Welcome to my post for day 4 of the #12daysofparenting; Christmas Traditions and welcome if you’ve hopped over from Suburban Mum We have so many prizes to give away this year, including a gorgeous sleeping bag from Bambini and Me, entries via the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.
Christmas Traditions, they vary from family to family and from what I’m seeing on social media at the moment BIGGER is better. Though as the ever so pragmatic and say it as she sees Prabs writes about in 7 Christmas Traditions that stress her out, when did Christmas become more about commercialism and less about saying “Happy Christmas”?
Which is why our magical family Christmas traditions are less about the BIG or the ELF but are more about the magic, the spirit and the family time we get to spend together.
Christmas Eve PJs
Long before I’d even heard of the term Christmas Eve box my mum wrapped and gave me a new set of PJs every Christmas Eve. Without fail. From matching one’s with my brother to one’s that struggled to fit my pregnant belly in last year she has never forgotten. In fact this year the PJs are flying out with her on Christmas Eve! Eep excited.
It’s something I’m continuing with the boys, who doesn’t love new jarmas for Christmas?
Baking Christmas Cookies
Last year we made white chocolate and cranberry cookies for Santa, with mixed reviews to be honest, should have learnt from that and maybe they wouldn’t have been a #PinterestFail when I tried again.
This year so far we have made gingerbread and mince pies practicing but come Christmas Eve we will don the aprons again to make something tasty for Santa to snack on.
I said TASTY. Not pretty.
Book Advent
This year is the first year I’ve done the book advent, a present a night and a big family squish in the bed as we have some calm reading time before bed.
Instead of spending money on new books when we have thirty plus lying round yet continually read Peppa Goes Shopping I simply wrapped existing books in IKEA drawing paper, borrowed the felt tips from the playroom and Bob’s your uncle no Peppa for 24 days!
It’s been fantastic. Reading stories like Stick Man, The Gruffalo, That’s Not My Santa, The Hungry Caterpillar. Remembering other wonderful tales of magic. No sodding Peppa (and he doesn’t even watch the Pig!!)
Though if you wanted to go all Christmassy The Dad Network and Oh So Amelia have some fantastic wintery, Christmassy books going on in their book advents.
Chocolate Advent Calendars
I’m so not the Mum I thought I would be, I thought I would be strict on chocolate. I’m not. I feel that may be hypocritical….so we all have a chocolate advent calendar. All, except the Baby.
Our Tried and Failed…..
This year, as the three year old becomes more aware of all things Christmas we have tried to add a couple of traditions.
Cinema Afternoon
Popcorn. Check. Duvet. Check.
Napping Baby and Snuggles. Check.
BEST Christmas Film ever in Home Alone? Check.
One terrified three year old at the basement monster about 10 minutes in? Check.
So we put The Little Mermaid on instead. Not Christmassy in the slightest.
Breakfast
Each year myself and the husband disagree over what makes real Christmas breakfast. Growing up at my house it was always porridge for breakfast. At the husbands smoked salmon (BLEUGH) bagels.
We’re still searching for the perfect breakfast that the boys will then fight with their future partners with over what makes Christmas breakfast. I’m thinking something with bacon. We’ll get there.
Seeing Santa
We just haven’t got round to it, there are limited places and they are a little on the pricey side. It somehow just isn’t the same in the sun!
What Christmas traditions do you have?
To see how children have changed the holidays for others, why not hop over to Ladybug Home and Designs to see what they say?
My code word for #12daysofparenting is PRESENT
Click here for T&Cs.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Lol at the smoked salmon. I’m the same, can’t stand the stuff, but my OH loves it and would love it with breadsticks as an appetiser or morning ‘snack’ with bucks fizz that we usually have.
N so far has refused to watch Christmas movies, mostly because at the moment they’re all the terrible cheesy Channel 5 ones that aren’t really kids movies. Home Alone’s a good one, I reckon he’d like that one with all the tricks.
I love the new pjs on Christmas Eve, I have so many friends with little ones that do exactly the same thing and my mum still does this with my 21year old brother, he loves getting fresh pjs on Xmas eve! Lol. Also anything food related I love, esp ginger around Christmas, YUM! x
I love the idea of a book advent calendar – especially with books you already own!! Genius. I can imagine the excitement just because they’re wrapped and there’s the element of surprise.
I also love the Xmas pj’s idea – we didn’t do this but my mother-in-law is religious about it for my daughter. It’s a lovely tradition to get cosy on Christmas Eve in new pyjamas.
Love those dino pjs 🙂 I was just saying to Matt hopefully L will be big enough for book advent next year because I just love the idea of it.
I have things on my list we just wont get to do this year but its okay, we cant do everything. I am going to try and take my daughter to see santa before Christmas…If i can find a grotto close by as she missed out on the school one due to illness.
We always had smoked salmon for breakfast too (once I was old enough! ) – which reminds me, I need to buy some 🙂 And a new Christmas Day outfit although that one’s long stopped.
This is a lovely post, we go between our parents for christmas so are trying to find traditions we can bring to both houses so that there is some consistency. We make the mince pies too and yes visiting Santa has been a fail for us mainly beause my small lady is terrified of him!
I really like the idea of the book advent. What a great way of re-introducing stories to a little one.
We do advent calendar tradition which is a big hit with my oldest of course because of all the chocolate but we also have a toy advent calendar this year.
We are planning to bake Christmas cookies this weekend. I wasn’t up for it today because I was hungover. Lol