Christmas Eve Traditions | Pad Patter 12.24

[IntenseMagic]

Merry Christmas Eve

I think I'm ready haha. Well, I need to run to the grocery store for a couple of last minute things, but other than that all is peaceful and calm. Christmas Eve is pretty quiet around here. Ever since my first husband and I divorced, my older kids spend Christmas Eve with him and they do all their gifts and things on this day. Then, we do everything on Christmas Day. Sometimes even the day after because my oldest is a Paramedic and occasionally works Christmas Day. Our one tradition is opening one small gift in the evening. I'm not having dinner or anything this year. I'm planning on having finger foods available (meat/cheese trays, shrimp, chips/dip, etc) for when the revolving door starts tomorrow. For today, DH, DS, and I will just hang out and watch movies.

Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions at your house?

 

[HavaDrPepper]

No traditions here... at least not in the recent past. As a child I always went to see my Dad's parents after church on Christmas Eve.

Several times in the last 10 years, I have had lunch with my extended family on Christmas Eve in lieu of our traditional Christmas dinner (mainly when someone in the hosting family has had health issues). We are doing that this year only 2 of us are going 45 minutes to them instead of them coming to us.

Tonight I am attending church services with the cousin that just lost her mother, weather permitting. Snow is predicted to come in later today. Whether this starts a new tradition or not, who knows. We'll see next year!

 

[berniek]

Normally we go to church (night service obvs) and either before or after (depending on the time of the service) we come together and have a drink, cake/snacks, etc. This year we wouldn't go to church and my sister has prepared dinner. So we'll spend the night there.

I just read about this Icelandic tradition where they give books on Christmas Eve and then spend the rest of the night reading! I loooove that! Here is an article about it.

 

[Tree City]

My dad worked in a hospital when I was growing up, so he worked every other Christmas, no matter what. But, he usually could finagle Christmas Eve off (or at least be home by 5:30), so my family would go to church (with or without my dad), have dinner, and then open presents because by 7pm the four of us could all be together. DH and I have kept the Christmas Eve present tradition in our own home (although we've yet to find a church here that we both like, but I digress). What's really nice is that Christmas morning is JUST stockings because those are the only presents* given to the kids by Santa. This helps my greedy little beasts--I mean, my children--focus on Christmas as a religious day instead of a day focused on a fictional stranger who breaks into your home and gives stuff to kids.

*Actually, they get one other present from Santa: one nice tradition I just started a couple years ago is that Santa leaves a book on the kids' beds, so they can wake up and open a present before they even get up in the morning. I love this because (1) books are awesome and (2) because it means my kids stay in bed an extra 20 min looking at their book instead of waking me up!

 

[IntenseMagic]

No traditions here... at least not in the recent past. As a child I always went to see my Dad's parents after church on Christmas Eve.

Several times in the last 10 years, I have had lunch with my extended family on Christmas Eve in lieu of our traditional Christmas dinner (mainly when someone in the hosting family has had health issues). We are doing that this year only 2 of us are going 45 minutes to them instead of them coming to us.

Tonight I am attending church services with the cousin that just lost her mother, weather permitting. Snow is predicted to come in later today. Whether this starts a new tradition or not, who knows. We'll see next year!

I hope you enjoy your dinner and here's to new traditions

Normally we go to church (night service obvs) and either before or after (depending on the time of the service) we come together and have a drink, cake/snacks, etc. This year we wouldn't go to church and my sister has prepared dinner. So we'll spend the night there.

I just read about this Icelandic tradition where they give books on Christmas Eve and then spend the rest of the night reading! I loooove that! Here is an article about it.

That sounds lovely...both your evening and the Christmas Eve book tradition! I wish I had heard about some of these things when all my kids were little.

My dad worked in a hospital when I was growing up, so he worked every other Christmas, no matter what. But, he usually could finagle Christmas Eve off (or at least be home by 5:30), so my family would go to church (with or without my dad), have dinner, and then open presents because by 7pm the four of us could all be together. DH and I have kept the Christmas Eve present tradition in our own home (although we've yet to find a church here that we both like, but I digress). What's really nice is that Christmas morning is JUST stockings because those are the only presents* given to the kids by Santa. This helps my greedy little beasts--I mean, my children--focus on Christmas as a religious day instead of a day focused on a fictional stranger who breaks into your home and gives stuff to kids.

