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Christmas Eve Traditions :-)

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    #92
    Whispered
    Registered Users Posts: 14,772 ✭✭✭✭Whispered


    hdowney wrote: »
    i will be more excited than them :o

    My Dad is like that - we always got up very early as kids, but recent years we've grown out of it so would sleep until 9am or so. From about 6 my dad is up "quietly" going about his morning - ie coughing in the hallway, loudly scraping and lighting the fire, singing christmas songs at the top of his toneless voice (think dustin the turkey) and making brekkie. He's the biggest kid of us all. This year again we wont go down until Christmas morning so I'll miss all that. :(

    My parents have always made such an effort at Christmas, even when we had very little they made sure we had a special day.


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    #93
    QueenOfLeon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,109 ✭✭✭QueenOfLeon


    Aw this thread is brilliant! I love Christmas Eve :D

    When we were younger we would all go into town in the morning to pick up the last few presents. In the early afternoon we'd go over to my Granny and Grandad, to kick off all the present giving! My granny spends Christmas with my aunt now instead, its one tradition I really miss.

    My dad always does the Christmas cooking, in the evening on Christmas eve he lights a fire in the living room and we eat there, which only ever happens at Christmas. We do the present exchanges tonight, apart from the Santa presents which will be done tomorrow morning, even though we range in age from 19 to 28! :cool:

    We have to wait until everyone is finished dinner on Christmas Eve, the table is cleared and the dishes are washed before doing the presents. I think my parents just like to torture us, probably a good idea as well, I never see my brothers being so proactive at any other time of year :P

    Then its present time! :D Before being dragged off to the obligatory late mass. In this one they seem to finish up quite quickly so that kids get to bed before Santa, thankfully.

    I'm at work at the minute but I can't wait for tonight :D


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    #94
    pow wow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,288 ✭✭✭pow wow


    Eating nothing but sweets all day :D No matter where I am in the world it's a tradition that I'm able to follow irrespective of how far away friends and family are.


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    #95
    Twoandahalfmen
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 769 ✭✭✭Twoandahalfmen


    I know its early but i cant wait for the christmas season about 11/12 weeks but ye what are your traditions mine are getting up at 8 going to town with the fam mam dad me (16) brothers 13 and 11 get our kris kindle presents yearly browse into a 2 euro shop, buying selection boxes off the stalls have a good oul browse and hope for a cold day. finish off by going for dinner coming home watching christmas films eating tins of sweets doing kris cindle getting an extra pressent off mam and dad watch more films go to bed and wait for the big day.

    what are your traditions


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    #96
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,732 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    If you love Christmas Eve traditions, god know I do, have a look at this thread, it seems a lot of people have the same traditions I have as well :)

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056400666


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    #97
    GalwayGirl00
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭GalwayGirl00


    Twoandahalfmen wrote: »
    I know its early but i cant wait for the christmas season about 11/12 weeks but ye what are your traditions mine are getting up at 8 going to town with the fam mam dad me (16) brothers 13 and 11 get our kris kindle presents yearly browse into a 2 euro shop, buying selection boxes off the stalls have a good oul browse and hope for a cold day. finish off by going for dinner coming home watching christmas films eating tins of sweets doing kris cindle getting an extra pressent off mam and dad watch more films go to bed and wait for the big day.

    what are your traditions
    I looove Christmas too!! My hubby is Spanish so we actually have our Turkey Christmas Eve :) my first year in Spain this horrififed me, but having the dinner and little party for the kids Christmas Eve is fab.Midnight mass and they go off to bed on a high(as all kids do) There is no pressure at all on Christmas day to cook etc. It is all about relaxing and enjoying santa pressies and a day completely for the kids. In Spain the celebrate new Years Eve more than New Years day also


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    #98
    star-pants
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,429 ✭✭✭✭star-pants


    Threads merged :)


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    #99
    Alicat
    Registered Users Posts: 10,264 ✭✭✭✭Alicat


    I have Christmas Eve off this year! :D I asked for it last October (2011) for this Christmas (2012) so that there could be no excuse of not having enough notice or anything!

    My colleagues all though I was crazy but they'll be super jealous this Dec 24th! \o/


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    #100
    leahyl
    Registered Users Posts: 14,244 ✭✭✭✭leahyl


    Alicat wrote: »
    I have Christmas Eve off this year! :D I asked for it last October (2011) for this Christmas (2012) so that there could be no excuse of not having enough notice or anything!

