friends and neighbors would come over for a huge buffet and gifts, etc. We'd spend the day getting ready, baking and cooking up all kinds of stuff. Some years I miss that, but I really like our laid-back approach to Christmas now, too. Either way, I can't wait!

[Illinoismom]

From childhood, Christmas Eve is a huge Tradition, we do family that night, and everything is fish, we open family presents and spend time with the extended family, Then the kids go to bed and wait for Santa and then it is just the 6 of us.

[Jennifer0530]

This year I'll work until noon then we will have our christmas at home and spend the rest of the time playing with the kids and watching movies. Then we have to take DSD home at 9 pm. The other two go to bed and we set a couple more presents out for them and then we go to bed.

[satidwell]

Chriatmas eve is our family Christmas with my side of the family so we get up start baking the pies then the cookies for santa then read some christmas books maybe even a movie and then we get ready to go to my parents (it's across the street) Take the pies and cookies and icing and sprinkles (for the cookies) When we get to parents house we start too decorate the cookies after done with that we eat supper open gifts sit around and talk and enjoy company then go home get the kids ready for bed set out the cookies and milk (well milk in fridge) read the night before christmas tuck them in and wait for santa.

[berry1014]

This year some things will be slightly different since my MIL has moved away and my mom has moved in with us due to health problems but.... On Christmas eve morning we will get up early and go out to breakfest. Any of our friends and family are welcomed to join us for breakfest. After we will go visiting friends and family that we will not see in the next day or two. Any gifts the kids receive then will be opened so the giver can see the kids faces and get a thank you from the kids. I also give out a lot of baked goodies so we deliver them as well. By mid afternoon we will head to the local market and get an assortment of seafood for dinner. We will get home around 4ish. THe kids will get to open their gift from each other which will be a toy. While the kids are playing with their new gifts, DH and I will finish any last minute prep work for christmas day breakfest and dinner. We are hosting. We will sit down and enjoy a nice dinner. After 6 pm Santa makes his rounds through our neighborhood on top of a local fire truck. He will hand out candy canes to all the kids waiting outside for him. Afterwards, the kids get their baths and we settle down with some home made cookies and watch some christmas shows. The kids will set out milk and cookies and the magic key for Santa and then it's off to bed and a story of Twas the night before Christmas. Last year we did have a group of high school kids going door to door caroling. I am hoping they will do it again this year. I will have a box candy canes ready incase they do. DH and I will relax and watch some more christmas shows and then put out the presents right before we go to bed.

[AndreaInNC]

You didn't say how old your kids are. Have you thought about letting them have a Christmas Eve party for their friends? Keeps them at your house! Or maybe Midnight Mass? I know that our church (Catholic) starts mass at like 4pm on Christmas Eve. I know to get a seat for midnight mass, you have to be there at like 10:00pm and carols normally start around 11pm. If you want to make it a family only night - how about board game marathons and pizza delivery? For those of you who do the drive around and look at the lights - don't forget to get 3-D glasses for the best twinkly effect! The holidays are getting harder on me as my family is shrinking and moving farther away. If their dad wasn't so close by - I'd be tempted to take them on a cruise or to Disney.

[ilgetumipretty]

The kids will set out milk and cookies and the magic key for Santa ....

How did you hear about the "Magic Key"? Was it through the book "Santa and his Magic Key"?? I knew the gentleman who wrote that book. He was one of my father's best friends.

[kbwdln]

Years ago - when my mother in law was still alive - DH entire family would get together - all 11 siblings, signifigant others and associated rug rats (prior to her passing, the largest total was 47) She would have a tree in the main part of the house all decorated - and I do mean decorated. Then, when all the grandkids were there - she would lead them all down the stairs to the kids playroom and show them a bare naked tree and tell them that it was their tree to decorate - the only rules were no pushing, shoving, name calling, hair pulling, tripping, spitting or pulling down the tree. After the tree was decorated, the adults would bring all the kiddies together and then Santa arrived (brother in law in disguise) with a bag and half full of presents (of course - it was all from the brothers and sisters) and distribute them. After that, while the kids were enjoying themselves, the adults would retire back upstairs for gift opening, food and beverage. At midnight, mother in law kicked everyone out so that she and father in law could clean up and prepare for dinner the next day with the younger sibs.

