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Christmas Eve Traditions :-)

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    #422
    DvB
    Registered Users Posts: 10,142 ✭✭✭✭DvB


    Best thread on the whole of Boards IMO. Must try & get the time to reread from the start ASAP.
    "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year" - Charles Dickens




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    #423
    newmem
    Registered Users Posts: 44 ✭newmem


    Totally agree. This is definately my favourite Christmas thread. Lovely to read everyones story of christmas eve. Activity is really picking up on the other christmas threads as well. IT's getting close:D:D:D


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    #424
    claregal1
    Registered Users Posts: 551 ✭✭✭claregal1


    Love this post . Am home from work on sick leave and this post was such a lovely read .


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    #425
    yellow hen
    Registered Users Posts: 4,030 ✭✭✭yellow hen


    I now have two lovely children and we're beginning to make our own Christmas traditions in our own home. Christmas eve morning we go to the zoo and then into dublin for lunch, a walk in the green and to see the lights and then home for a lazy dinner and a kids movie night. The kids also get their Christmas eve box with new pjs, a chocolate treat and one little toy. This is the first year both kids know about santy so it's extra special.


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    #426
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,866 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    Areason this threads last post was in september 2017? what happened nov ,dec 2017


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    #427
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,750 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    Dickie10 wrote: »
    Areason this threads last post was in september 2017? what happened nov ,dec 2017

    I imagine people were too busy making new Christmas Eve traditions based off the ones they read about here.


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    #428
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    It started probably 8 years ago now, but I do the pub thing with my friends on Christmas Eve
    We usually all meet in one pub around lunch time, and it's a constant flow of people calling in and heading home. It's a constant feeling of bliss. Most people are in fantastic form, and everyone looks up when the door opens to welcome the next person.
    It's gotten to the stage where many of my friends have children, and they will pop in for half an hour.
    I'll usually head back to my parents house then at around 5 or 6, and my family are all there, or about to arrive. Have a quick shower, and join them all for some family time and food.
    We always do Christmas Day in either my parents house, or my sisters house. So Christmas Eve is always spent in the other house.
    Can't wait. I'm just trying to stay un-christmassy for another 3 or 4 weeks


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    #429
    average_runner
    Registered Users Posts: 12,845 ✭✭✭✭average_runner


    On Christmas eve we go to Liffey Valley for Breakfast and then walk around the shopping centre for a little while. We then head off to the Phoenix Park to see the reindeer. We then head home and make christmas cookies for Santa with the kids and then a movie. Kids gets their Christmas eve box later with new Xmas pjs, small treat and a toy.


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    #430
    Jude13
    Registered Users Posts: 3,801 ✭✭✭Jude13


    The zoo is a class one, also saying hi to the reindeer in the park. We are going to start a few this year as its our first family one alone.


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    #431
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    yellow hen wrote: »
    I now have two lovely children and we're beginning to make our own Christmas traditions in our own home. Christmas eve morning we go to the zoo and then into dublin for lunch, a walk in the green and to see the lights and then home for a lazy dinner and a kids movie night. The kids also get their Christmas eve box with new pjs, a chocolate treat and one little toy. This is the first year both kids know about santy so it's extra special.


    I've never been a huge fan of christmas but this sounds lovely. The idea of creating my own traditions in the future changes everything.


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    #432
    yellow hen
    Registered Users Posts: 4,030 ✭✭✭yellow hen


    Deleted User wrote: »
    I've never been a huge fan of christmas but this sounds lovely. The idea of creating my own traditions in the future changes everything.

    Funny, I was probably a bit passive about christmas until my own kids began to understand it. The oldest is home sick today and I put on Santa Claus the movie which was my favourite when I was small and he was just in awe. It really is the most magical time of the year for the smallies.


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    #433
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,866 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    Santa Claus the movie from 1984? that's a cracker of a movie. Any Christmas movies that are made in New York in the 1980s and 90s seem to be very special. Has anyone ever thought this? is it the old cliché of New York and New Yorkers being fast paced, business and work oriented and not very welcoming etc its almost the anti-Christmas feeling of the city espically pre 9/11. you have the 80s dirt and crime/grime of New York, the angry cab drivers etc. its funny but its almost the perfect backdrop to a great Christmas story. even think fairy tale of new York. theres also a holiday scene in forrest gump set in New York on New Years eve, it has the late 70s new York tough atmosphere nailed down. I think bill murrays scrooged movie was set in new York as well as home alone


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    #434
    yellow hen
    Registered Users Posts: 4,030 ✭✭✭yellow hen


    Dickie10 wrote: »
    Santa Claus the movie from 1984? that's a cracker of a movie. Any Christmas movies that are made in New York in the 1980s and 90s seem to be very special. Has anyone ever thought this? is it the old cliché of New York and New Yorkers being fast paced, business and work oriented and not very welcoming etc its almost the anti-Christmas feeling of the city espically pre 9/11. you have the 80s dirt and crime/grime of New York, the angry cab drivers etc. its funny but its almost the perfect backdrop to a great Christmas story. even think fairy tale of new York. theres also a holiday scene in forrest gump set in New York on New Years eve, it has the late 70s new York tough atmosphere nailed down. I think bill murrays scrooged movie was set in new York as well as home alone

    Is it (am i) that old?! But yes, I think you're right that the movies from that era are special I'm that there's a bit of magic for kids. Newer Christmas movies tend to be comedies.


