Christmas Eve Traditions :-)

WoollyRedHat

A tradition on Christmas Eve at nightime, when I was a child, my mum would read to me " The Night before Christmas."

SeaFields

Ah why not....:D

I have worked every Christmas eve for as long as I can remember. Load up all the presents into the car before heading to work. Try to get out the gap asap, usually not til around 5. Hit the road for home

Once home, spiced beef goes on the boil. (anyone from Cork will know that gorgeous smell around the house on Christmas eve). No television til later in the evening. Instead I have several classical Christmas cds which I have blaring throughout the house. No lights lighting either, just candles. Party snacks and mulled wine. We have a stove in the sitting room which proved very useful for keeping a teapot full of mulled wine hot last year. Christmas pressies are opened after everyone gets home from Christmas eve mass. Few beers, throw the turkey in the oven and bed.

And lets not forget the After Hours Christmas eve drinking thread which definitely warrants a visit.

Tipsy McSwagger

<Mod snip> No need to drag anything up, this forum is for happy things. If you want to rant, take it elsewhere <modsnip>

mashedbanana

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

A tradition on Christmas Eve at nightime, when I was a child, my mum would read to me " The Night before Christmas."

I still read this to my 3 kids ...even the fella of 12 sits in on it.....Christmas is is magical..it is what you make it.

Witchie

When my kids were small we all watched Santa Claus the Movie because it always got us in that special christmas mood just before the went to bed to listen out for Santa!

Enjoy those christmas eves with the little ones coz it goes soooo fast.

Ziegfeldgirl27

This might be the most silly one but every Christmas Eve I watch the Father Ted Christmas episode! Like it wouldn't be the same if I didn't watch it!

leahyl

Ziegfeldgirl27 wrote: »

This might be the most silly one but every Christmas Eve I watch the Father Ted Christmas episode! Like it wouldn't be the same if I didn't watch it!

That is so NOT silly!! I watch it too!! It's inevitably always on RTE2 at like 9pm!:D

Mountain Rescue

For me it's watching polar express and the snowman on DVD on Christmas eve,always make time for them cause if they don't put you in the mood for Christmas nothing will, then of to the pub for a drink or 2 before heading home for a cuppa,Evan at 30 I still struggle to get to sleep :):)

Sar_Bear

This is my first year spending Christmas Eve with my boyfriend instead of my family, but I want to keep the same traditions

I'll get up early, give the apartment one final clean for the big day, then I'll start prepping my food for the next day. Anything that can be done will be done the day before :P once all that is done, will be sitting down for dinner & a Christmas film, then into the good clothes for mass, then to the pub for a few, and home, into fresh pjs & sheets to wait for Santa :P

paddy147

Midnight Mass for myself on Christmas Eve...kjust eeping up the family tradition.

Twoandahalfmen

what did everyone do to prepare, any relations visiting last minute shopping collectin turjeys and hams are you all ready for the big day. went to town for a few hours today with the fam got a few resents went for lunch.

AoifeCN

I did the crumble , ready for tomorrow
got all the pressies under the tree
watched the grinch who stole Christmas
and ate some spiced beef

Posy

I'm only home from work (and an after work drink) now so starting to PANIC.
I must glaze my ham, stat!!

The One Who Knocks

Traditionally, I'd start my Christmas shopping.


....tonight will be no different.

Witchie

Not long home from family meal in a local hotel which was yummy. Ham boiling, fire lit, wine poured and relaxing now for a while! Bliss! Happy Christmas people!

juan.kerr

The yule log has to be my favorite Christmas Eve tradition.

kerry4sam

Deedsie wrote: »

This isn't really a Christmas Eve tradition but a Christmas week one. I always back an 18 to 1 horse, inspired by the lyrics to Fairytale of New York... Haven't won anything yet though! Maybe this year...

Had you luck this year?

I walked in to a few bookies and put the question to each: any horse okay, on any day, in any race but with odds of 18:1 - anything at all like? and nothing so far only some really funny replies! I'll keep trying until the 31st though.

kerry4sam

Deedsie wrote: »

This isn't really a Christmas Eve tradition but a Christmas week one. I always back an 18 to 1 horse, inspired by the lyrics to Fairytale of New York... Haven't won anything yet though! Maybe this year...

Thanks Deedsie, my horse came in today at 18 to 1. Thanks also to Emperor of Exmoor

Deedsie

kerry4sam wrote: »

Thanks Deedsie, my horse came in today at 18 to 1. Thanks also to Emperor of Exmoor

<SNIP>

big syke

Loved this thread this year so Bumping the bejaysus out of it!

Not sure how im fixed this year with work etc but provisionally keeping the tradition with firstly bringing the other half and the little one their special chrstmas eve presenets, then trip to Town (Dublin) after work to stroll around, local for a drink and mayb a bite to eat and hopefully go to mass ata round 6/7.

Home for chrismas eve box for little one (PJ,s, house coat, slippers etc) then leave out cookie, milk and can of guiness for the big man and carrot for Mr Red Nose. ONce the litle one is asleep have a few cans of guiness with herself and a few nibbles!

This year should be great as I lost my job but it has turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I have got an offer of a job I have wanted for quite some time!

So what is everyone elses plans/traditions for christmas eve?

podgemonster

Dec 23rd: Watch Die Hard 1 with a club orange and a bag of Tayto

24th Sleep in until 11, breakfast while flicking through the channels for an auld Christmas movie. Head to the yard, see if the old fella needs a hand with anything.

