https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 26 Apr 2026 07:18:07 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859548 Sat, 01 Dec 2018 14:02:03 +0000 Alba4 2859548@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Usually we spend the holidays with extended family, but this year we made a conscious decision to be just with our nuclear family for Christmas Eve and day. I grew up attending a very large Xmas eve party with@50 family members (my mom’s cousins and aunts all lived locally). It was hectic and fun, but crazy.</p> <p>We plan to cook and bake all Xmas Eve. Then Xmas day we’ll open gifts and spend a chill day at home. We watch movies and play with our toys. Lots and lots of food is involved.</p> <p>We will celebrate with my parents and my borther’s family the weekend before New Years and then with my husbands family the weekend of 1/6. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859491 Sat, 01 Dec 2018 07:34:15 +0000 Becky 2859491@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It’s legit magical for our kids. Our family is local so that helps. Christmas Eve we usually hang out at my in-laws a bit (bonus if there’s snow as they have a big hill), then in the evening we go to my husbands grandmas. The entire extended family gathers there (20-30 people) and at 8-ish (so late for kids but it’s one day) we go to the basement where they have a stage for “the Christmas show.” People put on acts and sing, including the kids. When we get home we sprinkle reindeer food in the yard. They usually get to bed around 9:45-10 so it’s excitong for them to stay up too. </p> <p>Christmas Day we do presents at our house, then church, then my parents for the rest of the day for presents, sledding, and dinner. My husband and I always run together on Christmas Day too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859454 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 22:20:40 +0000 LCTBQE 2859454@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wrkbrk: totally re thanksgiving. I have always considered that holiday the sacrificial lamb so that I don't have to fuck up the time off work around Christmas/New Years by a bunch of travel. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859452 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 22:16:58 +0000 LCTBQE 2859452@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Hypatia: when I was growing up, before we opened our presents my parents used to be like, "and what is the *true* meaning of Christmas?" and then we'd have to say, "the pagan rebirth of the sun" :) I love your candle tradition, that is beautiful!</p> <p>eta @cat620: this is a great thread, I have never really given any thought to holiday traditions before, but I'd like to start small this year. getting some lovely ideas and I'm glad everyone is being specific about what they eat and when. I find food so hard to coordinate sometimes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859448 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 21:34:35 +0000 catgirl 2859448@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lindseykaye: definitely sounds like we have a similar approach to Christmas. I agree with your reasons too! And I don't think they are selfish at all! Our whole family has more fun when we can all be present together, so I would be really frustrated stuck in the kitchen (mostly) alone. </p> <p>We also bake a lot leading up to Christmas. Last year we were only decorating sugar cookies on Christmas Eve, not doing the actual baking. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859446 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 21:18:20 +0000 lindseykaye 2859446@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Hypatia: The candlelight/fireplace tradition of yours sounds so lovely and magical!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859445 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 21:17:10 +0000 lindseykaye 2859445@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catgirl: Your plans feel a lot like ours! My own reasons for cooking like I do are more selfish in that I don’t want to be in the kitchen missing out on things or on my feet while everyone relaxes but I’m glad to hear your husbands perspective about having his mom more present instead of tucked away in the kitchen.</p> <p>We make cookies over several days ahead of Christmas. I usually have 5 or more kinds and we divvy them up for delivering to local friends. So by Christmas Eve all the baking is done!</p> <p>I forgot last year we went to our friends for a Christmas Eve party which they’re wanting to make a tradition. Fancy potluck style apps, drinks, lots of kids running around. It was fabulous but with a newborn this year we will probably skip it and rejoin next time :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859439 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 21:03:51 +0000 wrkbrk 2859439@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cat620: Good topic!</p> <p>We host everyone Christmas Eve. Big loud festive boozy party with “upgraded” appetizers like tenderloin sandwiches and shrimp cocktail. We do all the gifts then minus our son’s from us.</p> <p>Christmas Day it’s just the three of us. A perfect mix in my opinion. Of course we pay for it by having to travel every thanksgiving 😂 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859426 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 20:08:24 +0000 erinbaderin 2859426@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Before we got married my husband went every year. They’ve never mentioned coming here - until this year my husband’s elderly grandparents were also there so they always spent Christmas together. And we’ve never gone there mostly because I’m the organizer in the house and I want to stick with my family! :grin: If my husband had wanted to go we probably would have before kids, now I think it would be pretty complicated. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859409 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 18:42:22 +0000 Hypatia 2859409@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're secular, and sort of combine Christmas with Solstice. Beginning on Christmas Eve and through Christmas, we don't use electric lights. We only use candles and the fireplace. It's a reminder of it being the darkest time of the year, and how slowly, the days are lengthening again.</p> <p>We do a charcuterie board for Christmas Eve, with cheeses, summer sausage, french bread, etc.</p> <p>We open a Christmas Eve Box with chocolates, cocoa, Christmas mugs, slippers, a book, and an ornament. We do Christmas pajamas earlier in the month.</p> <p>On Christmas morning, we open stockings in the morning, and the kids see their one big shared gift. (We don't do other presents other than stockings and the shared gift.) Later, when the inlaws arrive, they bring a ton of presents over. Oh well.</p> <p>We have cinnamon rolls and bacon and gruyere souffles for breakfast. Lunch is the leftover charcuterie board from the day before. For dinner, I cook a prime rib roast with some simple sides. Dessert is a bouche du noel cake.</p> <p>We bake cookies and bring them to our neighbors.</p> <p>I'd like to start some new traditions, so I'll be interested to read about other people's Christmas! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859408 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 18:31:31 +0000 muffinsmuffins 2859408@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Since having kids, for Christmas Eve we do a bunch of hot and cold appetizers for dinner (meatballs, dips, cheese ball, salads, etc) and usually try to watch Rudolph before our older son goes to bed. This year is the first year I think he gets the idea of Santa so we will make a big deal of putting out cookies and whatnot. I also bought matching Jammie’s for him and DS2 who is 3 months.</p> <p>Christmas morning I do a make ahead breakfast bake and cinnamon rolls. We open gifts and laze around all morning and then I have cooked turkey dinner in the past and had grandparents over. We usually spend the 26th packing up and doing laundry in prep for travel from the 27-31st.</p> <p>We’ve done a lot of different combos of hosting and travelling to visit people but we are always home the 24th and 25th and people are welcome to join us. This year it’s just us on Christmas day so might have friends of ours in town over for the dinner...I do like the idea of the crockpot meal!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859403 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 16:54:01 +0000 Mommy Finger 2859403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We spend Xmas eve at home but invite my parents over. This way, we can put the boys to bed at their normal time and not have to rush home. We always make a big meal of prime rib, stuffing, brussel sprouts w/ bacon etc. The boys get special Christmas jammies to wear to bed. </p> <p>We spend Xmas morning at home. The boys open their gifts and play with them while I make breakfast. We've been making monkey bread and bacon. Healthy it is not. :) We then go to my grandma's house for dinner and it's chaos.</p> <p>We don't get together with my family (meaning my brothers and their families) until some other time. Usually it's the 1st or 2nd weekend of January. I like to keep the spirit alive! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859392 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 15:58:57 +0000 looch 2859392@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erinbaderin: Interesting about the inlaws abroad...have they ever expressed either coming to you or you visiting them? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859391 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 15:57:18 +0000 AB810 2859391@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't have many set in stone Christmas Eve traditions. For the last few years we've had mixtures of friends/family over for a big dinner. The kid get to open one gift, which is always new pajamas with a little treat and a book.</p> <p>Christmas day we always stay at our home. In the morning we open gifts. MY mom comes over and I make a big breakfast. Then we lounge and play with new toys and hang out. Early afternoon we head to the beach with the dogs. We always have an early dinner of Thai takeout. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859388 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 15:55:15 +0000 erinbaderin 2859388@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My in-laws live in England so that makes it easier - we only have my family to contend with. Our traditions changed when my parents moved three hours away to the lake. Now we go up there on the 23rd, usually. On Christmas Eve we open the Christmas Eve box - it has a copy of the Night Before Christmas, new jammies and slippers, a DVD of the Grinch, special Christmas mugs and hot chocolate, and the plate for Santa cookies. On Christmas Day we try to keep the boys quiet as late as possible because my little brother is not a morning person, and we let them open stockings to tide them over, but usually by 7 everybody is up. We do stockings, we have mimosas, we open presents, and then my mom always makes this breakfast casserole called Wife Saver. We spend the rest of the day lounging and playing with new toys until the big turkey dinner! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859371 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 14:49:42 +0000 catgirl 2859371@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD will be four in early December and so far we have stayed home, just our nuclear family, on Christmas Eve and Day. We lived far enough away and DH doesn't have a lot of time off then, so it was just easier to stay home. So this is what we have done in the past:</p> <p>Christmas Eve:<br /> Start a ham in the crockpot in the morning, most sides prepped the day ahead, finish every thing at dinner.