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    #435
    gmisk
    Registered Users Posts: 31,874 ✭✭✭✭gmisk


    When I was young we were allowed to open one present before bed...i would have spent most of the previous week shaking them to try and make a good choice.... I rarely did.

    Now I tend to go into town for a bit of lunch with my partner go for a few pints in city centre, the atmosphere is always lovely, lots of men randomly buying anything they can find in a mad last minute dash is always fun too. Home at 7ish maybe, light stove and maybe have a nice beer or maybe even a wee eggnog!


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    #436
    starlit
    Registered Users Posts: 12,340 ✭✭✭✭starlit


    Mince pies probably. Didn't open Christmas presents until Christmas morning. Usually a late riser even on Christmas morning despite the excitement!


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    #437
    demanufactured
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭demanufactured


    Pints


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    #438
    Neyite
    Administrators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,947 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Neyite


    We really only started doing proper family traditions when our son was born.

    We get a real tree and pick it out together after a LOT of discussion.

    Every Christmas, starting with the year we had our baby, we get one or two posh baubles for the tree. Usually it tends to reflect a memory of something from the year, and I write the year on it somewhere discreet with a CD marker. Now I've about 10 and it's really lovely hanging them one by one and remembering the Christmases past.

    I make chutneys and Christmas cakes every year and start stocking up on stuff like wines and long-life treats to try to spread the cost in the run up to Christmas. I only give them to people who actually want them though!

    I do all the food organisation, presents for my side, himself does all the Smyths click & collect. It used to be us running around frantically on Christmas Eve but one year we did everything either online or well in advance and it was really lovely to just chill out at home.

    The slow cooker comes in handy for mulled wine - I set it up on a table in the living room so I basically don't have to move my ass for a refill to fill the room up with the lovely smell. And it stays at the perfect temperature.

    Christmas Eve this year will be baking a small gingerbread house and decorating it together. if it doesn't end in disaster, then I might make it an ongoing tradition.

    Christmas morning it's a rule we all go downstairs together.

    Apart from those, we just hang out together and with the wider family, watching movies, reading books or going for walks in the local wood, and just relax really.


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    #439
    Dickie10
    Registered Users Posts: 3,866 ✭✭✭Dickie10


    do many people shut christmas down after st stephens day? i see this becoming the norm now. everything is back to work and routine on the 27th. with people treating new years day as just a bank holiday.

    i really think this is terrible. the farming commuinty always have a strange christmas. basically christmas eve is just very like an ordinary saturday of a bank holidy weekend where you are doing a good few jobs so as to be free enough for 25th and 26th. by 27th your pretty much back full whack at it.

    i have had a lot of pretty slavery work on christmas eves over the years apart from my own farming i have been power washing yards and stuff for uncles at 5 pm on a christmas eve , it kind of led to be depising the day in many ways . it always seemed to be a an excuse for people slaving you to work like a dog to get meanial jobs done for xmas day.

    i dont really know why people fuss so much for one day. years ago i think xmas was seemed to kind of start on xmas eve then end new years day . the days in between were when the xmas feeling really was.


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    #440
    optogirl
    Registered Users Posts: 2,975 ✭✭✭optogirl


    Myself & 3 sisters & families meet up in one sister's house to exchange the nieces & nephews gifts and adults will have some drinks & tasty treats. Those that go to mass do so before hand. The heathens like me will spend the day pottering, watching Christmas telly & tidying a bit. After the visit to my sister's it's home - kids into jammies, leave something nice out for Santa & reindeer & then wait and wait and wait for them to fall asleep to then, ahem, help Santa prepare for the next morning. I absolutely LOVE this part. I start Christmas shopping pretty early and have bits & pieces trickling in from the end of August so it's nice to see the little haul laid out for them and knowing how excited they'll be.


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    #441
    Day Lewin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,607 ✭✭✭Day Lewin


    Neyite wrote: »
    Every Christmas, starting with the year we had our baby, we get one or two posh baubles for the tree. Usually it tends to reflect a memory of something from the year, and I write the year on it somewhere discreet with a CD marker. Now I've about 10 and it's really lovely hanging them one by one and remembering the Christmases past.

    I think this is a really lovely idea, might adopt it!

