loobyj
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It wouldn't be Thingmas without...What makes Christmas Christmas for you? You know all those things that you've done since time immemorial, you've no idea why you started, but it just wouldn't be the same without it?
- dates stuffed with marzipan
- mince pies and sausage rolls for brekkie on Christmas morning
- making sure the snowmen I made when I was 5 are hanging on my Dad's christmas tree
- starting to play Christmas music from the first sunday in Advent
- cheese footballs
- the smell of apples - takes me back to the box my Grandad would buy at harvest time and then store till Christmas
- someone saying 'has he been?' first thing Christmas morning in memory of my Grandad. Even when we're not together we text each other to ask!
- someone different saying 'haven't we all done well' after the present opening - in memory of my Grandma
Ahh, I'm all nostalgic now
lj
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Binty
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my children 
and this year they will be with me so Im really pleased and already looking forward to it unlike last year where I was dreading it as they went away for 10 days 
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Catknit
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Since moving to this village, my thingmas traditions have slipped slightly.
We have a lantern parade on the evening that school finishes followed by mulled wine and hot dogs at the pub. The Friday before Thingmas, a load of us get together for a meal as a replacement office do for the self employed/just retired/farmers. Thingmas eve is a tour of friends houses. Thingmas day is a family time. Boxing day is an organised ramble for all and sundry (about 5 miles of cobweb blowing out) followed by food and drink at the pub. Then a break until New Year which would be a party somewhere then the village duck race on New Years day. 5 races of 50 plastic yellow ducks per race going along the brook at the back of my house. We can't escape this one as ther is a tannoy commentating on the races and it has been broadcast on local radio in the past. There is Tote betting on each race and a final at the end. local businesses sponsor races and you can 'buy' a duck and get a prize for the winner etc. all funds raised go towards the oldies club for their days out. Needless to say, mulled wine is once again on offer but at 10:30am on new Years day, I don't indulge (much) 
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Glynis
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The Christmas Eve late afternoon church service. That was always the start of it all for us when the children were small.
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GrannySmith
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Brussel Sprouts - we all hate them but we all have to have at least 2 on our christmas dinner plate. 
Elizabeth Shaw mints - the only time we buy them and they are the very last sweets to be eaten. 
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jessica
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| Quote: | | GrannySmith"]Brussel Sprouts - we all hate them but we all have to have at least 2 on our christmas dinner plate. |
Did you read this NOO!!
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Anna
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Ooooh, traditions - I love 'em!
Butteries (aka Aberdeen rowies) for breakfast. Mum made them the first year she and Dad were married, as he's from Aberdeen, and was condemned to make them every year until I was 14. She hated doing them (they are a labour of love and she doesn't even like them!) and was never so glad to have a teenage daughter
Sending anybody who is in the house out for the day on either Christmas Eve or the day before, putting carols on Very Loud and doing all the making of butteries, mince pies, my special vege version of French Onion soup for Christmas Eve tea and anything else we have the ingredients for. It's my 'me' time at Christmas and I love it.
Stockings. Everybody who will wake up in our house on Christmas morning gets a stocking, and it's great fun buying all the daft fillers for them. In our house we always had stockings first thing, then proper presents after breakfast, as my sister was a holy terror unless she'd eaten a meal made up of decent food, hence we were the only family I knew of who had a 'proper' breakfast on Dec 25th!
We're also the only family I know who put the tree up on Christmas Eve. When we were little, my parents used to tell us it was The Proper Time to do it (well, it was in the past!) and wouldn't let us have ours up before. It was their way of giving two over-excited children something to do to tire them out before Father C arrived. We'd have a last tidy up, make sure all the food was as ready as it could be, put the tree up, go into town to look at the lights in Victoria Gardens, then home to bath, story and bed. For the past few years it has gone up a couple of days earlier, as Christmas Eve is just too busy for us, but even so the earliest it's been up was the 22nd Dec!
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Pink Bubbly
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Making thingmas cakes and puds - usually the October half term
Ordering the turkey/beef/pork whatever meat we are having on thingmas day
Advent calenders (without chocolate) - the count down
Putting up the decorations
Listening/watching/attending a carol service on thingmas eve
Seeing my children's and grandchildren's faces when they open their presents
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GrannySmith
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| Anna wrote: | | we were the only family I knew of who had a 'proper' breakfast on Dec 25th! |
We also have a proper breakfast on the day !! We open just one present before breakfast, and then a couple after and then a couple after dinner and a most after tea and there is always one left on the tree for boxing day tea time This way it's not all over at 4am, and I have found that family members stay pleasant and attentive all day
I started all this as I found it was the easiest way to cope on the day when it was just me and the children either as a glorified single mum (a mum who does everything by herself because DH is in the forces and has to be away, however money is not an issue) and then when I became a proper single mum It worked so well that the pattern has maintained to this day and I think always will, when at home.
Putting up the decorations after my birthday cards have been taken down.
Going to the streets, where all the neighbours have worked together and made thier houses look wonderful and put on a Father C for the children and raising money for the charity that has been picked for that year. There are a few of these in Southampton, not found any in Swindon yet. 
We hate brussell sprouts but we all have to have at least two on our plate - I feel such a numpty being a min. of 8 brussell sprouts  Reason being I was made to eat them and it became a joke, it is the only thing from my childhood that I think I make them do  sssssssssh - in my old age and with the taste buds not working so well, I actually no longer mind them - well as long as there is only two
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Jobo
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My friend Jen and I always go to the pub on Christmas Eve about 4 oclock - just the two of us - for a drink. Years ago we would roll home very worse for wear but these days its a more sedate affair, just a couple of lagers and then home by about 7pm
My Mum getting tiddly on sherry on Christmas Day - the only time she really does
I always make dozens of mince pies and tell my hubby off for putting them in his mouth whole I tell him he needs to respect my pies and make them last at least 3 bites
Putting up decorations my kids made in infants - I have some lovely snowmen and angels made out of polystyrene tiles and though they look very tatty and the glitter has mostly fallen off - they still go up
We always play boys v girls at Trivial Pursuit on Christmas afternoon
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loobyj
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| GrannySmith wrote: | | Going to the streets, where all the neighbours have worked together and made thier houses look wonderful and put on a Father C for the children and raising money for the charity that has been picked for that year. There are a few of these in Southampton, not found any in Swindon yet. |
GS - there are some our side of town - and some right horrors of plain OTTness!!!! I'll plan you a route!
lj
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slowasasnail
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Oh let me come. I love looking at other peoples houses.
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GrannySmith
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Kate you can come with me
In Southampton the streets actually plan everything together so it looks far better than the main High Street. It is not just houses that have put up as many tacky lights to blow the whole city
I know there is a house very near your roundabout isn't there?
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