Christmas Eve Traditions :-)

emmagination · 06-09-2022 9:30pm

Ah that's lovely! Hope you have the best first Christmas with the impending arrival!

Mam of 4 · 06-09-2022 9:33pm

@Smell the glove , aww , that sounds wonderful! Exciting times ahead and maybe new family Christmas Traditions 🙂

delricyo · 07-09-2022 11:58am

This year I am getting married in between Christmas and New Years Eve.

I can imagine that my Christmas eve this year will be stressful with getting last minute things checked etc. Will probably end up doing something similar to last year - last minute trip to the local town, lunch in the cosy pub followed by a couple of present drop-offs to relatives on the way home

TRS30 · 07-09-2022 1:56pm

Con'grats @delricyo on the up coming nuptials.

tscul32 · 07-09-2022 8:25pm

My Christmas eve is usually spent getting everything ready to host a big family dinner the next day. Would love a year off to just chill and enjoy the day.

TRS30 · 08-09-2022 6:59am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119586993#Comment_119586993

My OH say that sometimes, lets just go away for Christmas to a hotel and let someone else worry about food etc. I know she is only joking, I think!!!

DvB · 08-09-2022 8:06am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119586993#Comment_119586993

I'll tell you how it went in January!! 😀

Smell the glove · 08-09-2022 10:52am

I've never cooked a Christmas dinner in my life. I would say the stress and pressure is immense. Especially if you have relatives over. I think it's one of the most loving things somebody can do is basically give away their Christmas Day and part of Christmas Eve to ensuring others have a great day.

tscul32 · 08-09-2022 11:02am

We did it one year. Just did dinner for ourselves, my parents popped in on the way to my brother's for dinner and my in laws visited too to see the kids. It was nice and more relaxed than usual but it just wasn't the same and said we wouldn't do it again, was too quiet. Our Christmas dinners usually range from 10 people in the quiet years to 18 in the full house years. What I would love is to be invited to someone else's house so I don't have to cook dinner at all, not even just for ourselves. It's not even about stress or pressure as myself and OH are good cooks and enjoy entertaining, don't find it difficult at all, it's just that we're busy all day because of it. And a lot of Christmas eve, and the planning and shopping that has to go on beforehand. It's just not relaxing. But still the best day 😁.

If any of my family happens to be reading this, a great Christmas pressie would be an invitation to dinner...🎁

mumo3 · 08-09-2022 11:02am

Was only having this conversation yesterday with my Dad, as my sister called me to say he's thinking of going away for christmas!!

Mine has changed so much since my kids are all teenagers now..... I used to spend the day cleaning, kids had an early bath, Christmas eve mass in their PJ's then home for a take away and to bake cookies for Santa before bed!!! (lord I miss them being small)

The last couple of years we've spent Christmas Eve in my Dads with the whole family, we are now onto Great Grandkids, to have a take away and exchange gifts (secret santa)..... its absolute carnage but we all love it!! Then home to watch a Christmas movie before bed.

pigtail33 · 08-09-2022 11:34am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119589080#Comment_119589080

That sounds similar to my Christmas Eve, I pretty much spend from 9am-9pm in the kitchen, getting everything ready for our family of 11. I make bread, soup, stuffing, cookies, pavlova etc. I usually crash at 9pm, have a mug or two of Mulled Wine and in bed by 11. As much as I think I'd like a year off, I'm not sure what I would do with myself! My other siblings have young believers, so I try to let them spend some magical time with the children on Christmas Eve, as those years don't last forever. For me, there is definitely nothing relaxing about Christmas Eve, but at the same time, I wouldn't change it

DvB · 08-09-2022 11:54am

Funnily enough, having hosted on Christmas day a few times now we don't really mind doing it now. We learned a lot the first couple of times but pretty much have it streamlined now where we generally don't find ourselves too stressed out or panicked. One thing I will say is that its still a huge amount of work, but worth it for the reward of having family with you enjoying a nice meal on a special day. I actually dread the idea of it ever just being myself & the Mrs at christmas and hope it never happens TBH. I appreciate some may like the idea of a simpler, quieter day but that's not for me, not yet anyway.

