One spends time dreading the following day and praying that NYE will approach quickly.

Normally am still doin things I shouldn't be! I need a rest!

It used to be a big thing when I was younger, not so much now

Anticipate the great event  

Just get plenty of drink in.  It might all blend into one.

You make sure you get a rest  

Somene tell my family then please! I asked for their xmas lists in September as I'm having no faffing this year.....Have they come forward..........have they hell as like! even though I've given mine

I hope to have everything done by Christmas Eve. Our family aren't gluttons, so the food is a wee bit like a sunday roast, just have the crackers and nice table decoration which only comes out at Christmas. Duck in the oven slow roasting over night, turkey (for those who don't like duck) in the oven about 10, veg has all been prepared the night before, my daughter deals with that and I do the gravy.

They should get an orange and an apple and be grateful Pam 

 mmm Christmas dinner at yours then 

You made that sound all exciting.

Cheers, I really like Christmas

and a Milky Way in a sock on the mantelpiece?

and a chocolate coin

( with toothmarks in it)

Or some Eat me Dates.

OOo That reminds me , i have to eat half a carrot and drink some whiskey ...when im pretending to be Santa.

PMSL!!!!!!! BIG TIME!!!

Well, you'll never need the rennies. 

I eat some carrot and drink half the bottle of whisky

I've got no kids, and don't particularly like carrots, bu the last bit of that sounds ok

I don't have kids either x

and half a mince pie!    and then I have to put hubbies boots on.... get some flour in a carrier bag... and then do Santa footprints from the door to the tree and back!

It was worth doing when they were little.... the cries of "he's been!   he's been" in the morning.

There are still cries of "he's been"..   but she is 17 now!    I keep asking her if we can drop the charade...  but she won't hear of it.

She wants chewed carrots, nibbled mince pies & santa footprints!!!

I used to go round like a blue arsed fly on Christmas Eve, finding all the presents I'd hidden around the house, plus the paper and the little thingies to put their name on. I'd be up until god knows when, having a wee dram, but not too much because I knew they'd be up around 5. Go to bed only to be woken up in the dark by two wee ones asking if Santa had been. Lovely.

I use to love Christmas Eve 

Ive never done that. What a good idea. 

And keeping it going must bring back all the feel good memories of when she was young  Brill.

Lovely.


At first when they were tiny that one year i kept all the wrapping of the presents till christmas eve. I was more excited than them. By 3 am in the morning i was Still  wrapping presents and was sick as a chip, and they were getting thrown on any old how. 
Never again.
I do them in shifts now. I don't know why it takes me so long lol


I have never been able to sleep on Christmas Eve. Not even now.
Christmas day night Im wrecked.

I love Christmas Eve , There is always something so magical about it - a stillness in the air that you do not get any other evening.

When my girls were small, both sets of grandparents would come round for a huge high tea which would end with the girls putting on a "show" for them. This would be prepared weeks in advanced and would involve making programmes, the lot. It would then end with the lights being turned off and singing carols around the Xmas tree.Then off they would go to bed leaving their sacks strategically placed... and yes I did the whole chewing carrots thing as well
In later years that all changed - but thats another story.

This xmas eve will be spent quietly with some lovely food and music - the Beatles I hope and perhaps I will watch some Xmas Eve telly cos I never did before.

I am looking forward to it.

I love Christmas eve, it's my favourite!!



I usually have to work in the morning and spend it trying to knock off as early as possible!

I use whatever method I can on my phone to track Santa, and do it more on the computer when I get home..

We have a little drinkie, watch something very christmassy, eat sweets and relax!

When my sons were small, their excitement and anticipation on Christmas Eve was contagious, I loved it.
Even though they are all in their twenties now, the memories of those magical times still linger.

I hope that magic lingers forever, I plan to be just as excited when I'm 100 and in my care home!

thats me!   Every year!!!!

Ditty humbug till december  lol

I love Christmas Eve but then I have little kids so it's more excitement for them than anything else.  Xmas Eve is usually when I do any last minute shop trips to collect desserts/batteries/cigs and anything else needed for xmas day that I've forgotten to buy!  Then it's lots of cleaning and cooking a nice dinner.  I let the kids open up a present or two before their bath, which somehow ALWAYS ends up being PJs and bath stuff   then baths for them, supper, leave out milk and cookies and off to bed.  We have to wait til around midnight til they are sleeping and get all the pressies into the living room and biuld up watever annoying things I've bought that need built.  All whilst sipping on a wine or two.  Then it's off to bed where I can't sleep with excitement (I'm a big kid) and then I'm always first awake on xmas morn coughing loudly or flushing the loo to try to wake the kids coz OH wont let me wake them up!

This is not far off what i do.   Last minute preparing food, letting the kids open their new pjs for Christmas Eve, Leaving whiskey out for santa, Trying to get kids to sleep before Santa comes.. me not sleeping either  lol 
Im hoping all the shopping is done this year before Christmas Eve,it has to be...
and i fancy taking the kids to a Panto.

I normally have all pressies already wrapped but for some reason it still takes ages to get them all arranged nicely and build up any bikes or big sets that are there.

The atmosphere alone on xmas eve is exciting, even if I don't go out the door.

And why did I come into this thread? My excitemtent is building!!

  I will have to remember to do that this year.. its probably the last year they will believe he actually brings the presents. 



    I was dreading it all (still am until i get the majority of the pressies) but all the build up in here and the name changes have helped me a bit 

I have one of the kids birthdays to get out of the way before i think about Xmas,

This year we are decamping to the in-laws for Christmas but i'm working up to 1pm Xmas Eve then me and daughter are going to get the train down cos once all pur clothes, presents the rest of the kids and the dog are in the taxi it'll be packed and too squashed for me to get in without having a panic attack on the way.

I just caught the end of sleepless in Seattle! It makes me feel festive because I decorated my tree one year while it was on, and I remember it so well because it was a real turning point in my life after a very sad time..

Oh boy o boy I love Christmas!