What activities are particularly important to our family at Christmas? To myself?
I talked earlier about the Christmas Candle - the preparations on Christmas Eve are important. Making cookies for Santa (either from scratch, or slicing and baking dough from a half batch I freeze earlier in December, just in case we are short of time). Having a nice meal just the 3 of us together (au pairs are always gone home and DH is always here). And then lighting the candle and having our own little ceremony about the season, putting out the stockings, and getting the hamper with new PJs and slipper socks for us all, hot chocolate for a bedtime drink, and a Christmassy bath bomb for a bath for DD - before she goes to have that relaxing bath, put on new Pjs and head for bed nice and calmly.
Mass on Christmas morning is also very important.
We like to do some Christmassy activities as a family in the run up to the holidays - last year DH was away but every other year he has been here as we went to visit Santa as a family. And DD always sees him at my office as well (the social club has a party for all DCs of employees) and that is where she will get a present from him. This year, we are going on our 3rd trip on the Santa Steam Train, which is magical.
And decorating the house, especially the tree, is very much a family activity. Choosing it, and then deciding which decorations we can fit on it (we have far too many), and making it look nice together.
For myself, I like to catch up with some friends if time allows - usually over working lunches but maybe a couple of early bird dinners. And I make the effort to go to the party organized by the social club at work - where I just dance my cares away on the dance floor and ignore the hierarchy.
I also like to have 1 night where, once DD is in bed and while DH is out somewhere (he also has a couple of nights out), I get all my work done and then make myself a drink (perhaps a G&T, or just a lemonade), light the fire, and lie on the sitting room floor with just the tree lights and firelight, reflecting on the year just gone and the year to come. My own little oasis of peace. I have been doing this since I was 16 and babysitting my siblings while my parents were at their Christmas parties together - siblings all watching tv in 1 room, so I had the other one to myself.
I talked earlier about the Christmas Candle - the preparations on Christmas Eve are important. Making cookies for Santa (either from scratch, or slicing and baking dough from a half batch I freeze earlier in December, just in case we are short of time). Having a nice meal just the 3 of us together (au pairs are always gone home and DH is always here). And then lighting the candle and having our own little ceremony about the season, putting out the stockings, and getting the hamper with new PJs and slipper socks for us all, hot chocolate for a bedtime drink, and a Christmassy bath bomb for a bath for DD - before she goes to have that relaxing bath, put on new Pjs and head for bed nice and calmly.
Mass on Christmas morning is also very important.
We like to do some Christmassy activities as a family in the run up to the holidays - last year DH was away but every other year he has been here as we went to visit Santa as a family. And DD always sees him at my office as well (the social club has a party for all DCs of employees) and that is where she will get a present from him. This year, we are going on our 3rd trip on the Santa Steam Train, which is magical.
And decorating the house, especially the tree, is very much a family activity. Choosing it, and then deciding which decorations we can fit on it (we have far too many), and making it look nice together.
For myself, I like to catch up with some friends if time allows - usually over working lunches but maybe a couple of early bird dinners. And I make the effort to go to the party organized by the social club at work - where I just dance my cares away on the dance floor and ignore the hierarchy.
I also like to have 1 night where, once DD is in bed and while DH is out somewhere (he also has a couple of nights out), I get all my work done and then make myself a drink (perhaps a G&T, or just a lemonade), light the fire, and lie on the sitting room floor with just the tree lights and firelight, reflecting on the year just gone and the year to come. My own little oasis of peace. I have been doing this since I was 16 and babysitting my siblings while my parents were at their Christmas parties together - siblings all watching tv in 1 room, so I had the other one to myself.