    My colleagues all though I was crazy but they'll be super jealous this Dec 24th! \o/

    AAAAWW delighted for you Alicat:):pac: I know, being a fellow Christmas fanatic, how important Christmas Eve is to us!:pac:


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    #101
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,732 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    Alicat wrote: »
    I have Christmas Eve off this year! :D I asked for it last October (2011) for this Christmas (2012) so that there could be no excuse of not having enough notice or anything!

    My colleagues all though I was crazy but they'll be super jealous this Dec 24th! \o/


    Delighted for you!! Genius plan! :)

    My birthday is in late December, I'm waiting/hoping on approval to have the 19/20/21st off. Then the office is closed until the 2nd of January! :D

    Fingers crossed I get the time off! :)
    Post edited by Loughc on


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    #102
    SusieBlue
    Registered Users Posts: 8,029 ✭✭✭SusieBlue


    Seems lots of us have the same Christmas traditions.

    As kids, we always had our Christmas Eve Packs given to us on Christmas Eve morning. As adults, our parents still give them to us. They're little baskets with new pyjamas, new sheets, a new Christmas mug, some bubble bath and a Christmas Movie, as well as some sweets. This is still one of my favourite things about Christmas and I hope to do it with my own kids :)

    We'd then help mum bake a cake, which would be served to us after opening our presents on Christmas Day with candles. We'd sing Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus before tucking in. We still do that now, and that's another tradition I hope to continue with.

    I meet my mum, my sisters and my sister in law in town that morning for breakfast and coffee, just to soak up the atmosphere. We pretty much walk around town aimlessly for an hour or two, picking up last minute gifts and enjoying the Christmas excitement.

    We go home, and I help my mum start prepping the veg while listening to the Frank Sinatra Christmas album.

    We always go to 6pm mass, as its the Childrens Mass in our parish. Nothing more special than seeing hundreds of excited kids in the Christmas spirit. The best part is when Santa phones the priest midway through the mass :)

    Then the whole extended family meets at my aunts house. The adults have a few drinks in the kitchen while all the kids watch The Santa Clause in the living room. I loved this as a child, because I had about 15+ first cousins and watching that film was always the best part of Christmas eve.

    Home for a cup of tea in front of The Father Ted Christmas Special and then bedtime. Nothing beats it :D


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    #103
    leahyl
    Registered Users Posts: 14,244 ✭✭✭✭leahyl


    WhiteRoses wrote: »
    I meet my mum, my sisters and my sister in law in town that morning for breakfast and coffee, just to soak up the atmosphere. We pretty much walk around town aimlessly for an hour or two, picking up last minute gifts and enjoying the Christmas excitement.

    We go home, and I help my mum start prepping the veg while listening to the Frank Sinatra Christmas album.

    Love this :D going for breakfast with your mum and sisters is a lovely idea - I love getting the atmosphere in town!!

    And Frank Sinatra Christmas Album - perfect!:pac:


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    #104
    Heroditas
    Registered Users Posts: 9,441 ✭✭✭Heroditas


    As a kid, Christmas Eve was always spent in a state of excitement waiting for my dad to come home from work for the holidays at lunchtime. Meanwhile my mum was busy getting the ham and turkey ready, along with peeling mountains of vegetables.
    After that, I would start the countdown to the big day and watch as many Christmas specials on the TV as possible.
    There really is something magical about Christmas when you're a child.

    Fast forward a few years and Christmas Eve was invariably spent in bed with a thundering hangover from the college reunion we have every year on the 23rd – same pub without fail. We don’t even bother sending email reminders – we all just know to be there. It’s a tradition for the course I studied so you see people from their 20s up to their 60s and 70s out for the night.
    As a result, Christmas Eve was always a write-off but thankfully I never had to buy any presents because I was always on top of that.

