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Post by Woobster on Nov 12, 2017 15:51:06 GMT
We spend Christmas Eve with DH's mom's side of the family. Then we come home and do our thing. My mom always made green chili cheese soup and breadsticks on Christmas Eve, so that's what I do. Then we open gifts... My family always opened on Christmas Eve growing up. Christmas morning we spend at home with our dogs, and we eat dinner with DH's dad's side of the family.
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Nanner
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Post by Nanner on Nov 12, 2017 16:28:28 GMT
I always bought a new game to play Christmas Eve, and made homemade pizza. I still do it, and my kids are adults and out on their own now, but still come over Christmas Eve.
We had so much fun playing Cards Against Humanity last year, that I'm not buying a new game this year. I just bought some expansion packs and we'll play it again this Christmas Eve.
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Post by craftedbys on Nov 12, 2017 17:24:10 GMT
For the last dozen years or so, our tradition has always been that all shopping, decorating, wrapping, etc would cease by noon on the 24th. Christmas dinner would be in the oven or crockpot (BF's Italian Beef has been our tradition for many years) and we would get ready and go to the Children's Mass with my parents (and sister when she was alive) and the kids and I would sing in the choir.
After Mass everyone would come to our house and we would take pictures in front of the tree have our big Christmas dinner.
After dinner the kids would open their new pajamas. And we would have a Christmas movie playing.
Once the kids go to bed DH and I get our Christmas time together. We turn on White Christmas and go about setting all the presents out under the tree and fixing the stockings. Then, when the movie is over, we turn out all the lights and just sit together and spend some quiet time looking at the lights on the tree.
The last part is a tradition we started when we were dating in college. At the time we were each having to do our own family stuff, but midnight Christmas eve watching the lights on the tree was OUR time.
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Post by Belia on Nov 12, 2017 17:34:28 GMT
Christmas Eve DH and I and the kids go to church- 5:00 service because we have kids. Then we go out to dinner. It's not fancy, but we go to Houlihans. Love their stuffed chicken breast!
P.S. I should say that DH always has to work on Christmas Eve- he usually gets home around 3 or so. Sometimes he takes the kids to work with him that day so I get some last minute wrapping time.
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Post by leannec on Nov 12, 2017 17:35:11 GMT
My mum sleeps over and we all have a selection of appetizers and drinks on Christmas Eve ... that makes five of us just enjoying each others company
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2017 19:34:11 GMT
How old are your kiddos now? Are they still believers? My girls were born on Christmas Day, so Christmas Eve (my favorite day of the year) and Christmas are pretty special. In the past, we went to church but now spend the evening with a fondue (meat fondue in wine) and sit around and play a game. We prepare the gifts and sometimes go and look at lights. I have my ex and my brother with me, so I'm always a wee bit stressed, but this year, we are going away and I am beside myself with joy. Just my kids and me. Hope you have a wonderful time! My boys are 26 (I feel so old typing that out!), 22 and 13. Funny you mention meat fondue in wine as that's on my Christmas Day dinner menu, along with a cheese fondue, steamed baby potatoes with green goddess dressing, and a big garden salad. We started having fondue for Christmas three years ago and now it's a tradition according to the boys, so we gotta do it. I love it. Another reason we haven't had a set holiday thing going is that I worked the night shift for several years (by choice so that our baby never went to daycare and always had one of us home with him), which made it impossible to be present to keep traditions going when I was working. I don't have any daughters and my sons aren't about to cook a feast or watch the same Christmas movies without a little prompting from their mom. DH is retired from the Navy now and works a very busy job with mostly regular hours. He's got a little down time during Christmas, and I work day shift now which means I can be home in the evening even when it's my turn to work the holiday. I've waited 27 years for this! 😊
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2017 19:42:32 GMT
Christmas Eve DH and I and the kids go to church- 5:00 service because we have kids. Then we go out to dinner. It's not fancy, but we go to Houlihans. Love their stuffed chicken breast! P.S. I should say that DH always has to work on Christmas Eve- he usually gets home around 3 or so. Sometimes he takes the kids to work with him that day so I get some last minute wrapping time. Houlihans was one of my favorites back in the late '80's when they were still in Memphis. I worked in a mall close to their location and would meet friends from other stores there after work. I was about 17 then. Good times.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2017 19:45:49 GMT
How old are your kiddos now? Are they still believers? My girls were born on Christmas Day, so Christmas Eve (my favorite day of the year) and Christmas are pretty special. In the past, we went to church but now spend the evening with a fondue (meat fondue in wine) and sit around and play a game. We prepare the gifts and sometimes go and look at lights. I have my ex and my brother with me, so I'm always a wee bit stressed, but this year, we are going away and I am beside myself with joy. Just my kids and me. Hope you have a wonderful time! What a special birthday for your girls! I hope y'all have a WONDERFUL trip away this year!
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Post by scrapmaven on Nov 12, 2017 19:52:48 GMT
I love the day before Christmas. I'm in the kitchen all day baking cookies and having fun w/my family. Youngest ds will be home from college and I hope his gf can join us. They are my crash test dummies for new cookies. It's a day of eating lots of cookies, laughing and just being together. Christmas day is a day to do nothing but relax all day and then cook dinner.