Love the farm at Christmas. The short daylight hours. The early dusk that brings out the glow of fairy lights across the townland. The rustling shed full of pregnant hungry cattle, breathing heavily unaware of season.

Puddles glazed in thin ice that crackle when you step on them. The dusty heat in the cabin of the tractor with the radio blaring Christmas songs and the sharp silence that falls on the land once the engine is switched off.

The trip to town then for the bits and bobs, purposely walking through the local supervalue to meet old friends doing the same. A quick chat and a promise of a pint on the 26th. Running into one of my 20 younger cousins and warning them to be "good now for Santy"

Won't have it this year though, in Australia.

mashedbanana

podgemonster wrote: »

Dec 23rd: Watch Die Hard 1 with a club orange and a bag of Tayto

24th Sleep in until 11, breakfast while flicking through the channels for an auld Christmas movie. Head to the yard, see if the old fella needs a hand with anything.

Love the farm at Christmas. The short daylight hours. The early dusk that brings out the glow of fairy lights across the townland. The rustling shed full of pregnant hungry cattle, breathing heavily unaware of season.

Puddles glazed in thin ice that crackle when you step on them. The dusty heat in the cabin of the tractor with the radio blaring Christmas songs and the sharp silence that falls on the land once the engine is switched off.

The trip to town then for the bits and bobs, purposely walking through the local supervalue to meet old friends doing the same. A quick chat and a promise of a pint on the 26th. Running into one of my 20 younger cousins and warning them to be "good now for Santy"

Won't have it this year though, in Australia.

Awww Podge, thats sad :-(

Have you got a few mates over there that you can go have a few drinks with?

Heroditas

Heroditas wrote: »

Fast forward a few years and Christmas Eve was invariably spent in bed with a thundering hangover from the college reunion we have every year on the 23rd – same pub without fail. We don’t even bother sending email reminders – we all just know to be there. It’s a tradition for the course I studied so you see people from their 20s up to their 60s and 70s out for the night.
As a result, Christmas Eve was always a write-off but thankfully I never had to buy any presents because I was always on top of that.

I'd just like to point out that, once again, I had my annual thundering Christmas Eve hangover last year. It was not pleasant.
I fully intend to have it again this year.
Kris Kindle is thankfully on the 22nd so I'm spared the indignity of moving my sorry ass from the couch this year. I'll be able to sit there in a miserable state and use that as an excuse to get my 18 month old daughter to sit with me and watch stuff like the Snowman and other Christmas TV.

Also, another tradition I've started recently is to watch an episode of the Box of Delights every week in the run-up to Christmas and then watch the final episode on Christmas Eve in the very same way I did when it was first shown in 1984.

OldNotWIse

Go to parents and make chocolate cake for the neighbours across the road, make a huge turkey pudding to divide up between all the animals. Go to midnight mass at 9pm and complain about the overbearing soloist with the lisp :rolleyes: Back then and have lovely mulled wine and ham sandwiches with the folks. Try to arrange the logistical nightmare of last minute wrapping and arranging presents with Dad while tipsy :P Same thing every year...and it never loses it's appeal.

mud

Get up whenever I wake on the 24th. No alarm clock

Put fresh linen on the bed and make sure the house is as de-cluttered as this clutterer can manage.

Light the fire and turn on the oil heating (the 24th, 25th and 26th December are the only days I can afford to use the oil heating with abandon)

Head to Tipperary Town with whatever mates want to come. Have a walk around and hopefully buy myself a little token for the season and finish up with a bite to eat.

Come home to a toasty house, sort out my presents then head to my nephews until it's their bed-time. We watch movies and play games and generally wind ourselves up

Off to the pub then to meet all the faces. Call into Mam's on the way home to cadge a fresh ham sambo.

Home again, might have folks back after the pub. Couple of drinks then bed in the hope that Christmas Day is happy and healthy for all my loved ones.

mashedbanana

OldNotWIse wrote: »

Go to parents and make chocolate cake for the neighbours across the road, make a huge turkey pudding to divide up between all the animals. Go to midnight mass at 9pm and complain about the overbearing soloist with the lisp :rolleyes: Back then and have lovely mulled wine and ham sandwiches with the folks. Try to arrange the logistical nightmare of last minute wrapping and arranging presents with Dad while tipsy :P Same thing every year...and it never loses it's appeal.

LOL......sssssSufferingsSSSSsuccotage! SSSSinging with a Lisssssssp. Could be worse, could have a stutter....hymns would never end then. Wouldnt even start!:eek:

The One Who Knocks

OldNotWIse wrote: »

Go to parents and make chocolate cake for the neighbours across the road

...Mary?

AlanS181824

Can't believe how close it's getting, time to get the presents sorted now!

OldNotWIse

mashedbanana wrote: »

LOL......sssssSufferingsSSSSsuccotage! SSSSinging with a Lisssssssp. Could be worse, could have a stutter....hymns would never end then. Wouldnt even start!:eek:

It's maddening It'ssss not jussssst the lissssspsh though - this one thinks she's the next big thing, she drowns out all the other singers, forgetting the concept of a choir, and if you're unlucky enought to be sitting beneath a speaker so help you God. As for her attempt at hitting the high note in Oh Holy Night..... We're like "Oh holy...sh1te!" - we just sit there squirming, wondering if this will be the year... :P

OldNotWIse

The One Who Knocks wrote: »

...Mary?

.....Joseph?