    Since then, I’ve spent the last few Christmases with my wife and her family. Christmas Eve is still spent with the thundering hangover but I no longer have the luxury of sleeping it off. Her father’s extended family always have a gathering and a Kris Kindle which is held in one of the family member’s houses. We hosted it last year and it was a bit of a squeeze with over 20 people there! It’s all great fun though and we’re always home a bit after 8 because everyone has small kids now. The “grandchildren” are now parents. :)
    After that, home to relax, put the feet up and put on the Christmas CD.
    Also, I always make it my business to go for a walk – Christmas Eve is always so peaceful. There’s no buses after a certain time and the streets are deserted. Lucan village is also very quiet bar a bit of noise from the pubs.
    In a way, the Guinness ad captured the atmosphere perfectly.

    I’m getting awfully nostalgic thinking about it because Christmas is a lot different now that my dad is no longer with us. My mum now spends Christmas with one of my siblings so she can see the grandkids. This year might be a bit different. We have a baby of our own now so we might be able to get her to stay with us this year! :)


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    #105
    CarrieAnne
    Registered Users Posts: 630 ✭✭✭CarrieAnne


    Thanks for sharing all your stories, they are wonderful.

    My story sounds familiar to many... I was blessed to grow up in a happy home with a wonderful family. Christmas Eve was heading to town, visiting family, laughter, tv with Christmas shows, Midnight Mass and coming home to light the "candle at Christmas". Putting the baby Jesus into the crib and ham sandwiches! Then present opening.... as Santa presents were for the morning.
    When we got older, we added a modification of heading to pub in village for a few drinks after Mass, to meet people you havent seen all year who were home for Christmas.
    I love Christmas Day as well, in fact ALL of Christmas...
    (Would you believe even though i am over 40, Santa still leaves me a present of a tube of smarties under the tree in my Mam's house... was always and continues to be a huge favourite!)

    Since I married, the traditions have changed to accomadate another families traditions! Wierd really, I am not allowed open my presents anymore on Christmas Eve!! :(

    On the plus side, Santa visits my children... the excitment is infectious!


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    #106
    irishbarb
    Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭irishbarb


    WhiteRoses wrote: »
    Seems lots of us have the same Christmas traditions.

    As kids, we always had our Christmas Eve Packs given to us on Christmas Eve morning. As adults, our parents still give them to us. They're little baskets with new pyjamas, new sheets, a new Christmas mug, some bubble bath and a Christmas Movie, as well as some sweets. This is still one of my favourite things about Christmas and I hope to do it with my own kids :)

    Oh I really like this idea for my future kiddos :)


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    #107
    strawberrytart
    Registered Users Posts: 39 ✭strawberrytart


    Hi everyone, I'm a newbie here and a major christmas lover. Loving this thread. I am totally taking this christmas eve pack idea and using it myself this year! Thanks :D


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    #108
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,732 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    strawberrytart wrote: »
    Hi everyone, I'm a newbie here and a major christmas lover. Loving this thread. I am totally taking this christmas eve pack idea and using it myself this year! Thanks :D


    Welcome to the Christmas Forums strawberrytart, if you love Christmas you're gonna fit right in here! :D

    The Christmas Eve pack is a great idea indeed!


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    #109
    fishy fishy
    Registered Users Posts: 3,456 ✭✭✭fishy fishy


    CarrieAnne wrote: »
    Thanks for sharing all your stories, they are wonderful.

    My story sounds familiar to many... I was blessed to grow up in a happy home with a wonderful family. Christmas Eve was heading to town, visiting family, laughter, tv with Christmas shows, Midnight Mass and coming home to light the "candle at Christmas". Putting the baby Jesus into the crib and ham sandwiches! Then present opening.... as Santa presents were for the morning.
    When we got older, we added a modification of heading to pub in village for a few drinks after Mass, to meet people you havent seen all year who were home for Christmas.
    I love Christmas Day as well, in fact ALL of Christmas...
    (Would you believe even though i am over 40, Santa still leaves me a present of a tube of smarties under the tree in my Mam's house... was always and continues to be a huge favourite!)

    Since I married, the traditions have changed to accomadate another families traditions! Wierd really, I am not allowed open my presents anymore on Christmas Eve!! :(

    On the plus side, Santa visits my children... the excitment is infectious!


    ya can't beat a hang sandwich on christmas eve - usually taken from the ham to be served on christmas day


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    #110
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,732 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    fishy fishy wrote: »
    ya can't beat a hang sandwich on christmas eve - usually taken from the ham to be served on christmas day


    Been doing this every year for as long as I can remember, my sister calls down to the Parents house every Christmas Eve for Hang sambos for herself and the hubby!


