Hellobee Boards

We go to the late night service at church where the organist takes requests on Christmas carols to sing and then closes quietly with a short service and a candle-lit singing of Silent Night. I love it!!

When I was a kid we used to bake cookies on Christmas eve to leave out for Santa.

We make homemade pizza (something my dad started, and DH continues) and we always begged and begged to open '1' present...and ended up opening all the presents under the tree (santa brought us more in the morning, we were spoiled :p)

I'd like to add some more!

@travelgirl1: thanks for starting this thread! I would love some christmas eve tradition ideas as well!

From my childhood I only remember my mom locking herself in the bedroom to wrap presents! lol

I've heard of the pj's things, appetizers for dinner, etc. DH and I always watch Love Actually, but that's not a good tradition to share with LO's.

Every year, we have a meal with our very closest friends (there are usually eight of us). DH always cooks a posh three course meal - last year he did pan fried duck. YUM. I go all out dressing the table and it's just lovely. Then, afterwards, we open up our home to any friends who want to join us for a few drinks. We've done it every year since we met - I love it.

As DD grows, I guess this will morph into new traditions....

We have a steak dinner, make a ton of popcorn and watch a Christmas movie (the little boys choose, last year it was Elf). After the kids go to bed my BIL pours makes drinks and get a little bit boozy and wrap up all of their presents (some from family, some from Santa). Then we all hang out. D and his brothers don't all get together very often and my sisters-in-law are also first cousins (from a loud and brash family) so it's always a lot of fun.

We're not going there this year ( ) so I have no idea what we'll be doing...

Growing up we went to my aunt's house and celebrated there until midnight. After giving Christmas hugs we would go home and were allowed to pick one present to open before bed. (:

Now, I spend Christmas Eve with the inlaws and do the same thing (wait until midnight, hugs and good wishes, go home).

I plan to do the same thing with LO

We open a present or two from a family member, go to church, read the Night Before Christmas, and try to convince the younger kids Santa is here by hitting the roof with a broom.

@travelgirl1: we always had a few presents under the tree by Christmas Eve and then the majority of gifts magically appeared overnight.

Our Christmas Eve is currently too crazy for us now that we have R. We go to DH's aunt's house for dinner then rush out and drive to either my parents' or my aunt's house for dessert. I'm really unsure about how to rearrange things.

My parents always did the Christmas pjs on Christmas Eve so I will do that as well.

Feast of the seven fishes, new pajamas, and midnight mass. Christmas Eve is my favorite day of the year.

@travelgirl1: we always woke to piles of gifts too, we got around it by opening a gift from our sibling....as kids we always put our gifts under the tree really early, we were so excited, lol

Growing up we went to do "Christmas" at my grandpa's house, then went to church, then came home to get in our pj's, drink got cocoa and then open our presents. This year we'll be starting our new family traditions but we'll still have church and perhaps we'll watch those classic Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman movies. Funny to think last Christmas Eve we were injecting our trigger shot secretly in the bathroom at our family Christmas party.

One of our Christmas traditions is going to watch the Christmas ships on the waterfront, it doesn't happen on Christmas Eve but it's a strong tradition.

Ours is kind of crazy because we have my husbands girls for the evening, then we have to take them back to their Mom. So last year I went all out and made a traditional Christmas dinner, the girls opened all their gifts, and our kids opened their Christmas Eve gifts. They always get a Christmas movie, ornament, and pj's on Christmas Eve. Then we put the movie on and drink hot coco in our Christmas pj's.

This year instead of going all out with turkey, ham and everything else I think I'll do more of an appetizer thing. It's too hard to cook for both days since we have a traditional dinner at my parents on Christmas as well.

Oh I forgot one of the most important ones! We sprinkle reindeer food on the lawn! http://www.kerryspapercrafts.com/?p=1716 We're running low this year and need some more..

@pui: the candlelit singing of Silent Night makes me cry every.single.time.

In Sweden, they celebrate Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day (in fact they celebrate most holidays on the eve before).

Dec 23rd: We either just arrive at the in-laws or come the night before. This is traditionally the time when they put up Christmas decorations (yes, the day before).

Dec 24th: We basically eat all day at the in-laws. Dinner is a smörgåsbord or traditional Swedish food. Coffee and pastries is served in between and after meals. There's a rice porridge that's eaten at night, traditionally with one almond in it, but we have it sans almond. Before we open gifts, some people bake candies, some work on a puzzle. We drink Glögg, a sweet spiced wine topped with raisins and almonds served hot.

Dec 25th: Christmas Day is when we get to celebrate our little Christmas as a family of three. We go home, open our gifts and stockings. Have a nice, relaxing day in our own home

Eta: I forgot to mention the new tradition we started last year! DH wears a cheesy Santa suit and I takes picture of him with DD.

We do traditional Italian Christmas eve dinner and open matching pjs and drink hot cocoa. (though last year we had wonton soup which was amazing!)

New christmas PJs and watching a movie while drinking hot chocolate. And, wrapping presents since I come from a long line of procrastinators. haha.