TRS30 · 08-09-2022 12:53pm

Last Christmas, COVID forced to have just the 5 of us for Christmas dinner. My OH, to her credit, got up out of her sick bed and joined in and helped cook the dinner. It was nice and relaxed being just us and not having to cook for our usual 10/12 people. However looking back the minuses out weighted the negatives and hopefully this year we will be back to hosting and having a fun house. I missed the mad and stress and I think the OH did as well even if she wouldn't admit it!

Neyite · 13-09-2022 11:39am

I love cooking but I haven't had a houseful yet to cater for, at most I've had about 4.

For bigger families what can work is a bring-a-dish. Someone do the ham, someone do the turkey, someone do starter /dessert/ sides. Anyone not doing food gets assigned a drink to bring and gets to do clean up. It takes the pressure off the host, spreads the cost burden and it means that everyone gets to socialise and there's not one person doing all the work while everyone else is having the craic.

This Christmas I'm starting up a new tradtion: Nollaig na mBán. We've set up a Revolut vault for it and everything! Cocktails and dinner this year, but next year I'll be better prepared and do a proper pamper day and a night out.

Smell the glove · 13-09-2022 4:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119611795#Comment_119611795

Great idea.

emmagination · 13-09-2022 7:17pm

@Neyite I love those ideas - both the "bring a dish" and the Nollaig na mBan tradition!

Mam of 4 · 13-09-2022 7:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119611795#Comment_119611795

This!

Son decided last year we were all having Christmas dinner at his , after miserable covid Christmas's. Eleven adults, four children, we all had our own parts to cook /contribute, and tbh , it was such a lovely day with everyone together 🎄🎄

Sunrise_Sunset · 13-09-2022 10:01pm

We visit my MIL in the afternoon as it's her birthday that day. We bring food, usually fast food and she really enjoys that. We then head home in the late afternoon/early evening and watch a Christmas movie, maybe play a board game, listen to Xmas FM. Kids are sent to bed early, in their lovely new Xmas jammies, but they can never sleep so it's usually well after midnight that Santa can get to work. That process takes an hour or two and then I'm exhausted. Love it all though.

We have quite a few traditions now spanning the month of December and I love each and every one of them.

Jude13 · 14-09-2022 6:28am

Our new thing (last 5 years, bar covid) is to have alternating sides of the family fly out to meet us. The flights are pressies. They usually arrive 22-23rd. On Christmas Eve we (I) cook a ham and order in/cook a turkey. This year we will be cooking both along with the usual. Roasites, mash, cheesy spuds, stuffing, veg etc.

Christmas day we go to a hotel for lunch and home later for leftover sambos.

TRS30 · 14-09-2022 7:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119615608#Comment_119615608

Is the Christmas Day lunch hotel popular for ex-pats?

Jude13 · 14-09-2022 8:53am

'Brunches' here are super popular. All you can eat and drink with five star food, champagne/any drink for about 4 hours. There are different price points obviously and family or party oriented. In my youth they were weekly events. Then there the post brunch or 'drunch'. They are a mess.

The Christmas brunch is huge as people may have too many family over to fit in their kitchen, dont want the bother to cook, buy a ham (crazy expensive) or dont have a booze license. Its just very handy. Get all dolled up, picked up in a nice car at about 11:30 to get there for noon and back at home by 4:30pm/5pm.

Sunrise_Sunset · 14-09-2022 9:30am

We did a hotel Christmas day dinner a few years ago. It was nice. Very pricey day and night though. it was a for a special occasion and it was enjoyable but prefer to have Christmas dinner (and day/night) at home.

TRS30 · 14-09-2022 10:39am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119616038#Comment_119616038

Sounds great.

Jude13 · 14-09-2022 11:26am

Tis good any weekend especially when we were without the elves. Its more family now and Im still on the fence for Christmas day but its what the OH wants and Im not overly pushed as we get the whole morning and evening at home.