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Post by maryland on Nov 12, 2017 19:54:44 GMT
Chinese Food. For as long as I can remember my family would order Chinese food and just be a low key night. Prep for breakfast next day and dinner. My DH and I order in. Watch it's a wonderful life. Low key. Now we go to his mothers house and have the Chinese food. Not the same. But it's the proper thing to do. Sounds great! I love Chinese food! And I love that movie. We are always staying at our families house, so we don't have any family traditions with just us. We used to watch certain movies on the weekends before Christmas, but now 2 of the kids are in college, so we don't do that now. We travel 4 hrs. to the inlaws for the few days before Christmas, then travel to my family's after church on Christmas Eve and stay there a couple days after Christmas. We are staying home for the third time in 22 yrs. and my in laws are coming here. I am so excited to be home for Thanksgiving! I do enjoy when we are at my husband's grandmothers, but the 5 hr. trip and paying for 3 nights in the hotel are expensive for us this year with our tight budget. I am excited that I can watch the Macy's parade!
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Post by scrapmaven on Nov 12, 2017 20:02:46 GMT
I love the idea of playing games on Christmas eve. I might have to add that to our day this year.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2017 20:11:20 GMT
I love the idea of playing games on Christmas eve. I might have to add that to our day this year. We played bingo on Christmas night last year and it is so much fun that we'll do it again this year. I need to get some little prizes to wrap for the winner of each round.
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Post by tinydogmafia on Nov 12, 2017 20:19:00 GMT
What do you want to do? We go buy chicken nuggets and french fries then drive around looking at lights. For some reason, this just sounds amazing. I might do this. I'm working Christmas Eve and Christmas day. But I'm thinking nuggets and lights are sounding like a pretty good idea. Thank you!
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azredhead
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Post by azredhead on Nov 12, 2017 21:39:47 GMT
I eat lutefisk, as is the tradition coming down from Norwegian grandparents. I, however, microwave it instead of boiling it and straining it with cheesecloth, the traditional way. And I'm so very, very grateful that I'm not from a part of the country that has lutefisk as a tradition. ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png) The only thing I would be willing to eat, would be the bacon and the potatoes. It's almost a dare for our family. Not everyone does it, but Dh's uncle loves the stuff. If you grew up with it you're used to it, I guess. They do make all the new inlaws at least try it. And on my side it's Haggis. ETA we do games or puzzles for New Years. Some are gifts too for that purpose.
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tduby1
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Post by tduby1 on Nov 12, 2017 22:26:21 GMT
We go to dh's grandma's church. She passed last year but we still go and enjoy seeing the extended family. His dad, stepmom, mom, stepdad, sister and her fsmily join us. Then we all go back to our house for appetizers. Everyone leaves about nine. Then the kids get their Christmas pjs. They are 15, 17 and 18. last year I started putting the gifts out as I wrapped them. We still wait till they go to bed to blow up about 2 Dz red and green balloons and put them uNader the tree with the gifts. The lights dancing off the balloons is magical.
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Post by myboysnme on Nov 12, 2017 23:08:54 GMT
We used to go have lunch together as a family to a restaurant. Then we would go to Mass together and when we got home my husband made shrimp tortellini bisque.
Now we still go out to eat for lunch if son#2 isn't working, and then because we don't go to Mass anymore, we put out a bunch of snacks and watch A Christmas Story.
That's it! I still put out the gifts and fill stockings even though we are all adults.
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Grom Pea
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Post by Grom Pea on Nov 12, 2017 23:09:57 GMT
We don't really do anything, one year we invited my in-laws and dh's sister to have dinner at a restaurant with us but they both declined, turns out they had a fondue party and didn't invite us. Dh's parents are really unbalanced in fairness. My parents would never invite my sister and not me if we were both in the same city. We only live about 2 miles away so it's not like we're too far, they're just very selective and one sided. They're also not very bright about hiding it, they're paying for dh's sister and husband to go to Peru with them. How does he know? They put his email address in the list of people to send the receipt to from the travel agent. It's weird, so in general we don't do anything specific, it's just another day here.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2017 23:16:38 GMT
What do you want to do? We go buy chicken nuggets and french fries then drive around looking at lights. For some reason, this just sounds amazing. I might do this. I'm working Christmas Eve and Christmas day. But I'm thinking nuggets and lights are sounding like a pretty good idea. Thank you! Thank you. We used to have a picnic under the tree, but it turned into a light seeing trip. I think the op should come up with her own unique idea.
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Anita
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Post by Anita on Nov 12, 2017 23:49:32 GMT
We are traveling on Christmas Eve. I guess that is becoming our new tradition.
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Post by papersilly on Nov 12, 2017 23:56:33 GMT
My side of the family has always celebrated Christmas on Christmas eve. We have dinner and open gifts. DH's side of the family celebrates on Christmas day.
