Christmas Eve marks the official start of Christmas in our house and I think I probably enjoy it more than Christmas Day itself if I’m honest. I know that sounds a bit odd so I thought I’d tell you a little bit about Christmas Eve in our house….
Mr Frugal often has to work on Christmas Eve so it’s usually just me and the kids until he gets home around 4pm and we normally have a leisurely morning with pancakes or waffles for breakfast and a snuggle on the settee watching a Christmas movie (normally Elf for the 99th time since the first of December).
After we’ve watched a film, we’ll check on Santa’s progress around the world on the Norad site because you’re never too old to make sure that the big guy is on his way. Once we know he’s set off then the kids will go up to their rooms to chill out and snapchat their friends because apparently that’s what teens and tweens want to do now instead of the Christmas crafting we used to do after lunch when they were younger. I don’t mind really because it gives me a chance to do any last minute bits and bobs and to get the mulled wine in the slow cooker ready for later on that evening.
At some point in the afternoon I’ll call the kids down and we make our reindeer dust ready to sprinkle on the floor before bed that night.
When Mr Frugal gets home around four we give the kids their Christmas Eve boxes and spend a lovely twenty minutes of so together while they unwrap the various little treats we’ve put in for them before getting wrapped up to go to the local Christingle church service with our friends.
The Christingle service is lovely and never fails to get us into the Christmas spirit although I suspect the kids enjoy it more because they can cook raisins and sweets on their candles more than anything else. When we get back from the Christingle service we head to our friends where we do our family secret Santa gift exchange which is an annual tradition. We try and find the best gift we can on a budget of £5 and there’s been some great ones over the years we’ve been doing it.
After secret Santa time, it’s time to come home where we close the door to the rest of the world knowing that we’re not going anywhere else until after we’ve opened our presents. The Pyjama fairy has usually been an left a pair of pyjamas under the tree for the kids while we were out but they don’t put them on just yet as it’s time for their annual baking session with Mr Frugal in the kitchen.
It’s the only time of the year that he bakes with them and he’s done it since they were 3 and 1 so they look forward to it every year – if only to laugh at his attempts at cooking with them. They bake the treats to leave out for Santa and until a couple of years ago, it just used to be a packet mix for simplicity as he was juggling two young children and coping with a serious lack of any form of cooking skills. These days, thanks to the kids, they bake slightly more complex goodies and last year, I actually ate one! While he’s doing this, I go and have a bubble bath in peace which is bliss after a busy day.
After I’ve had my bath, the kids will have theirs and get into their new pyjamas while Mr Frugal tidies away any evidence of the baking session from the kitchen before we have our tea, which is always a takeaway on Christmas Eve. When the kids were younger they’d go to bed not long after tea and we’d watch a film together but these days there’s no getting rid of them so we’ll play a board game together, sprinkle the reindeer dust outside and get Santa’s plate ready before banishing them to their rooms to at least try and get some rest. They often sleep in the same room on Christmas Eve as they have this thing where they were scared of Santa when they were little so they’ve done it since then.
We then try to stay up until they go to sleep and will often play cards or watch a film while I have a glass or two of mulled wine. As soon as the coast is clear, we’ll have the stockings on the bedroom doors and bring the presents in from the garage before going off to bed for a night with no sleep as I’m too excited to see the kids faces when they get up the next day.
What’s not to love about a day like that?
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