TRS30 · 14-09-2022 1:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119616707#Comment_119616707

Sounds like a good compromise. Can be tough time of the year to keep everyone happy.

lcstress2012 · 23-11-2023 2:14am

What are your Christmas plans be traditions? I go to the pub with my brother for a few pints, head home order a Chinese to finish off the night! Great atmosphere in pubs during Christmas!

What date do you finish up work and when are you back? I’m off the 19th back in the 5th 😬

DvB · 23-11-2023 6:11am

There's a huge thread already on this subject, have a look, sit back and enjoy the few hours it will take to read through it all.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2056400666/christmas-eve-traditions

Loughc · 23-11-2023 8:58am

Merged both threads together and gave our favourite thread a much needed bump

DvB · 23-11-2023 11:18am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121403628#Comment_121403628

Always worth doing!

optogirl · 04-12-2023 1:05pm

ah lads - I used to love whiling away the last few hours of work reading this thread. This year is my first without my husband and, for the kids sake, we will do what we have always done but it just feels so strange. He loved Christmas and now even the thoughts of going to get the tree, Santa shopping etc are just so sad. However, my kids are 12 and 9 and they deserve to have a lovely Christmas after the hellish 6 months we've been through. New memories are in the making. Looking forward to having this first one under my belt.

jellybear · 04-12-2023 1:08pm

I'm so sorry for your loss @optogirl

While Christmas will no doubt be incredibly difficult, I wish you and your kids a peaceful time this year.

Loughc · 04-12-2023 1:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121452580#Comment_121452580

So so sorry to hear about your loss. This will no doubt be such a difficult time for you and your family, try to find solace when you can and smile when you can. Think of it as a time to celebrate your husband not grieve. I always say to my wife if anything tragic ever happened to me I'd want her to still go big on Christmas that's how we honor our loved ones by living for us and them.

CheerLouth · 04-12-2023 3:13pm

I'm so sorry for your loss @optogirl. Christmas is such a hard time of the year for so many. Be gentle to yourselves.

DvB · 04-12-2023 4:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121452580#Comment_121452580

So sorry for your loss, I can only imagine how difficult it must be to try & restart your lives after such a difficult time.

You hear all sorts of stories of people 'cancelling' Christmas or suchlike after such a loss but if your husband loved Christmas why not try & make it a celebration of him & what he meant to you all? As Loughc said, celebrate him, & don't let his love of this time of year be a sad time for you & your family, I know I'd want my wife & kids to still go all out & make the most of Christmas, look back & laugh at my Christmas insanity!!

In saying that, I strongly suspect if in your shoes i'd struggle, so on that basis I'd say do what feels right for you & your kids, I'm sure there'll be a few tears, but try & have some smiles & laughter too if you can.

Look after yourselves though & take good care of one another.

optogirl · 04-12-2023 4:35pm

Thanks all. Not trying to bring the thread down! Back to your Christmas Eve traditions - we will be at my sister's where all the nieces and nephews get their pressies from the aunties and uncles and we have a few drinks. Then I'll walk home with the boys and let them watch something festive in the vain hope that they will go to sleep so I can put out the pressies. Neither believe anymore but the magic is still there!

tscul32 · 04-12-2023 7:58pm

@optogirl sorry to hear you guys are going through this. Hopefully you can still carve out some happy times over the holidays.

Declan05 · 06-12-2023 11:51pm

The main Christmas Eve tradition for me is usually preparing food to take to my parents' or brother's place on the the 25th, so maybe it's time to start some new more fulfilling traditions.

As a kid I used love going to midnight mass* even though I wasn't religious; there was a great atmosphere, carol singing and some drunks that would come out of the pubs and up into the gallery to shout at the priest and the congregation, as kids we thought this was hilarious. I wouldn't mind going to some religious ceremony on the day mainly to hear some good live carol singing.

*I know, technically the 25th but we regarded it as a Christmas Eve.

Loughc · 07-12-2023 9:12am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121464799#Comment_121464799

I used to love the Midnight mass on Christmas Eve that later got moved to 8pm due to above said drunks. But the still the quiet in the church and the Christmas Caorls used to be magic, I hated going to mass 51 weeks of the year as a child but that week I used to love it.

