Christmas Traditions in Our House

I adore Christmas, always have and I'm pretty sure I always will. It was my Dad who was the major Christmas nut in our family, always making it feel special and somehow, even as kids, we never ever argued on Christmas day. There was something eerily magical about it, right into my adult years. 

This year, Carson and I made a plate for Santa's mince pie and Rudolph's carrot.

Christmas Eve we got one present to unwrap from our parents - new pyjamas. So we'd all get a bath early to change into our new pjs, whilst dad would run up the road to the chippy for sausage and chips for tea. We'd munch through our tea in the living room on the floor whilst watching The Snowman - usually followed by Scrooged on VHS that my nan had taped from her Sky. Am I the only one who is conditioned to believe that Christmas isn't Christmas without Bill Murray?  Anyway...

Finley and Carson in their Christmas PJ's 2015.

I think Christmas Eve was the only night of the year that we'd all go to bed when we were told without moaning, but not before the obligatory mince pie and carrot were carefully placed on the hearth and our stockings all laid out in our own personal areas of the living room. 

No fancy colour schemes for us. Just an explosion of all things festive.

We had quirky little Christmas Day traditions. No TV for anyone until after 6pm (and as we grew older that also became an "MPFZ" aka mobile phone free zone!). Some of my school friends found it weird I'd not watched the hottest Christmas movie at the time on terrestrial TV but I really didn't care. It's what made Christmas different.  The mini variety pack's of individually boxed cereal to choose from for breakfast. Buying these at any other time of the year just felt... weird! I mean seriously, you knew Crimbo was coming when Mum bought those bad boys! 

New PJ's, mince pie and carrot, thumbs up to that!
I replicate these traditions with my own children because I really want them to feel how special it can be, just as I was lucky enough to with my brother and sisters. 

Carson, being 7 years old now, is just at that stage were he know's what Christmas traditions we do and is really into them now too. Christmas eve, before bed, he asked if he could be the one to open the variety boxes of cereals and place one each for all four of us into our bowls at the dining table ready to be opened in the morning. Bless. Never known a child to be so excited at such a small thing but it shows that these little traditions really do add to the suspense and excitement of Christmas. For me, anyway. 
Simply must get a pic in front of the tree every year!

I love my family with all my heart. Even the hubby who's a bit of a grump when it comes to Christmas - he still gets involved, for both the kids' sake and my own traditional churning, memory making joy, however sad that may be to some.  What I would give to have one more Christmas as a little girl again. If you could bottle the anticipation and magic up it would be priceless. Alas, my young days will never return so I use every ounce of that wish as the fire power behind making my own children's Christmases everything it possibly can be. Filled with love, magic and difference to any other normal day of the year.

I'd love to hear of any traditions that you guys have, do you follow any of the same as we do?

13 comments:

  1. We always have new xmas eve pj's, and take out too. Always sausage or bacon butties for breakfast xmas day morning. They look so cute Jo and I love how Carson gets so excited xx

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  2. We have the new Christmas Eve PJ's here too, it's something my Mum used to do when I was little so I've just carried it on really. Apart from that we don't really do anything on Christmas Eve except watch TV and pig out lol x

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  3. Great traditions, sounds like my house when I was younger. New pJs, a movie and take out on Christmas Eve. It's the best way to do it.

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  4. I love the cereal one. It's great to continue unique family traditions from your childhood.

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  5. Aw I love your traditions! Christmas is so magical when you are little and then as you grow older christmas can lose its magic a little but having kids for me has brought back that magic 10x more! I love there excitement in the build up to Christmas and we all really get in to the festive spirit! We have a few traditions including visiting Santa on Christmas eve and on Christmas morning daddy brings the stockings up once everyones awake and the kids open them on mum and dads bed with us :) xx

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  6. I love Christmas traditions and love hearing others! Our tradition is to make Christmas Eve Supper, then look at Christmas lights, open gifts, and head to bed. When we get up on Christmas Day morning we make omelettes and then open Santa gifts. Oh traditions!

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  7. Love your thumbs up Christmas photos - will be a great collection in years to come! We do the same here with Christmas PJ's - theres just something so special about new PJs on Christmas eve!

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  8. Your kiddos are so adorable. I love how your son makes the same pose each year!

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  9. I am in love with the tree! And your traditions are ones my family can relate to. We always have Christmas jammies and get pictures in front of the tree!

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  10. Your cereal tradition is lovely, such a simple, nice touch! There's lots of things I associate with Christmas, because we just didn't get them other times of the year. Like large bottles of coke! And the Snowman. That for me is THE xmas tradidion. Lovely post, I have one similar about my memories. Nostalgic lot we are!

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  11. Aw, they look so happy. It looks like your Christmases are amazing. I think traditions add a lot to the magic and we are really starting to get into ours now too

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  12. Love your cereal tradition. It is important to set your own traditions and show children how the magic is alive in your household.

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  13. Great tradition you guys got in your home. Go to have traditions set in place x

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