These are some of the nicest things to do with your family on Christmas Eve!
Christmas Eve Family Traditions
There's no other evening quite as magical as Christmas Eve. It's a lovely time of family traditions!
Here are our favourite things to do as a family on Christmas Eve. Perhaps you already do some, or maybe this might help inspire some new traditions in your home today!
These are guaranteed to make the night before Christmas almost as special as the day itself!
Track Santa
Through the day and evening, there are numerous app’s and websites to track Santa's progress. Check out https://santatracker.google.com/#villageor http://www.noradsanta.org/
This is a great way to build up the anticipation of Santa as you watch him make his way around the world delivering presents on Christmas Eve… and see the excitement on your kids faces as they view the progress on the way to your home!
Hang up the Christmas stockings
You can't go to bed without hanging up the Christmas stockings. Hang them on the mantelpiece or perhaps even at the end of the bed (although this does require Santa to be very quiet as he fills them up later on!).
My children’s grandparents have a tradition of including an orange and a money coin in the stockings (bringing back to their own childhood stockings!)
Hang up the Christmas stockings
You can't go to bed without hanging up the Christmas stockings. Hang them on the mantelpiece or perhaps even at the end of the bed (although this does require Santa to be very quiet as he fills them up later on!).
My children’s grandparents have a tradition of including an orange and a money coin in the stockings (bringing back to their own childhood stockings!)
Wrap the presents
Wrap the last of your Christmas presents. Light the candles or the fire, sit by the tree lights, pop on Christmas FM treat yourself to a glass of (mulled) wine.
Wrap the last of your Christmas presents. Light the candles or the fire, sit by the tree lights, pop on Christmas FM treat yourself to a glass of (mulled) wine.
Leave out the reindeer food
Glitter and oats mixed together to sprinkle makes great food left in the garden for Rudolph and his friends when they come
Glitter and oats mixed together to sprinkle makes great food left in the garden for Rudolph and his friends when they come
Reindeer poo
Chocolate covered raisins make great reindeer poo! Leave some out when the kids have gone to sleep.
Chocolate covered raisins make great reindeer poo! Leave some out when the kids have gone to sleep.
Collect holly & cones
Head out for a walk on Christmas Eve to blow away the cobwebs and also tire out little legs to aid a good night's sleep. If you live near some, head to the woods to gather holly or pine cones to bring back to decorate the house.
Head out for a walk on Christmas Eve to blow away the cobwebs and also tire out little legs to aid a good night's sleep. If you live near some, head to the woods to gather holly or pine cones to bring back to decorate the house.
Christmas lights walk
You could also wait until it is dark and head out on a family walk around your local neighborhood to spot all the twinkling Christmas lights. The streets always look magical lit up ready for Christmas and you can stretch little legs to help children get a good night's sleep on Christmas Eve with all the excitement ahead.
You could also wait until it is dark and head out on a family walk around your local neighborhood to spot all the twinkling Christmas lights. The streets always look magical lit up ready for Christmas and you can stretch little legs to help children get a good night's sleep on Christmas Eve with all the excitement ahead.
Candles and scents
Make your home smell like Christmas to add to the festive mood. Use scented candles or toss a handful of spices onto the fire to bring out a Christmassy scent.
Make your home smell like Christmas to add to the festive mood. Use scented candles or toss a handful of spices onto the fire to bring out a Christmassy scent.
Food and drink for Santa and Rudolph
Santa needs food and drink to help keep his strength up on his busy night - so put out a little glass of something he likes and a mince pie or some festive food out and don't forget milk and carrots for Rudolph!
Santa needs food and drink to help keep his strength up on his busy night - so put out a little glass of something he likes and a mince pie or some festive food out and don't forget milk and carrots for Rudolph!
Christmas mass
Even if you are not religious you might like to take your family to a children's Christmas service - many are held on Christmas Eve afternoon. There is a lovely atmosphere in our local church.
Even if you are not religious you might like to take your family to a children's Christmas service - many are held on Christmas Eve afternoon. There is a lovely atmosphere in our local church.
Snuggle in front of a festive movie
Gather the family and snuggle up in front of a Christmas film. 'The Snowman' and 'Father Christmas' by Raymond Briggs are lovely - and a great length too as they are both quite short. I always make my kids their favourite supper to enjoy while we watch.
Gather the family and snuggle up in front of a Christmas film. 'The Snowman' and 'Father Christmas' by Raymond Briggs are lovely - and a great length too as they are both quite short. I always make my kids their favourite supper to enjoy while we watch.
Christmas food for the robins
Don’t forget the robins and the other birds! Hang bird food or feeders for the birds so they have their own Christmas dinner the next day.
Don’t forget the robins and the other birds! Hang bird food or feeders for the birds so they have their own Christmas dinner the next day.
New pyjamas
We always have new pyjamas for Christmas Eve. It’s such a warming tradition. Penney’s was super this year for them!
We always have new pyjamas for Christmas Eve. It’s such a warming tradition. Penney’s was super this year for them!
They make getting ready for bed on such an exciting night even more fun, and you can often tempt children into their snuggly new jammies early!
Last letters to Santa
Every child loves to write their letter to Santa. Once written these can be sent up the chimney on the fire or left out on the mantelpiece for Father Christmas to read.
Every child loves to write their letter to Santa. Once written these can be sent up the chimney on the fire or left out on the mantelpiece for Father Christmas to read.
Letter from Santa
After the kids have gone to bed write a letter from Santa - perhaps thanking them for leaving out a drink and a mince pie or with a personal message from him. Don’t forget to add a little soot to the letter for authenticity!
After the kids have gone to bed write a letter from Santa - perhaps thanking them for leaving out a drink and a mince pie or with a personal message from him. Don’t forget to add a little soot to the letter for authenticity!
