My Family Christmas Traditions!

Do you have family Christmas Traditions? Apologies for anyone who cringes at the mention of the C word in November – but I am getting excited already!! I absolutely LOVE Christmas, and have done ever since I was a child. Now that I am a Mum myself, Christmas is even more magical, and there is no better feeling than watching your children’s eyes light up with the excitement and anticipation of Father Christmas arriving! This will be our first Christmas as a family of four, and Neve will be joining in our Christmas Traditions which are as follows! 🙂

1) Christmas Eve Boxes

One of my favourite family Christmas traditions is a Christmas Eve Box. I didn’t personally have a Christmas Eve box as a child but I absolutely love the concept. We bought a box for Erin when she was 1. The idea is simple, a box of goodies to keep them quiet and calm on Christmas Eve, with the same items in each year.

For Erin, this so far has been a pair of festive pyjamas, a pair of slippers, a Christmas themed DVD and a chocolate or biscuit based treat :). Erin gets really excited to open the box and see whats inside. We then get her in her new snuggly pj’s and watch the film before she heads off to bed. Its a highlight of our Christmas Eve.

This year, we have the matching family pj’s from Matalan – can’t wait to see all four of us in the same outfit lol 🙂

2) Plate for Santa

When Erin was a baby, I made a personalised plate for Father Christmas, with a place to put his drink and a carrot for Rudolph. He tends to have something a little different when he comes to our house, as we figured he might get a little bored of mince pies. Last year it was a bottle of Peroni and a Rice Krispy cake lol 🙂

We are making a new plate this Christmas as Neve needs to get in on the action! 🙂

3) A Letter to Father Christmas

Every year we write to Father Christmas, and I always try and capture the items Erin has requested. I save all the replies so that when she is older she can look back at them all and laugh at some of her bizarre requests – I can picture her in 15 years time saying “What the hell are hatchimals and mashems?”

I love calling Erin to the front door when it arrives in the post and watching her little face light up when we read it to her 🙂

4) Photo Cards for Family

I don’t send many Christmas cards these days, but when I do, I make them special ones –  each year since Erin has been born we have done a photo card with a Christmas theme. Erin loves dressing up and we have lots of fun taking the photos. It’s perfect for family who don’t get to see her as often, and a special way to see her growing up. This year we will have two girls on our photo cards – with matching jumpers!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

4) Father Christmas Footprints

When Father Christmas visits our house, he uses a magic key to come in the front door (We don’t have a chimney). As a result, he leaves a bit of a mess, and a trail of snowy footprints from the door to the lounge. Erin LOVES this and her face lights up when she sees them as it shows her that he has been before she sees the presents under the tree. I draw a template of a footprint on a piece of card, then sprinkle flour or icing sugar onto the floor. It takes a bit of clearing up with the vac afterwards but its definitely worth it for the reaction! 🙂

When the girls are a little older, I may also introduce The Elf on the Shelf and book advents! So exciting!

What are your family Christmas traditions?