What’s your fav part of Christmas

Walking home from midnight mass, linking arms so as not to slip, street lights making the frost twinkle, toes tingling. Getting home and being allowed to have the sneakiest tiny morsel from the just cooked turkey (usually the wing bit) before bed clutching a hot water bottle.

January 2nd

When it is all over sadly.

My favourite time of year because everyone is off on holiday at the same time, spending time with my family and of course the delight and awe on the youngsters faces as they see that Santa remembered to leave a gift at someone else's house for them

When the last person has bid us farewell

Well, I love the Christmas season (though don't love the over commercialisation and the pressure that can put people under) -but putting out the decorations (and definitely not taking them down on Boxing Day - why bother)?, preparing festive foods, going to all the church services, especially the Christmas morning one. (I'm afraid I don't make the Christmas Eve service as I'm too tired by 11.30 pm). However, there's one thing I especially love doing, and that is coming downstairs Christmas morning when it's still dark and just savouring that moment of quiet and reflection, thinking about what it all means, before all the rush of the rest of the day.

My mother used to find little things that were inexpensive to wrap and put on the tree for the days after Christmas as it was such an anticlimax for us kids. We would have one a day until they were all taken. I have no children but do the same, it's my favourite part of present buying/making and it means every Christmas visitor gets to have a Christmas tree present.

Septimia
When you think what we are actually celebrating is a pagan festival .Does it matter as long as it brings people together ?

I have several....seeing all the lovely coloured lights everywhere; going to a Christingle service at the local church if I can make it; hearing/singing those beautiful carols; and this year will be extra special because I have a new grandson, and it'll be his first Christmas! xx

Boxing Day, a huge sigh of relief.

When it’s over!

All of it, every single last minute. From buying and wrapping presents, decorating the house, getting cards (I'm not too keen on writing them, tbh, but it has to be done!), nativity plays, Christmas smells, parties, baking, church services (particularly candle-lit ones), the panto, Christmas Day itself, reading the Christmas books to the DGS and sharing their excitement (DGS4 is apparently getting a dragonfly, a chameleon, 2 birdies and a little mouse from Santa this year ), the food and drink, trips to familiar places all decorated and lit up, brass band concerts, Christmas telly, settling down with a new book, a box of special chocs and a glass of something, the Boxing Day fry up, walks in the snow if we're lucky......

The only thing that gets me through when we hit January 2nd is the fact that the tree and decorations are still up here till four days later!

When it's all over...

Much as I love the day, I do look really enjoy the days between Christmas and New Year - hardly any cooking, lots of nice leftovers to eat up, total relaxation, going for walks, visits to anywhere still very Christmassy, like Hampton Court which isn't far away, watching any Christmas programmes I might just have remembered to record, etc.

Not sure it'll be the same this time, though - a dd is expecting no. 3 in early Jan, and since no. 2 arrived somewhat early, and 1 and 2 are still very little....
Lovely in a very different way, perhaps!

I like Christmas Eve once the shops shut and everything is done.

Another one here, when it's over.

When it's all over, too much hype these days, not enjoyable as it was when I was little, then it was about Christmas, now it's just too commercialised, the real meaning of the nativity etc "lost in translation". And don't get me going about food shopping, anybody would think the end of the world was in sight, the shops these days only shut for 2 days at the most, why is everybody buying for England?

Yet another one for when its all over.

chris8888
Thankfully not all shops.Where would we be without the local corner shop very convenient when you've forgotten something. Mine stays open until 11pm even on Christmas day.

I hate to say this but l am always glad when it's over. The last 2or 3 Christmas
haven't been good. It's also the anniversary of my dad dying. 36 years ago Christmas day. Not a good time when you are alone.

I’m with charleygirl5, greyduster, and grannybags, when all over and back to normal.

i love giving out the pressies, but on the day itself im glad when its all over, DIL doesnt like me much so i never get invited, and as a lot of places including public loos are closed on xmas day i dont go anywhere, so when its over i can get out on boxing day for a little walk and a little picnic by myself, and have a lovely meal at nighttime.

I love the nativities, Christingles, the choral music, the Christmas hymns and songs and the school concerts.

This year my two grandson's, aged 6 and 9, both sang solos in their school Christmas concerts, as did their mother when she was younger. My mother-in-law is a choral director and has introduced me to some wonderful classical pieces, both ancient and modern. My husband plays the flute and his mother plays piano and at Christmas thy can sometimes be persuaded to accompany the rest of the family in singing Christmas carols.

I'm currently listening to Chilcott's 'Song of the crib' and when this album (The Rose in the Middle of Winter) finishes I shall probably move on to Pentatonix singing some Christmas songs.

Listening to Nine Lessons and Carols from Kings on Christmas Eve, while making yet more mince pies for the throng!
Midnight service in our tiny village church later.

I start to love it when the Christmas presents are bought and wrapped, the tree is decorated and cards sent. Up until then I find it quite stressful but I am ahead of myself this year so loving it.