[berry1014]

How did you hear about the "Magic Key"? Was it through the book "Santa and his Magic Key"?? I knew the gentleman who wrote that book. He was one of my father's best friends.

We have a year round seasonal store around here that also sells christmas stuff year round. We bought Santa's magic key there. It also comes with a little poem about placing the key on the outside door so Santa can get in to leave the gifts.

[jarerice]

we go to mass and open presents that night. And then relax and enjoy ourselves until we have to go home to put things together.

[dreamer11]

We usually end up shopping last minute because we are crazy! We then go to look at xmas lights and drive around, we usually eat in the car when we do this! Then we go home. Kids go to bed and we either start getting food together for tomoorw ( stuffing, etc) and cookies from my husband who makes choc chip cinnamon cookies. Then we put together that may need it... then off to bed

[Turtle Mommy]

It falls on a Monday this year. I will most likely have to work in the morning(I am thinking I can talk dh in to letting me have it off though..I work for the family business). Last year I had everyone over here for dinner but I dont think I am going to do that again. A couple of things for sure is that we go and see Xmas lights and the boys open a gift which is Xmas jammies.

[seachell2]

Our family always does the "Noel Elf" gift delivery on Christmas Eve. My mother started it when we were small so she would have good pictures of us opening our gifts on Christmas morning. She would get us all a new pair of phi’s, robes and slippers wrap them and wait until just as we were finishing our baths. Then my father, brother, uncle who ever she could find would slip outside drop the gifts on the doorstep ring some jingle bells and knock on the door. Mind you, who ever does it has to be back inside, sitting down, breathing normally by the time the little ones all get to the door. (This was a real trick since there were 5 of us!) When we open the door Mom would point and say she had just seen Noel the Elf running around the corner of the house or down the street. When asked later one of the kids will swear they saw the little fellow too. Attached to each gift is a bag of reindeer food (oatmeal and eatable glitter) along with a poem you can find on the internet. We would all change into our new pj's and go back outside to sprinkle the food so Santa and the deer can find our house. Mom would have a nice hot cocoa ready when we finished and then it was off to bed. In the morning Mom had her pictures of us all in new outfits and we have some great stories to tell about seeing Noel and leaving the food for Santa and the reindeer.This is how my family spends Christmas Eve thanks to my wonderful and inventive mom!!

[mcapel4444]

Since we all go spend the night at my parent's house on Christmas eve, we used to play Tripoley. We would play with pennies, and everyone had to bring 13 wrapped "presents", that you could put out in play at anytime. It was so much fun to play with the whole family, and at the end of the game, we got to open the gifts we had won. Everything from candy, to money, to dollar store stuff. I miss doing that. We usually snack on lots of food, open one present, and watch some Holiday movies. Depending on how old your kids are, you could start a tradition of singing Chistmas carols, or asking them each what they hoped the next day would bring. Write them down, then ask them the next day what their fave present was, or food, etc. Those will be cute to look at when they get older. You could do hot chocolate with them & roast marshmallows too.

[sigrist_2000]

SHOP...lol...even on christmas eve...

[Gporter34]

Christmas eve is pretty hectic. We have to wrangle a birthday party in the early afternoon for my daughter who will be 14 this year. then I make assorted food for the evening, when my parents arrive we watch a Christmas movie, eat, and open presents. Then the kids are off to bed after leaving pumpkin pie and eggnog out for Santa.

[rflykins]

We Go To My Dads House About Noon And Exchange Gifts W/my 2 Brothers And Their Familys Stay About 2 Hours Eat A Little Then We Stop At Different Drive Thru Restraunts And Get Whatever Everyone Want's Then We Go To My Mom In Laws And Exchange Gifts With My Brother In Law And His Family. Then We Try To Get Back Home About 5-6 And Sit Around With Our Girls 12 & 10 And Watch Old Christmas Cartoons That We've Taped Years Ago (smurfs,flintstones,the Grinch Ect..)

