General Chat

What Traditions do you have,and when do you open the presents (xmas eve or xmas day?)

Open one present each in the morning and the rest after Christmas lunch, in the afternoon.

And play Trivial Pursuit!!!!

these days I get up on my own, open my presents, go to my son and daughter in law for Christmas lunch and then come back home on my own and watch TV - glad when it's all over and things get back to normal - I know, I'm a miserable old git, but that;'s the way it is these days

As circumstances change, so new 'traditions' evolve, so I know where you are coming from Ann.

Until my parents died a couple of years ago, they used to come ot us for Christmas lunch and tea, with our children around. Then the children started having other places to go....significant others and the such like.

Last year there were 3 of us, this year we are waiting to hear what shift the 4th is working so we can see when/if that person can eat with us...which may mean a Christmas Dinner in the evening instead of an 'aiming for 1'.

We also have an Xmas Mark II when the in laws come and stay over. Still got to sort out the day for that!!!!

I still have young kids(teens)I always get up with them first thing Xmas morning and take photos of the gifts and them before the mess.Because its so hot we do not have a hot lunch,Seafood,salads,chicken,leg of ham and puddingand trifle.Then we play games or go for a swim,I use to always watch a Xmas movie,but they have stopped showing them now??/We just allow ourselves to over indulge because its Xmas,then recover the next day.And maybe go shopping for the boxing day bargains.

Fighting with my siblings and making my mum miserable.

Yes, we're almost all over 50.

We still follow the same routine as we did as kids!!

we were allowed to open ours stockings as soon as we woke up but were not allowed any other presents until we had been to church! After church nibbles and pressies followed by lunch at about 3pm. the only thing that has really changed is that when we were kids we were not allowed the TV on at all on Christmas day, that changed now but we dont tend to put it on till about 7pm

Julia (in Cambs)

we get up between 5 and 6
and run to the daughters to watch the grand present opening
the kids have so much fun i would not miss it for the world
then home for a nap
before we start the Xmas dinner

turkey will be all cooked during the night
then the afternoon spent back with the grandchildren
and the evening is spent falling asleep in front of the TV

Oh how things change...!!!!!

Can remember when I was small coming down in the morning to a table full of presents - they were never wrapped but displayed like a toy shop.

I can remember going to visit relatives with my Dad - getting us out of the house while dinner was prepared - and we used public transport.

As I grew older we went to Midnight Mass and opened our presents when we returned.

Mum always cooked a Christmas dinner with Turkey which we had about 2 o'clock

After I married and had my son we had Christmas at home because we didn't have transport - but as my parents grew older (they were in their 40's when I was born) I took over the Christmas preparations and with my in-laws joining in I sometimes had 12 for Christmas dinner.

I used to bake and ice a Christmas Cake and make a Trifle - but as we have got older we can't cope with the extra food.

In the last few years there has just been me and my husband - or should I say 'my husband and I' - but I have prepared a Christmas Dinner for my mother-in-law - now 95 - who wants to stay at home - meals on wheels for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

But this Christmas is going to be GREAT....we have a Grandchild who is 15 months old...so the tree is going up early - we have chocolate Santas and gold coins for the tree...we have toys to assemble and to wrap ......we are going back to second childhood and I am soooooooooo excited....I still have to do the 'meals on wheels run'....but what the hell...Christmas comes but once a year.....BRING IT ON

Christmas traditions change as we do.

But we have a Merry Christmas and I hope you all have the same

Christine

will be going to midnight service at church with friends and neighbours then back to bed in time to get up early and be with my children to open their presents, luckily they will not wake until around 7.30-prepare for the dinner, have around 16 people. so lots to arrange but looking forward to a lovely family christmas, just hope it snow's, so excited.

For the second year running we're going to the seaside for Christmas.

Our youngest lives near the sea and her in laws are keen for us to spend Christmas Day with them. The in laws have no living family that they have contact with except 'Grandma' who lives in the annex so they are excited to have dinner guests again.

I am looking forward to a walk on the beach on Christmas morning.

We have two other children but we are having an 'alternative' Christmas Day for them afterwards and they don't mind.

Birdi

when me and my sis were kids we all ways undid the stockings on parents bed then went down stairs we were only allowed to open a couple each then we had to wait for grand parents to arrive then it would be xmas dinner and the queens speech then everyone would fall asleep!!

now we have kids of our own grand parents gone mum and dad come to us as its too much for them now but we still have a great time a bit hetic theres usuly about 14 of us xmas day boxing day mum and dad go to sisters for dinner and come to mine for tea dont think they could take two days of us all together lol!!!

Christmasses change but we still keep the memories.
Freezing cold Christmas mornings but I was so full of excitement because 'he' had been overnight and left a sack of toys and a stocking.

Christmasses with my own children and keeping on the family traditions so they would have lovely memories too.

Christmas now is a time of reflection of those gone before. Not sad reflections but joyful ones.

My sister in law hated Christmas as a child as, although she woke to a room full of toys, her parents fought like cat and dog; they eventually divorced.

I have so much to be thankful for.

Birdi

I remember when I was young that there was always a work or club Xmas party for the kids,and as a kid I remember always looking forward to going to them,what a shame it isn't the same anymore.As an adult now I think about how sad it is(political correctness)gone crazy. The Queens speech is always listened to before we go to bed. I hope our kids will carry onour family tradition,because even getting xmas cards through the internet seems not the same to me.