<br /> Make cookies for Santa in the afternoon<br /> Watch a Christmas movie or show with DD<br /> DH and I watch Love Actually after DD is in bed</p> <p>Christmas Day:<br /> Stay in Christmas pjs all day<br /> Wake up and do stockings<br /> Have breakfast - a cinnamon roll casserole, egg casserole, and bacon<br /> Start meatballs and sauce in crockpot for dinner<br /> Open presents and play with toys - this could take hours even with just one kid. She liked to stop and play with everything.<br /> Casual appetizer lunch<br /> At dinner make pasta for meatballs</p> <p>Now that we live near family this is what the rough plans are:<br /> Christmas Eve:<br /> Make cookies in the morning for Santa (or day before depending on DH's work schedule)<br /> In laws for afternoon/evening. They host 30+ people, a mix of family and friends. Casual buffet style.<br /> Back to our house to put out cookies and go to bed</p> <p>Christmas Day:<br /> Pjs all day<br /> Wake up and do stockings<br /> Have breakfast<br /> Start opening presents<br /> My mom, stepdad, and some close family friends will come over mid morning.<br /> Big lunch - brisket (my mom is cooking) and sides that can be prepped ahead.<br /> Stay home, play with new toys, and relax</p> <p>We do Santa so we like to wake up in our own home on Christmas. DH's family is also welcome to come to our house on Christmas day but they host so many people that I don't think they will ever come. </p> <p>I try to avoid a lot of cooking on holidays. DH has no memories of his mom or grandmother being with him on holidays - they were always in the kitchen cooking. So we rely on our crockpot or things we can prep ahead so no one has to spend the day cooking.</p> <p>We also all love driving around looking at Christmas lights. We try to do it a few times throughout December. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859364 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 14:30:48 +0000 snowjewelz 2859364@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We haven't had set traditions. I have 2 Dec babies so the year they were just born, I think we just spent it with my family so it's smaller and less stress. Looking at pictures, it seems like so far we've spent 2 Christmas at our house, 1 at my parent's house, and Christmas Eve or day after Christmas we will spend time with DH's side of the family. </p> <p>This year though we're trying to get all the kids together Christmas day to open presents together, so we'll prob come up with something different! I think we like to spend it with SOME family, not just us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859361 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 14:26:00 +0000 mediagirl 2859361@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do Christmas Eve church and then chinese food. We then open gifts from my brother's family.</p> <p>Christmas Day we stay home and my parents are typically there. Now my husband's family lives close so they'll probably come by and say hi. This year will be different b/c we will have an infant and I'm not hosting anyone. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859354 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 14:14:55 +0000 looch 2859354@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>All of our extended families have small children, we are the only ones with an only, so that does influence how and where we celebrate. </p> <p>In theory, we are supposed to alternate the holiday, but that hasn't happened in 2 years because of other circumstances. My husband's family lives on another continent, my parents are in town, and my brother and his family are a day's driving distance.</p> <p>When we celebrate with my husband's family, we are staying at their house and we do what they ask, which involves 3 days of dinners out. Presents are exchanged on Eve, and we have our Santa presents and our personal gifts at our house for later on.</p> <p>When we celebrate with my family, we have dinner at my mom's and then I will usually host a brunch on Day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859352 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 14:12:04 +0000 BUNBUN 2859352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cat620: What a great post. I don't love our "traditions" (or lack of) and I'd like to establish new, intentional ones!</p> <p>@lindseykaye: your traditions sound lovely and low-stress! I really like the idea of something special cooked in the crockpot for Christmas dinner!</p> <p>@Adira: Your Christmas box idea is adorable!!</p> <p>My parents and in-laws live in the same town, so our Eve and Christmas day schedules are a mish-mash of what were already a very full 2 days of food prep, eating, and attempting to not get stressed out by difficult family members and getting to various church services on time! Now I use DS as a welcome excuse to simplify, but it still feels like the adults are either over-whelmed or disappointed at some point. But when I suggest that we scale back on menus, I get push-back. :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859348 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 13:58:29 +0000 DesertDreams88 2859348@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Prefer to stay home with nuclear family, at least for the morning. However we have 1 set of long distance grandparents so sometimes we see them. They love Christmas and we get along well with them so it is great. </p> <p>Do you have any special meals or other traditions?<br /> We have Christmas brunch, hot chocolate, and stay in pajamas all day. When possible, we go to the movies in the afternoon or evening. </p> <p>We have started doing nuclear family gifts on Christmas Eve and then extended family on Christmas day, or vice versa - bc of the kids it is better to spread it out.</p> <p>We do a book advent calendar and a prayer advent calendar (praying for different people every night).</p> <p>I want to make a Christmas activities list but not go overboard bc we are two WOH parents. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859342 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 13:37:15 +0000 Adira 2859342@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We spend both at home! After dinner, my kids open their Christmas Eve Box, which contains a Christmas book (The Polar Express), a new toy or stuffy, new Christmas PJs, Santa's cookie plate, and cookie mix. Then we make the cookies for Santa (and ourselves). We'll maybe watch a couple Christmas shows and then get ready for bed, putting on the new PJs and reading the Christmas book.</p> <p>Christmas day is always spent at home. We usually invite grandparents over, but they don't always come (my in-laws don't always come; my parents and brother always do). We'll open stockings first thing in the morning, and then I'll make breakfast (croissants). If family is coming over early enough, we'll try to hold off on opening presents until they get there. Otherwise, after breakfast we'll open presents and play with new toys/games! And we'll have a turkey dinner. And we stay in our pjs all day! </p> [attach=340/18/pj0rq3.600x401.christmas_traditions.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859341 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 13:29:37 +0000 lindseykaye 2859341@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are a secular family, so that influences some of our traditions and how we spend the holiday. When LO was 2 yrs old we started to stay at home over the actual holiday (we alternated holidays between DH and my families when we were dating/married no kids and then for LO's first 2 holidays).</p> <p>For the past few years this is how we've spent our holiday:<br /> XMas eve: We spend the day relaxing, and try to go outside somewhere to either a local nature park for a long walk or to a playground or something similar.<br /> Then in the evening, we go to a local area with a christmas light display where LO can run around. That night for dinner we make homemade snowman-shaped pizzas, watch a holiday movie with our own cookies, open our xmas eve present (pjs, ornament), and leave Santa cookies/milk and reindeer snacks. Then we put the christmas key on the outside of the door (no fireplace) and do stories and bedtime as usual.<br /> Then DH and I have some quiet time together before putting all the gifts out and going to bed.</p> <p>Xmas morning/day we wake up and do gifts. I always have some kind of made-ahead breakfast that I'll pop in the oven part-way through. We have coffee and put on christmas music and the fireplace on TV while gifts are being opened.<br /> After gifts, we have casual breakfast and LO opens toys and we play together. I put the Nutcracker ballet on after gifts for background music/enjoyment.</p> <p>Then we chill/play/hang out at home most of the day. Lunch is just snacks or appetizer style. Pigs in a blanket with a cheese plate and veggies/dip or something similar and good for grazing. At some point I will put dinner in the crock pot. Traditionally we do beef shortribs in a red wine sauce. I'll make the sauce/prep everything the day or two ahead so it's just putting it in the slow cooker, turning it on and letting it cook itself while we hang out. Again, we try to get outside at some point and play in our yard or go to the park. Then dinner, and our usual night time routine. Then DH and I will start a fire outside after LO goes to bed and hang out solo.</p> <p>This year we will have a newborn so while we are hoping to keep most of these traditions the same I know some things may be a little different as we adapt. Not sure if we will host family/guests in town or anything like that but we're basically staying flexible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859340 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 13:29:35 +0000 Dahlia 2859340@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We spend Christmas Eve and day with my family, and usually go to DH's on the 26. We don't live anywhere near either of our families, they're several hours apart, and DH's family hadn't celebrated on Christmas day for years before I joined the family (because of work and inlaws), so they don't mind doing it another day. We will probably never spend Christmas at our house, as it's one of the only times of year we can go visit family. </p> <p>My favorite traditions are pre-Christmas: cutting down a tree, decorating gingerbread houses, making cookies. We've never had a real strict tradition for what we do Eve/day except for going to church and opening presents in the morning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859337 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 13:25:23 +0000 Sams Mom 2859337@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cat620: we spend either Christmas Eve or day with my side of the family. Depending on who hosts we might spend both with my family (depends on if the hosts house has room for all of us)</p> <p>The other day we do gifts, Christmas movies, read the Christmas story from the Bible. </p> <p>It's actually kind of hard to be with just my husband and son on that day because growing up both days were taken up with both sides of the family with no down time. I miss the hustle and bustle of it all when it's just us. </p> <p>We do still go to something in early December for my dad's side of the family, and to my husband's grandparents house or of state. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-spend-christmas-eveday#post-2859335 Fri, 30 Nov 2018 13:09:26 +0000 cat620 2859335@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm curious what everyone does on Christmas Eve/Day. Do you spend it with extended family or prefer to stay home with your nuclear family? Do you go anywhere? Do you have any special meals or other traditions? Do you exchange gifts with everyone or only some people? Any other traditions?</p> <p>DH and I are making traditions for our own family, and I like to hear from others for ideas. </p>