    I do get just one expensive "nice" new ornament each year: but didn't think of connecting them with the year's "theme", so to speak: this must be really heart-warming as time goes by :-) Thank you!


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    #442
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,750 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    Day Lewin wrote: »
    I think this is a really lovely idea, might adopt it!

    I do get just one expensive "nice" new ornament each year: but didn't think of connecting them with the year's "theme", so to speak: this must be really heart-warming as time goes by :-) Thank you!

    It's a lovely idea isn't it... I'm stealing it myself. :)

    Last year's one and this years one will be easy as we have two big milestone years, looking forward to seeing what ornaments and memories I'll be adding over the next few years.


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    #443
    Neyite
    Administrators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,947 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Neyite


    Day Lewin wrote: »
    I think this is a really lovely idea, might adopt it!

    I do get just one expensive "nice" new ornament each year: but didn't think of connecting them with the year's "theme", so to speak: this must be really heart-warming as time goes by :-) Thank you!


    It really is lovely, and I love sitting looking at my tree sipping my mulled wine and getting lost in some lovely memories that each one prompts. There's a couple that's mementos of loved ones no longer here but also some nice ones. Last year's was school themed because it was the first year in big school, and a memorial of someone who passed away. This year it might be something to do with ice skating as he's old enough to bring him for the first time, or a kitten one as he's got his first kitten recently.


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    #444
    CheerLouth
    Registered Users Posts: 2,423 ✭✭✭CheerLouth


    Neyite wrote: »
    The slow cooker comes in handy for mulled wine - I set it up on a table in the living room so I basically don't have to move my ass for a refill to fill the room up with the lovely smell. And it stays at the perfect temperature.

    I never thought of using the slow cooker for mulled wine! Genius! Although normally it's just me that drinks it so I only make enough for about two glasses.....


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    #445
    Mam of 4
    Registered Users Posts: 21,831 ✭✭✭✭Mam of 4


    Our Christmas Eve tradition was going down to my parents house in the afternoon, all the family met there , ham Turkey cooking , sneaky ham sandwich before heading home that evening :)

    My mam died , we continued the tradition with my da, with my own kids bringing their little ones down to him . I'd cook the Christmas dinner in his house , we'd spend Christmas day with him too:)
    He passed away a few weeks ago , so now we've new traditions to start , which is good too .

    So , I'll update after Christmas and let ye know what the new tradition is !


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    #446
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,234 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    Usually just watch telly if I have the place to meself. If I don’t have the place to meself I’ll just go for a walk or drive somewhere quiet until I do. Prepare meself to grit the teeth the following day until normal service resumes.


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    #447
    Day Lewin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,607 ✭✭✭Day Lewin


    Mam of 4 wrote: »
    Our Christmas Eve tradition was going down to my parents house in the afternoon, all the family met there , ham Turkey cooking , sneaky ham sandwich before heading home that evening :)

    My mam died , we continued the tradition with my da, with my own kids bringing their little ones down to him . I'd cook the Christmas dinner in his house , we'd spend Christmas day with him too:)
    He passed away a few weeks ago , so now we've new traditions to start , which is good too .

    So , I'll update after Christmas and let ye know what the new tradition is !

    Sorry to hear of the Da passing away... I guess you'll have time for memories this Christmas:
    I hope it is gentle, not too sad.


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    #448
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,750 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    Mam of 4 wrote: »
    Our Christmas Eve tradition was going down to my parents house in the afternoon, all the family met there , ham Turkey cooking , sneaky ham sandwich before heading home that evening :)

    My mam died , we continued the tradition with my da, with my own kids bringing their little ones down to him . I'd cook the Christmas dinner in his house , we'd spend Christmas day with him too:)
    He passed away a few weeks ago , so now we've new traditions to start , which is good too .

    So , I'll update after Christmas and let ye know what the new tradition is !

    So sorry to hear about your Da passing.

    The beauty of Christmas it gives us all a time to remember the best of times and to create new memories each and every year.


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    #449
    Mam of 4
    Registered Users Posts: 21,831 ✭✭✭✭Mam of 4


    Can't multi quote on phone , sorry !
    Thank you both , it will be different, but they will live on in our hearts :)
    Not too sad as lots of happy memories , and a time to make many more as you both have said .

    They little one's are old enough now to understand "Santa" so fun times ahead !


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    #450
    CheerLouth
    Registered Users Posts: 2,423 ✭✭✭CheerLouth


    Sorry for your loss, mam of 4. Be gentle on yourselves x


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    #451
    Mam of 4
    Registered Users Posts: 21,831 ✭✭✭✭Mam of 4


    CheerLouth wrote: »
    Sorry for your loss, mam of 4. Be gentle on yourselves x

    Thanks CheerLouth, it'll be running the gamut of emotions this year with both gone , but will be happy too x


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