Christmas Eve Traditions

In a way, Christmas Eve is just as special to me as Christmas Day. The house is buzzing with anticipation and excitement, and we have just as many routines and traditions. I thought it'd be fun to share a little run-down of how we spend Christmas Eve every year, incase you need some help preparing for the (second) biggest day of advent. Of course, Christmas Eve hasn't been yet, so I've used pictures from the Christmas period 2014. No, Mikey does not still have that dummy!

We try and get as much done as possible on Christmas Eve, so that Christmas Day can just be for opening, eating and swageing. I usually begin preparing Christmas food on about the 22nd or 23rd (wrapping the kilties [pigs in blankets], etc), but I will start cooking on the 24th. We also use the time for the kids to speak to family over Skype if they're not free on Christmas Day.

We get the house sorted. Bedrooms need to be tidy, because there needs to space for lots of exciting presents! And Santa doesn't want to be tripping over a room full of junk; he won't leave presents with children who can't look after them. All of our decorations are perfect, lit, and the house is in full festive mode by the time we go to bed (which is often after midnight on Christmas Eve - there is so much to be done!). We don't hang stockings by the fireplace, partly because we don't have a fireplace, but also because that's not how it was done when I was a child (despite having a fireplace then). Instead, the kids have pillowcase-sized sacks with their names on, and those are hung up on the ends of their beds.

After dinner, the kids open their Christmas Eve pack. This is a tradition I remember fondly with my brothers, so it was definitely something I wanted to do for my own family. The Christmas Eve pack includes a nice new set of pyjamas, a film or a game (something to do together), often a snack and then some reindeer food and a carrot for Santa's reindeer. The kids get into their soft, warm new jammies and get ready to snuggle up and watch something Christmassy.

Finally, right before bed, we set up a small table in preparation for the big man's arrival. We leave him a mince pie, a nip of whisky and a carrot for the reindeer. We also sprinkle the reindeer food on the balcony step so they know where to land. We take Santa's key off our tree and hang it on the outside of the door so he can get in, since we haven't got a chimney. Obviously he has a LOT of families leaving him food so he tends to just take one bite of the mince pie, but he always finishes his nip of whisky; he probably needs it to warm up after his long trip. Sometimes the children leave him a note, and when they have they've been lucky enough to receive a little reply which has been amazing for them on Christmas morning.

Do you have Christmas Eve traditions? We'd love to hear them!