[damster]

Fab ideas - I'm loving the logical split between family and Santa presents. And the idea of the stocking to occupy little hands while preparing breakfast. Champagne is about the only tradition we do have right now and I might make it a Bellini with a little fresh peach.

[butterfli]

I too am loving the idea of opening Santa presents, having breakfast(we'll have pancakes this year) and then opening family presents. I think I might just have to steal that!!!

[Gossipgirl]

This year is the start of something new every year since I was born we would have a huge lunch with family it was awesome and up until this year we did that.
This year there is a divide in the family (me and my toxic sister) and even though my mother said she would never chose slowly my family has been pushed out even to the point my mum was spending christmas eve and christmas day with my sister.

So this year I will have my house all decorated I will set my table up with bon bons for my husband and two kids we will open presents have breakfast walk around the corner to the church service come home play games and head over to my brother in laws (my sisters ex) he was in my family since I was 13 and has seen me through everything including my dads death so while my real family have deserted me he has not so he invited us to dinner and I am looking forward to that.

[*CalamityJane*]

Santa sacks, then I throw a batch of Christmas muffins in the oven and while they are cooking we open other gifts. Eat muffins while admiring/playing with gifts. I then get on to any remaining food prep for lunch, we get dressed, nag children to get dressed, pack up the food, nag children to get dressed and finally head out the door to Mum's for lunch.

Mum's is nibblies, gifts, lunch, 23 courses of dessert, play with gifts/fall asleep on Mum's couch, do the dishes and traditional tea towel flick fight before packing everything up and heading home to flake.

This year we are doing the double Christmas, so there won't be too much napping before heading off to ILs for Christmas dinner.

ETA the most traditional part LOL - my Mum makes a particular slice every Christmas. It's the only time she makes it and the first thing my brother and I do when we walk in her door is chow down on it. DH and SIL think we're nuts LOL.

This post has been edited by *CalamityJane*: 20/12/2012, 09:27 PM