this is just our family tradition lol
We have an advent calender, with 25 drawers each with a Christmas related story and activity and of course a chocolate. We also have an advent candleholder, until the 24th and the 12 days of Christmas we just decorate the porch with these items on a table to signifie Christmas is coming.
My daughter has just decided she would like to pretend Santa exists this year so: On the 23rd we will be putting out the glass of milk, mince pie and carrot for Santa - as we have a magic tree that arrives that night with the presentsm (the tree is ivory with silver lanterns), we decorate our tree morning of the 24th, put presents underneath it and then we ice the Christmas Cake, prepare our main meal and make mince pies, all of us then we have a long walk unless weather is very bad and everyone takes a nap, we have our main Christmas dinner (usually stew and dumplings, chocolate trifle and lots of nice stuff to drink we make cocktails), we often have friends to this, then we go for a either a Christingle service or midnight mass (Christingle is a children's service they get an orange which symbolises the world, a red ribbon round it is the blood of christ, 4 jellytots or monkey nuts represent the fruits of the gospel in all 4 corners of the Earth and the candle in the orange is the light of Christ). Then we come back and open presents, have a mince pie (I make jam ones for the kids) and hot chocolate and go to bed.
Christmas Day is Jesus' Birthday the Angel or Santa on top of the tree is changed for a star, and we read the nativity story, then depending on the weather we either make little boats or scrolls with our 3 promises or presents to Jesus, if weather is good we walk to the river and let them go and have a picnic if its bad we have our picnic in the front room and then let balloons go outside with the promises tied to them. We then come in watch Queen's speech, have a birthday tea for Jesus in the evening with a birthday cake,
The other days of Christmas are just holiday season we have a nice New Year and enjoy Daddy being home
We take our tree down as is traditional on the 6 January I try to take my children to an Epiphany service (when the wise men come to see Jesus) or tell them the story.
-Charley
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