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    #111
    suomi
    Registered Users Posts: 403 ✭✭suomi


    I'm in Finland and here the Christmas Eve is when we open all the presents and go to sauna and have the Christmas dinner. Christmas Day is when we relax and eat leftovers and play with our new toys. :cool:


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    #112
    fishy fishy
    Registered Users Posts: 3,456 ✭✭✭fishy fishy


    suomi wrote: »
    I'm in Finland and here the Christmas Eve is when we open all the presents and go to sauna and have the Christmas dinner. Christmas Day is when we relax and eat leftovers and play with our new toys. :cool:

    Christmas Dinner in a sauna? That sounds awful :o:o


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    #113
    suomi
    Registered Users Posts: 403 ✭✭suomi


    fishy fishy wrote: »
    Christmas Dinner in a sauna? That sounds awful :o:o

    I bet it would be awful! We go to sauna first and then we eat. :p


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    #114
    IrishGurll
    Registered Users Posts: 134 ✭✭IrishGurll


    Christmas eve morning me and my mam drive 2 hours to see all our family and exchange gifts ( we moved :( .) and stuff our faces with roses :D
    Then when me and my mom get back we bake our goodies for Christmas day and start preparing the turkey , then me and my mom put on our new pjs and watch a movie that we bought on dvd (during the year when a good movie comes out we buy it on dvd and wait until Christmas eve to watch it ). Then we get changed again and go to evening mass , and then on the drive home we drive past the fancy houses and look at there Christmas light :) , And then go to bed :Z all excited for Christmas :)


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    #115
    Posy
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 27,527 Mod ✭✭✭✭Posy


    I love this thread. :D



    Suomi, do you eat fish for Christmas dinner there or am I thinking of somewhere else? :)


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    #116
    supershy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 25 ✭supershy


    this thread is lovely - feel all happy reading through it.

    my tradition is back to my parents. Take my mam for her last minute shopping. we get something from the chipper and sit in the living room have a chat. Then i get ready to meet the gang in the local for only 3 or 4 drinks while my parents go in to the neighbours for their drinkies.

    When i come home, there is a chicken and stuffing sandwich left in the kitchen for me (my mam makes a chicken for me cos i don't like turkey).

    Christmas day is meet up with bf, down to my brothers house for xmas breakfast and then off to my auntys for dinner. And then my mother feeds about 12 people on stephen's day with most amazing feast. I always tell my mother that one year i will take a picture of her dinner table before we all sit down to savage it and put it up on FB or boards because it is truly out of this world.


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    #117
    NegativeCreep
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,351 ✭✭✭NegativeCreep


    I always go to howth and walk on the pier and then get a hot chocolate in the yellow cafe there :D then I come home, wrap presents, light the Christmas Yankee candle and usually have a game or two of trivial pursuit :D


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    #118
    tmc86
    Registered Users Posts: 1,031 ✭✭✭tmc86


    NegativeCreep wrote: »
    I always go to howth and walk on the pier and then get a hot chocolate in the yellow cafe there :D then I come home, wrap presents, light the Christmas Yankee candle and usually have a game or two of trivial pursuit :D

    You can't beat a bit of trivial pursuit at christmas!


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    #119
    suomi
    Registered Users Posts: 403 ✭✭suomi


    Posy wrote: »
    Suomi, do you eat fish for Christmas dinner there or am I thinking of somewhere else? :)

    Yep, lots of different types of fish but also ham and turkey. :)


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    #120
    Overflow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,266 ✭✭✭Overflow


    Posy wrote: »
    I love this thread. :D



    Suomi, do you eat fish for Christmas dinner there or am I thinking of somewhere else? :)

    We eat fish here in Norway, also a bunch of other strange things, like cured mutton ribs called pinnekjøtt which means stick-meat, sheep's head, pork ribs, spiced meat balls and sausages. I've actually grown quite accustomed to it all, except the sheep's head, that's just disgusting :)


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    #121
    omb0wyn5ehpij9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,095 ✭✭✭✭omb0wyn5ehpij9


    No matter what day Christmas Eve falls on, I seem to be working :(. Once work is done, home for a bite to eat and then head to what was the local for myself and all my mates up to a few years ago when we moved to different parts of Dublin. Always a great night, one of my favourite nights of the year!


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