Christmas traditions old and new

The r4 live Christmas Eve Carols from Kings service is the start of Christmas for me. Magical!
I read that the choirboy chosen to kick off the processional first carol is a last minute decision.
When I was a child (I was the youngest of three) we drank a toast to Mum to thank her for a year of cooking meals for us before we tucked into lunch.'T'was sherry in special sherry glasses which were kept in the Cabinet. Just 3 of these glasses remain - and I have them!

52 weeks of LV's (sorry missed off the 5)

Another one who has NEVER watched or listened to the Queens speech, or has any interest in so doing.

A sort of tradition started in our family when my children were young. Lots of them (Children I mean), six of our own, plus sometimes a foster child or two. Back in the 70's money was pretty tight most of the time. We never, ever ate out as a family or even had takeaways. My husband worked in a job which gave him Luncheon Vouchers and these were carefully saved all year (he took sandwiches from home).

Christmas Eve was such a busy day for me, preparing all the foods for the following day, all from fresh. I would start in the morning after breakfast and usually finish (stuffing turkey and putting in oven on timer) around midnight.

So, our evening meal was special - as a takeaway Chinese meal was ordered for us all. Dad and oldest two children would go to collect this, paid for entirely with those LV's, younger ones would get table cleared and laid.

No takeaway or Chinese meal could be more looked forward to or enjoyed than that once a year one - using an entire 2 weeks worth of luncheon vouchers.

One of my daughters continues this with her family (even though her children are very much more used to eating out and takeaways on a much more often basis), but,still the Christmas eve one is a special one. Fortunately, that is my bubble family so will be able to join them for that.

I wonder what the Queen would say if she knew people actually stood to watch a recording of her making her Christmas speech.

When I was about 7 or 8 I was allowed to go to midnight mass with my mother and older siblings (Daddy was C of E, we were Catholic so he went to his separately!) and some people we knew always attended too - the husband had his birthday on Christmas Day, so as we came out of Mass my mother would give him a birthday kiss! I thought that was very daring of her and always wondered what my father would say if he knew! Many of the above memories happened in our house too, if we went to my Uncle's house for Christmas Dinner we all had to stand throughout the Queen's Speech and once we had drunk a toast to Her Majesty we all sat back down and carried on feasting!

apple, not apply...

When I was small we lived with my Grandparents. At Christmas time they lit a fire in the front room, decorated the place with fairy lights and the tree stood in the corner. A real tree, not a tinsel or plastic one. Then they would call us children in to see the magical sight, ceiling light turned off to get the full effect.

Like one or two others on here, Grandfather would conjure up a cup of tea with whisky or rum in it as a special treat. Whether we liked it or not.

In our stockings, were an apply, an orange, toffees, nuts, maybe a jigsaw and shortbread. All as a taster for the main presents which were beneath the tree.

Magical times.

I do now elleks, l didn’t learn about it until a few years later. I am sure my parents knew it, though they said it was something the family always did. Like Hardy, l wish l could go to the byre and see the cattle kneeling again, l would feel the true magic of Christmas as l did years ago.

suzette1613

We lived on a small-holding and every Christmas Eve, when we were a bit older, we children were led out to the byre approaching midnight (we were always still awake and excited on Christmas Eve) to see if the cattle went down on their knees in homage to Christ’s birth, as the old superstition says they do. There always was one random cow that did, if not on the stroke of midnight!
A magical sight for young children, never forgot the wonder of it.

I love the poem "The Oxen" by Thomas Hardy that starts "Christmas Eve and twelve of the clock".

A tradition for me is always listening to the live carols from Kings college on Christmas eve afternoon while I make mince pies and prep the vegetables. I don't do so much now as we usually go to DD. My mother lived in Cambridge before she went into sheltered housing and a cousin of my father's who was a fellow at Trinity took her to the service, she was over the moon.

lemongrove I've never watched the Queen's speech either! We're always really busy or otherwise occupied and never notice that it's 3pm!

For 40 years we have had a fondue on Christmas Eve,great fun
with our 4 children their friends and now grandchildren,then go out carol singing.But not this year.

We had the best of two worlds when I was a child.

We celebrated Christmas in the Danish fashion on Christmas Eve with a Danish Christmas dinner , the tree and presents.

At bedtime we hung up one of Daddy's kilt stockings each for Santa to fill and on Christmas Day we had a British Christmas dinner!

Needless to say, my mother loved cooking and was excellent at it.

She baked traditional Danish Christmas biscuits and mince pies as well.

It was the only time of the year where we were allowed to eat as many biscuits as we wanted.

We rose for the National Anthem when watching the Queen's speech and on any other occasion. I suspect Daddy might have been sorely tempted to warm our bottoms if we hadn't! He would certainly have told us we deserved to have them well warmed!

In Denmark the royal anthem is played for the Queen's speech and on New Year's Eve both the royal anthem and the national anthem (we have two different anthems ) are played just after midnight.

I was inexpressible shocked some years ago when we visited friends on New Year's Eve when only DH and I automatically rose, stood to attention and sang!