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dawnnikol
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Post by dawnnikol on Nov 13, 2017 0:12:14 GMT
My husband's family used to have their very favorite meals on Christmas Eve for each person, so if his favorite that year was McDs burger and fries, he would have that and his sister would be having her favorite, his brother would have his own favorite, etc.
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scrapngranny
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Post by scrapngranny on Nov 13, 2017 1:57:43 GMT
Christmas Eve we have the traditional big dinner. We have turkey, prime rib, salad, potatoes, veggies, roll and pie for dessert. Christmas Day we spend the whole day in our pajamas all day and have buffet breakfast and have appetizers, cookies and candy the rest of the day. The next day we don’t even want to look at food. ![(rofl)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/rofl.png)
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Post by merry on Nov 13, 2017 3:28:57 GMT
We have a favorite sushi restaurant we go to early in the evening, then drive home the long way looking at lights and curl up in front of a christmas movie.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Nov 13, 2017 4:17:34 GMT
We used to do Christmas Eve with my mom and Christmas Day with his family. Once DH’s sister married, they would go to his parents out of state for the entire week between Christmas and New Year’s so we always had to do Christmas early with them and MIL, then we’d have her Christmas Day too. Our moms passed away in the same year, and after that we didn’t want to have any of those family obligations with either sets of our siblings so we don’t. When I was a kid we always opened family presents to each other on Christmas Eve. Santa presents arrived overnight (unwrapped) and stockings were filled, so we kids would get up early and come down to play with our stuff quietly while our parents got to sleep in a little. DH never did that, they always opened all their stuff on Christmas morning (from family and wrapped Santa presents all mixed together). As much as I would rather do it my family’s way, DH doesn’t want to do that. So I’ve been compromising by having a gift of handmade Christmas PJs that I’ve made under the tree and that’s the one gift we each get to open on Christmas Eve. But on a different thread someone said they give their Christmas PJs on Thanksgiving night to kick off the Christmas season and I like the idea because we can all wear our new jammies longer. The nice thing about opening them on Christmas Eve though is that then we all match in our Christmas Day pics, LOL. I think it would be fun to drive around looking at all the lights, drinking hot cocoa and listening to Christmas music on Christmas Eve, but I’m pretty sure DH wouldn’t want to drive around when he could be sitting in his comfy La-Z-Boy at home! Maybe we’ll watch a Christmas movie, we have a few to choose from.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Nov 13, 2017 5:25:24 GMT
Christmas Eve is rather low key as it is just the three of us. DH spends the day shopping for gifts and I am usually at home wrapping gifts and baking. We always have a crawfish etouffee for dinner and then go to Christmas Eve service. If we go to the 8 pm service, we like to drive around and look at lights afterwards. To get in the spirit, we get hot chocolate from Starbucks, then turn the a/c down real low on the car to make it cold (because it is typically in the 70s) before we head out to look at lights.
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Post by gmcwife1 on Nov 13, 2017 6:02:50 GMT
We spend the night at my mom’s house. She makes a big pot of chili as she has kids coming in at different times. We stay up playing board games, wrap presents and wait for the kids to go to sleep so we can fill stockings.
In the morning we listen to Jingle Cats, it’s a cd of cats meowing Christmas songs. We also have to have fresh squeezed orange juice and a toast before we start opening gifts and stockings.
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RedSquirrelUK
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Post by RedSquirrelUK on Nov 13, 2017 11:41:02 GMT
We go to Midnight Mass, then when we get home we have a drink and open one present each, to wind down before we go to bed.
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peabay
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Post by peabay on Nov 13, 2017 11:59:00 GMT
Christmas Eve is our big night. We have at least 20-25 people and take in any "orphans". I prepare the Feast of the Seven Fishes and we eat from 6 until 11. When we all go to bed, anyone staying over at our house gets a new pair of pajamas. I'm so exhausted when I crawl into bed that my own tradition is watching "A Christmas Story" on rotation until I fall asleep.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Nov 13, 2017 12:06:13 GMT
This year it will just be DD and I. She really wanted to stay home. So we are.
I come from a huge family so a low key Christmas is weird for me.
We might go to a movie on Christmas eve and do fondue on Christmas day.
We might end up at a friends on Christmas day... depends on if they sell their house or not.
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Post by LisaDV on Nov 13, 2017 12:22:07 GMT
When we lived close to family. My family would drive up usually Christmas Eve. We would have a nice dinner, not a ham or a turkey. The kids would all open presents. We'd visit. Sometimes this would be postponed until the 26th depending upon their schedules. Christmas Day, DH's side of the family would come over. Now, we're off in our own seclusion. Christmas eve church service at 3pm. We follow that with the nice dinner as we're still dressed up from church. The kids (12/15) still open their already washed Christmas pj's and put them on for photos. **ETA** I just asked ds15 yesterday what traditions made Christmas feel like Christmas. He said eggnog (we always have it when we decorate the tree and for Christmas day), the Die Hard movies (this is my tradition but I finally allowed him to watch them with me earlier this year, so now he wants in - I told him that means he'll have to help with the wrapping of presents (just not his)), and that was it. ![???](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/huh.png)
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