Christmas Eve Traditions

LuttiS

Anybody got any good ones? 

This year not so much a big deal for my daughter but next year she is more likely to be aware of what's going on.. the closest thing me and my wife have to a tradition is getting a Chinese on Christmas Eve.. but that's more to do with leaving everything last minute and not being bothered to cook. 

So I'm thinking if I want to mess with my daughter.. or uh.. start some family traditions or something like that, what are some good ones?  

57Deluxe

sobbing uncontrollably...

ditto NYE

BloodEagle

Eating a shit tonne of peanuts, getting hammered and watching Con Air

LuttiS

All good ones so far... Possibly substitute my tears for the peanuts..

rossyamaha

Massive McDonald’s for us. Just picking it up now! Merry Christmas everybody. 

Flanging_Fred

As Mrs Fred is Orthodox christian Christmas Eve is the main day of celebration. Weirdly you can only eat an odd number of vegan dishes.

This really annoyed me for the first few years of our relationship but I've got used to it now and don't mind any more. 

VimFuego

since our 1st one was born, it's been about trying to find somewhere to sleep for the night. And keeping an eye on those fucking sheep herders.

strumjoughlamps

Family board games, cook turkey and gammon, eat snacks, drink.. 

LuttiS

VimFuego said:

since our 1st one was born, it's been about trying to find somewhere to sleep for the night. And keeping an eye on those fucking sheep herders.

This I can relate to... Our couch gives me back ache but I do like the days I get to sleep on it..

richardhomer

57Deluxe said:

sobbing uncontrollably...

ditto NYE

I reflect on my lost marriage, loneliness, the relentless passage of time, lost loved ones - and generally try to have a good time....

iseverynamegone

Up at 6am , the Elves have gone back to Santa leaving presents and letters for the kids. 

Out onto  to the xmas steam train at Matlock for midday , met Santa get presents.

Into the local church at 4pm for the nativity where they dress up all the kids as shepherds / angels / stars etc and put on a show which the kids really enjoy. As god is definitely dead can be a struggle for me at times , but the only point I really cringe  is the last song which is a modern song churchified. 

In the last 2 years it was “show me the way to sing for Jesus” to the tune of Amarillo. 

This year they branched out to murdering “Santa Claus is coming is coming to town “ by replacing the aforementioned jolly red fellow with a carpenters son who was brutally murdered.  Alll the same the kids didn’t mind so much. 

Now it’s get the presents out, open a bottle of Brunelo and bang Netflix on. 

Done  same for last four years now. 

Happy xmas.

AlexC

Unfortunately, the tradition in our house the last few years is last minute wrapping of presents. Drinking coffee right now and myself and my wife are looking at bags and bags and just thinking “oh shit!” Whereas we’d rather just cuddle up with some music and a glass of something. Oh well.

TheMarlin

Spend an entire day preparing, cooking, and eating a large selection of fish dishes.  Usually 8 hours of on and off feasting.  At least eight courses. My wife and I generally feed up to 20 guests. 

Its my favourite day of the year. 

underdog

Christmas eve is cinema with kids, and then home for a bath and opening Christmas eve present (new pyjamas for everyone), then wind down with a Christmas film (Elf was tonight's) the bed.

sticker

Working ... until 10pm tonight .

could be worse , at least I have tomorrow and boxing day off (first time in 7 years).

tone1

Polar Express on DVD with the kids 

Corvus

Get slightly pissed and listen to a terrible country internet radio station while doing the turkey, the mystery bags in blankets and stuffing (sage & onion, sausage meat & chestnuts).

Re-do pedalboard for the xxth time in preps for tomorrow.

Spend quality time with the dogbeast. This time last year was wondering if our old boy would make it, he did till Boxing Day, this time around new dog is just gone a year old. Much fun to mess around with.

Nunogilberto

Watching the Muppets Christmas Carol with the missus, having cooked the ham..

VimFuego

is that a miss piggy euphemism?

RobDavies

A kick about over the park - Dads vs Lads while mums watch on and drink mulled wine. 
It started out as just a few of us, with the intention of wearing the kids out so they'd actually go to sleep on Christmas Eve.  But, it's now grown to a point where there were forty people there today.... and all the kids are now teenagers and really get stuck in!

That's followed by Fish and chips, assuming you can actually find a chippy open on a Sunday (which we did).  

Phil_aka_Pip

My mum always used to cook lamb on Crimbo eve. I think it was because of the christmas carol "See amid the winter's snow" in which the line "See the tender lamb appears" occurs.