What are you doing on Christmas Day?

Dec 18, 2019

Hands up if you’re a fan of Christmas? I love it. I think I always have. It’s the magic of this time of year. The streams of fairy lights that dress the houses of our road. The smell of the Christmas tree in our lounge. And of course, the infectious excitement of our kiddies. As far as they’re concerned, the lead up to Christmas started months ago!

So, what will your day look like? Are you hosting Christmas or is someone else? Even better, are you going out?

This year, it is my turn to host. My turn to show love by feeding my family. This is when I’m truly in my element. Having family and friends at our house, gathered around the dinner table. Eating, drinking and chatting are what makes my Christmas.

Here’s what we’ll be doing on Christmas Day. 

Presents outside our kiddies’ door
Our kiddies are not unusual, they’re earlyish risers. Although we’ve nearly trained them to at least stay in their rooms until a reasonable hour. But for that moment when they open the door, they will find their first present. Over the last couple of years, they’ve bought their present into our room so that we can have a Christmas morning snuggle. So far, they haven’t been tempted to open their present first. This may be the first year that they do!

Break into the Lounge
After we’ve eventually managed to get ourselves downstairs, our kiddies will then break into the lounge. For the past couple of years, we’ve wrapped the lounge doorway in Christmas wrapping paper. An idea I found on the internet. I remember the first year we did it. Our kiddies were really quite scared to break the wrapping paper. Mainly because they didn’t know what to expect on the other side. However, I know they’re looking forward to it this year.

Open the presents
When our kiddies were a few years younger, they were overwhelmed by the number of presents they would get. They’d open a couple and that was enough for them. It was the adults who were encouraging them to open the rest. Fortunately, this year our Christmas is spread across a week. This way they can enjoy a couple of presents at a time.

Christmas Day Breakfast
Typically, Christmas Day could end up being just a marathon of continuous eating. So it’s about pacing things out. This starts with breakfast. Usually, my kiddies would eat cereal on a normal weekday. For Christmas Day, we’re raising the stakes a little, we’re going continental with pastries. Maybe a pain au chocolate, some croissants and brioche. That should satisfy them until lunchtime. I hope.

Whipping up a Christmas feast
Then it’s my time. I’m in my element when I’m in my kitchen. Hopefully hubby will be entertaining our kiddies, although I know they’ll want to help me in the kitchen. I’ll have the radio on loud and I’ll be dancing around the kitchen getting into the festive spirit whilst cooking far too much food. My top tip is do some prep the day before. If you’re cooking Yorkshire puddings, make the batter. If you’re making pigs in blanket, wrap the sausages. And if you’re making cauliflower cheese, make all of it so that the next day it just needs to bake.

I’m not keen on Turkey so it’s roast chicken and roast ham for us. Being of Greek Cypriot heritage, I often get asked what is a traditional lunch in Cyprus. Apparently, it’s pork. Although my relatives love a roast Turkey!

So it’s going to be a late lunch this year. Mainly so that the day feels less rushed and we can spend time together and really enjoy the day. This means I will also have to have some nibbles on hand for when my kiddies ask ‘Is it ready yet?’ and ‘I’m hungry, can I have something now?’ 

Christmas Lunch
This year I have decided to go all out when it comes to lunch. So I will be cooking a roast chicken, roast ham, roast potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower cheese, Yorkshire puddings, pigs in blankets, stuffing, peas, buttered carrots and gravy. We’ll be living off Christmas lunch for the rest of the week, I expect. The key is to pace ourselves. It’s not a race.

No turkey and no sprouts, sorry. 

Playing family games
After all that food, we definitely need a break. The answer is board games. I prefer ones that are quite quick and don’t need too much thought. No monopoly or game of life. But one of my favourite games to play is spoons. We haven’t played it for a while. Whenever I suggest it, hubby usually rolls his eyes. It involves a pack of cards and a set of spoons. Click the link if you’re curious.

Christmas Pudding
Obviously, we won’t be forgetting pudding. When I was younger I really didn’t like eating anything that had mincemeat in it like Christmas Puddings and mince pies. But now, well, I eat just about everything. I particularly like a bowl of hot Christmas pudding with hot brandy sauce. Delicious. 

Settle back and watch some Christmas Telly

And finally, some Christmas Telly. There are some good family films on like Oliver, Finding Dory and Back to The Future. Or how about Gavin & Stacey, Jamie and Jimmy’s Festive Feast and The Great British Bakeoff. TV listing. There’s definitely plenty of choice. 

That’s ‘What are you doing on Christmas Day?’ according to Mummy on a Break. 

What are you doing on Christmas Day?

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