[Princess7915]

Nothing-my husband is on-call for Christmas Eve so we can't really plan anything. I'm pissy about it every year - so I shall choose to vent and complain

[imginah]

When I was little Christmas Eve day was all about baking and cleaning, we had a HUGE party every Christmas Eve with hundreds of people popping in and out from around 5pm til midnight. When we were teens it slowed down to a few close friends and all the family going to my parents and we each opened one gift. My parents ALWAYS have stayed up after everyone left and went to bed and they open their gifts from each other. Now we (kids and grandkids) all go to my parents along with family friends and have enough snacks to kill us, along with my grandmothers tutiere (french meat pies that everyone but me hates) and open all our gifts from each other and my parents then we leave. We went to my gram's on Christmas day when we were kids, but now we have our own kids and do our own things then go to my parents for a light dinner if we feel like it.. I just stay home and sleep...hehe

[imginah]

PS I think this and the favorite holiday song threads are the neatest things! I have really REALLY enjoyed reading what you all do on special days and your favorite songs.. It makes everyone seem more real to me somehow! YaY to you guys! :hugs:

[leefamily23]

Now that it's getting closer- anyone have more set plans? I've enjoyed this thread too- it's neat seeing what others do. My immediate family (my parents, sister and her family, and my family) always have our gathering the Saturday before Christmas. We see each other throughout the holiday's but this let's us get together w/ our parents and our kids for some more 1-on-1 time. We do our gift exchange, usually play board games, and have a ton of food. On Christmas Eve, this year I'm going to work, so I can have off the day after Christmas. I'll work until 2pm- come home take a nap until about 5pm. We'll go out to dinner or order pizza and wings- not sure which yet. Then we'll be going to my aunt & uncles on my dad's side around 7pm. We've done this ever since I was a baby (I'm in my 30's now- so long standing tradition). My whole family on that side goes there- 50+ of us. This year will be extra hard/special to all be there because my grandmother on that side passed away 3 weeks ago unexpectedly. Anyhow all the kids under 18 do a gift exchange. We usually stay until about 10pm- if the weather is holding out we go to midnight mass, if not we go home. We make DS go to bed, and my husband and I usually put out the presents. We open all our gifts Christmas morning- and it usually takes all morning (we go way overboard most years). Then it's a big breakfast my husband always makes and phone calls to our neice & nephew and parents. Then my son leaves for his dad's around 12-1pm until later that night- and my husband and I usually watch the Disney parade. When that is over we go to his grandfather's house- where his whole family gathers for lasanga and roast beef and play's board games. We also have a gift exchange there.

[nick_jenni_jocelyn]

this year we will be in washington DC for xmas eve, so we are planning on driving around seeing the sights DC has to offer. This is also my birthday along with my SIL's bday(who we will be visiting) so we will all go out to dinner. Then back to her place and watch xmas movies, bake cookies for santa, let the kids open their xmas pjs, then send the kids to bed. It should be hectic and fun.

[glitterstarr]

In the past we always went to my parents house for Christmas Eve but since they have both passed away we had to start new traditions. And the first Christmas without my Mom my husband took me out to lunch and we have continued that tradition every year. We stop by the store and get cheese, crackers and slices of meat to snack on later that night when we get home and watch TV. Then on Christmas morning we open gifts then go over next door to my in-laws and open gifts and eat lunch. Then hubby and I come home and take a nap then get up and put the tree away until next year.

[DramaQueenLucy]

Well we make Christmas eve a visiting night we grab a slice of pizza grad our gifts that need to go to the people we are visiting. We stop and see friends at 2 different houses eat and enjoy our time together on our way home we get a cup of hot chocolate and got see the Rhema Lights. Then home we go we sit down and watch a Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty and a longer Christmas movie, last year was Elf. DS9 will leave out reindeer food & snacks for Santa. Before the kiddos go off to bed we hang our Christmas key ornaments on the tree there are 3 of them you hang the shepherd's key on a low branch to signify Christ's humble birth; the Magi's key on a top branch, near the star they followed; and the Christ key in the middle of your tree, because Jesus was crucified on the center cross. This brings back the true meaning of Christmas for us.

[oneannm]

How about volunteering at a shelter, helping out a food pantry or visiting a nursing home. There are a lot of older people at nursing homes that no visitors at the holidays. This can all be done as a family.