I do consider the origins of Christmas 4allweknow and would normally be going to church but will be doing it on Zoom this year. I am looking forward to Santa Claus visiting me because although I am no longer a Child, I have been very good this year! Yes Christmas has become commercial but there are so many lovely threads on here about how people are going to spend Christmas. There is no need to be extravagant to enjoy a wonderful Christmas day

I have many happy memories of Christmas as a child and when my children were young. As a child we have pillowcases on the end of the bed and we all piled into my Nana and Grandads room - we all lived together - and when the cup of early morning tea had been made we were them allowed to open the gifts. Oh and my dad got the old record player and played Christmas carols while we did it. As we grew up, those who were able went to watch my brother swim in the sea with his swimming club. I liked to watch and then enjoy the sherry in the sailing club when all the cold water stuff was over!

Our presents were always downstairs and we'd wake in the middle of the night and go down.Poor dad still worked on Christmas day and had to be out of the house before 7am,he must have been worn out.He came home around 4 and we had our dinner then .Christmas day wasn't a holiday in Scotland when I was wee.

My new tradition will be to ignore Christmas other than for Santa Claus visiting children. Christmas has become so commercial to me its all now about jerseys,pjs,decorations, extravagant food and drink, partying, and horrendously expensive presents for adults. How many actually consider the origins of Christmas?

When we were children our maternal grandma and auntie always came for Christmas Dinner then it was games. Charades was our favourite because our auntie couldn't ever play without talking.... we all thought it was hilarious... still do. Our auntie is now 89, stays at my parents on Christmas eve and Christmas day, charades is still played and now it's my children, and grandchildren who find it hilarious and keep telling her she's not supposed to speak.

We had stockings in the morning, no tree presents until after the Queens speech. As we got older my Mum used to warp fake presents with a little rhyme in, this was a clue, you had to stand up and read it out to all, quite often the present found, brought back to the room, was another rhyme! This meant present opening went on until about 7pm, particularly as the family expanded. I continued on a similar vein for my children, often leading to a large present in the boot of the car, or under the bed. Hence, on opening of presents the cry ‘it’s a note, it’s a note’ would ring out. Huge effort by Mum, good job Dad cooked the lunch.

Some truely lovely memories here. Mine is always of my beloved god mother, uncle and two cousins joining all of us for Christmas. MY dear mum always seemed to be in the kitchen from CE until BD making sausage rolls, and mince pies. She made wonderful pastry and we just gobbled them up. We always played board games after lunch and in the evening the table would be moved to the middle of the room and laid for christmas tea, salads, cold meat, jelly in little plastic dishes, a pink blangmange and of course 'the cake' after tea,the table was moved, carpet square rolled up and music on. We kids danced and the grown ups had a tipple and eventually joined in. I always remember mum and her sister singing 'Only the Lonely' by Roy Oberson, they were both a bit squiffy by this time. It was the only time we had Beer [for the men] and Dubonnet [for the ladies] in the house. It is so lovely to have such memories.

Gathering round the Christmas Tree so early it is still dark and we are wearing our pyjamas. There are children involved here.. The excitement is palpable. We inspect the drink, mince pie and reindeers' carrot to make sure Santa and his animals have refreshed themselves. The youngest person delivers the presents around , while cups of tea or coffee are made. Then we have a delightful unwrapping of gifts - paper rustling, excited chatter and exclamations, thank yous, names of givers are noted on the gift labels, sneaky chocolate for breakfast.
We have a brunch later of my son-in-laws gently spiced butternut soup and delicious fresh bread. My daughter and I always fit in a mince pie and a glass of sherry. We have our traditional turkey Christmas meal at about 4ish in the afternoon and it goes on into the evening, as we play various games between courses. Those who have not cooked see to the washing up, or loading the dish washer these days. A period of quiet, listening to a recorded Queen's speech if anyone wants to, and then board games or fun games that my son-in-law has devised. The children stay up until they fall asleep and are carried off to bed.
Boxing Day is much quieter while the children play with their new toys and games and the adults put various new things together for them, or work out the rules to new games. Those who want to go for a walk, wearing any new clothes or accessories they have been given.
We always have a cold lunch with left over meat and various fresh salads, and a trifle for dessert. Later there is a cheese board, pickles and biscuits followed by Christmas cake and reheated Christmas pud for those who who can eat it.
This pattern has gone on whoever is hosting. I did it for years, taking over from my parents until I moved into a small apartment, but now my daughter takes it on. It's lovely to see the customs handed on.

Stockings on the foot of the bed delivered by santa when we were asleep. Small gifts, something to read, sugar mouse, chocolate coins and a satsuma. They kept us quiet in the morning, for a while at least.

Lovely memories! The Queens speech yes we had to stand up too and that was in the 1960s.
Silver sixpence in the pud, pillow-case of presents from Santa. We'd always put a mince pie and a glass of port out for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph.
My brother & I used to wake at 5 in the morning - somehow & drag out presents into our parents bed to open them.
With my own children, DH & I would wake at 6 - but DDs wouldn't wake till 8!
With the Christmas pudding; going back to my grandmother and continued in my household we have almond sauce (sweet white sauce with almond essence).

Lovely stories on here, and I especially like Suzette's.