Andrew93 · 07-12-2023 12:56pm

Loved reading through this thread this morning. Lifted the spirits! Makes me sad I’ve not had a Christmas Eve tradition in the last 3 years as each year has been so different with our little elf coming and losing family over the holidays.

Hopefully this year we can get a tradition started!

tscul32 · 07-12-2023 9:05pm

Unfortunately mine seems to be getting the house in order for the family coming over on Christmas day.

But we do cook party food for dinner and watch a movie with it, and usually the lads will leave their bedrooms long enough to actually watch the movie with us so that's a nice change.

CheerLouth · 08-12-2023 9:55am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121464799#Comment_121464799

Our "midnight" mass is now at 5pm on Christmas Eve! Our parish will have three masses on Christmas Eve - I think a lot of people prefer to go to mass on Christmas Eve now. We do anyway. As a child I used to hate having to leave my toys to go to mass & as an adult, I hate the rush of getting everyone out the door. Plus our Parish priest is so lovely. He makes it a lovely celebration for the whole family & does have a projector screen up so that he can track Santa during the mass.

08-12-2023 10:16am

I have done solo Christmas since cousins’ families are expanding with their new in-laws etc, so no practical room left in their houses. I am single, no siblings etc, and most relatives live some bit of distance away so not really an option to do a day visit.

But font feel a bit sorry for me… I mostly try & get abroad for Christmas - this year a beautiful 6 star hotel in Mexico! 😁

These times Christmas Eve is usually spent in a Spanish oriented place, and the Christmas Eve Dinner is often a big tradition. Suckling pig in Spain has been a mainstay for this meal, but I believe Turkey with a twist is par for the course in Mexico, where the bird is right at home in his native continent.

I spent one Christmas on board a Hurtigruten coastal voyage in Norway, which was quite magical. Mulled wine the only free beverage available on board, it was lovely. Norwegian Christmas Dinner on the Eve and more western turkey dinner on Christmas Day. Choir coming on board the ship on the Eve. Lots of spicy biscuits.

Dickie10 · 19-12-2023 11:41pm

im single and always head to my sisters around 11 am on christmas morning to see what has been delivered by santa, always great fun in that house, but last year i dont know why but the eldest girl was 13 just in 1st year in school and you knew something somewhere had changed it was ever so slightly forced and something felt a little bit empty inside me for the first time, i cant describe it, the other kids are 11 and 9 this year, have to say it panged my heart a little, im strangely apprensive of the trip this year.

Dickie10 · 19-12-2023 11:44pm

have to add i dont have dinner there just visit for an hour or so, they have dinner themselves just as a family, we all thought how odd it was they were tiny tots but actually a great idea , they have their very own very family only christmas which is lovely. i wouldnt be a massive fan of cousins going to other cousins at chrsitmas dinner

claregal1 · 20-12-2023 7:13am

This year I have both my son and daughter home. So new traditions starting this year. The both want to do a Christmas Eve swim, the Christmas day one is on at a later time this year. So we will head to lahinch about 9.30 them to swim me to watch.

Back home, call to visit Granny and then to town for a family Christmas Eve lunch.

Then Christmas Eve Mass at 5 for myself and my daughter, we mainly go for the Carol singing. Both my sons and husband will head to the pub whilst we are at mass. Home then to relax and get a cheeky Chinese and watch TV and bed early.

Up early Christmas morning where I cook breakfast, my husband then heads off to have Christmas day with his parents and my kids go to their Dad's until it is time for dinner.

I'm actually finishing up work today until the 2nd of January so I guess Christmas mode will be fully activated at 4pm today !

Happy Christmas everyone.

Loughc · 20-12-2023 8:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121516751#Comment_121516751

Happy Christmas claregal your traditions sound lovely

Christmas Eve Traditions :-)

Comments

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year" - Charles Dickens

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year" - Charles Dickens

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year" - Charles Dickens

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year" - Charles Dickens

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year" - Charles Dickens