*Actually, they get one other present from Santa: one nice tradition I just started a couple years ago is that Santa leaves a book on the kids' beds, so they can wake up and open a present before they even get up in the morning. I love this because (1) books are awesome and (2) because it means my kids stay in bed an extra 20 min looking at their book instead of waking me up!

My son, the Paramedic, used to ask to work Christmas Day every year...mostly just for the double time money! He hasn't the last couple, but I'm still not sure about this year.

I love the idea of the book gift on the bed. In my house I am always up hours before anyone else. My kids are sleepers...even on Christmas haha. I don't think there has been one single year in the 27 that I have been a mother, that my children have woken me up on Christmas Day. It's usually me at 9:00 or so going around the house waking everyone else up because I can't stand it anymore lol.

 

[Tree City]

I don't think there has been one single year in the 27 that I have been a mother, that my children have woken me up on Christmas Day. It's usually me at 9:00 or so going around the house waking everyone else up because I can't stand it anymore lol.

STOP BRAGGING! lol, jk! DS was up today a little before 5. In all fairness, he recently stopped wearing PullUps at night, and so we've been encouraging him to go straight to the bathroom the moment he wakes up. Thankfully he didn't wake DH or me up but instead went to DD's room and asked her to build a LEGO set he opened up last night lol! But hey, she was a nice sister and helped him, which let DH and me go back to sleep for a little bit.

 

[kimingvtx]

We go to candellight service at church. Yesterday, since it was Sunday, we had Advent 4 service in the morning and my daughter preached. My heart swelled and I cried. Her sermon was about Gabriel coming to Mary and saying "Do not be afraid". .. and she went on that the same message is for us "do not be afraid" God is with you! So that was my wonderful Christmas present this year and my motto for 2018 will be Do Not be Afraid.

Last night we went to Christmas Eve service, which was a song of hymns and music. It was wonderful. We eat tamales for dinner!

This year, my daughter and son-in-law are cooking and that is the other wonderful present!

BTW, I love the book idea. I love giving books as gifts. I always give young children books for birthday presents.

Merry Christmas Ya'll! Only 7 days until MOC!

 

[rdjrneace]

Ever since 1989 we have been going to my mother's for Christmas Eve celebration. We would always eat some type of dinner (not always the traditional turkey -- sometimes we have had soup/chili and sometimes just sandwiches) and then open gifts.

Once my kids (I am the oldest) got married and have children of their own; things have changed a bit but I still go see my mother on Christmas eve.

 

[Kiana]

When we lived in TN we always went to my mom-in-laws. Here in Michigan we have done different things. Last night, we went to my moms with my siblings and their families.

The only CONSTANT tradition we've had for Christmas Eve is to let my kids open a present or two. Which is always NEW PJ's!!!!

 

[keepscrappin]

We usually do a dinner with extended family on Christmas Eve. This year we went to my sister’s house. She hasn’t hosted in forever and it was fun to go see her newly remodeled kitchen. I even got to see one of my brother’s that I haven’t seen in about a year. I have 2 sisters that live within an hour of me and then another sister and 2 brothers that live far away. It was really fun to have 4 of the 6 of us together last night.

We ate like kings. We had ribs, ham, shrimp, crab cakes, stuffed mushrooms, mashed potatoes, yams, salad, fruit, veggies and even butter beer! It was a feast for sure.

We also played some fun games and enjoyed each other’s company. It was really nice to get to spend some time with my side of the family on Christmas Eve.

We always open pjs on Christmas Eve so we did that when we got home and then went to bed.

 

[michelepixels]

Our longest standing Christmas Eve traditions are sleeping by the tree and reading aloud all the Christmas scenes from the 7 Harry Potter books. Note! If you decide to do this, read them in reverse chronological order so they get happier and happier instead of sadder and sadder.