Things to Do on Christmas Eve

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sweetpumkinpye

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Apr 23, 2008
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Canberra, Australia
We have a simple Christmas eve here. I go to my mum's early in the morning, we go to the supermarket and buy the fresh produce that we will need for Christmas Day. We then prepare as many of the salads and items for the next day to try and make the Christmas meal a little less work.

Here at our house we have a light salad meal for dinner. This year we are having a chicken caesar salad and prawns. After dinner I bring out the "night before Christmas basket". That is filled with popcorn, lollies, drinks and choc coated ice creams and a movie. this year we are watching Inside Out. We then put out a snack for Santa and then it is off to bed so that Santa can come!!!
 

happy2bme

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Oct 18, 2007
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My Happy Place
Sounds like a great Christmas Eve, Katrina!!

I love Christmas Eve more than Christmas Day. It means just one more evening until the big day. It also is when all of our traditions take place.

We spend Christmas Eve day doing a quick tidy of the house and then we run to the store for any last minute needed items.

Once the evening comes we start getting dinner ready - dinner is snack food. Lots and lots of snack food. We usually go for a drive to look at lights after dinner. After we get home, everyone gets in their jammies and the kids open one gift. I try to make it fun - sometimes some play-doh or Lego or a game. We eat some more after that and watch Christmas Vacation. We fill the stockings just before bed.

 
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Winged One

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Sep 2, 2008
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Fluttering happily in the clouds!!
If Christmas Eve is a weekday, DD always come into work with me in the morning, I have to appear for an hour. Then we meet DH who has been getting a. Ice coffee on the shopping street, to buy DDs birthday cake (for 26th) and any last nice bits and pieces in the delicatessen shops. We try to not have things we need to get at that stage, but get some lunch and visit the Live Crib before going home.

The years we stay home, we go for a walk, then DH lights the fire while add and I prepare the veggies for Christmas Day, DH makes the stuffing (and always has to ring his mom to remember the family recipe!).

After a movie and nice dinner, we get out the Christmas Eve Candle, and Christmas Eve Box. The youngest in the household lights the candle, to show weary travellers that there is room in our inn. We always have a. Periods of reflection at this stage, on the good and bad things of the past year, and our hopes for the year to come, before saying a family prayer for the birth of Jesus. Then we get out the hamper, with the plate and cup for a treat for Santa, and DDs stocking, new pyjamas for us all, a bath bomb for DD tonpersuade her into the bath, and hot chocolate.ate for all as well. The final thing is out family copy of Twas the night before Christmas, which has been the bedtime story since DD was about to turn 1.

This year is a travelling year though. So after my office, and a short trip around the city (live crib, any shopping bits needed, and maybe lunch), we will hit the road. We need to visit both families before bedtime, but I have made up the hamper as usual. Bed will probably be later, it will be chaotic, but we'll just roll with it as it all happens. Both families do the candle, and DD may be called on to light at least 1 of those. But 1 of those lightings will be extremely poignant and it will be a difficult Christmas that we just have to get through this year without any of us losing our heads at anyone else - which means ignoring a lot of thoughtless comments. I may bring metaphorical earplugs.
 

luludou

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Dec 28, 2007
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For us Christmas Eve is THE night. It's the big shing-ding at mom's house with aunts , uncles, cousins. We have a hot/cold buffet with LOTS of stuff on there.
During the day I help mom with the tidying up and the prep for the buffet. Santa comes in the evening and brings a gift for everyone. We used to have santa at midnight and go to bed around 2 or 3 am... nowadays Santa comes around 9:30 and by 1:00 we are in bed. There used to be lots of dancing and games now it's mostly chatting. Oh and mass used to be at 10pm but now it's at 6:00 and we didn't even go last few years as elderly aunts and uncles are arriving earlier.
 

ChristmasPir8

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Nov 8, 2008
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La La Land
i love reading these. I almost always work Christmas eve. We don't do much but relax, we may go look at lights. We have a tacky light tour of the city and there are a few very close by so we will go by those I think. The kids all get their traditional PJs. I am going to talk them into a Christmas movie and popcorn this year