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Savvy July 2013

Christmas traditions for newly married couple without children

Charlene82, 14 October, 2013 at 20:50 Posted on Off Topic Posts 0 45

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hello, ive been thinking about Christmas as it will be our first as Mr and Mrs! and i want it to be special. we r going to my husbands family day on Christmas day, but on boxing day it will be our own day, we were thinking of going to our wedding venue as they do Christmas dinner! which im very excited about!

I was wondering if anyone had any traditions they do over Christmas session they could share, we are going to make gingerbread people christmas eve and decorate and give to family on Christmas day, but i was wondering if there was any more couples without children have. i didnt have any really while growing up so would like some before we have children and possible more child related when we have children in few years.

i have few ideas-

watch Christmas movie Christmas eve night

make special breakfast boxing day morning with table decorations etc

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Latest activity by flowersinherhair, 15 October, 2013 at 21:58

Beginner July 2011
Holey · 14 October, 2013 at 20:55
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We have smoked salmon for breakfast on Christmas morning. If we are at home we have champagne too.

Other than that I can't really think of anything we do every year if you see what I mean
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Beginner June 2014
*MM3* · 14 October, 2013 at 21:05
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We have our son now, but before he came along we always -

Went to our local old cinema every Christmas eve and seen "It's a wonderful life" about 8pm
Share a mulled wine and mince pie (or few) and open one present each at midnight,
Open the rest in the morning and then either head to my mums or have her and some other family come to us.
Always have quorn roast sandwiches that night while watching Christmas film, then boxing day we always have a 2nd Christmas dinner and watch films all day and relax, and play with whatever presents we received haha
Watching the snowman / gremlins / home alone / polar express is always a must in this house haha.
Other than that don't really have many traditions but love everything about it
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Beginner June 2012
Tizzie · 14 October, 2013 at 21:08
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Last year was our first married Christmas and it was the best ever.

We visited all of Hs family on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day, we went for a drink and watched a Christmas film.

Christmas Day is a lazy morning, put for a Chinese, back to get in our pjs, eat cheese, crackers and chocolate while opening presents and watching films (usually non Christmassy)

Boxing Day is long lie, full Christmas dinner and lazing about.

Perfect. I'm hoping this year will be the same although money is going to be such an issue this year so I hope it will still be amazing.
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Beginner January 2012
*Mini* · 14 October, 2013 at 21:30
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Go to the pub Xmas eve.

start drinking as soon as you open your presents.

boff in the shower on Xmas day.
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Beginner November 2011
leni-lw! · 14 October, 2013 at 21:39
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Xmas eve : just chill with film/chinese/alcohol...

Xmas day : see my folks, then xmas lunch at inlaws (hoping this yr to be home alone and slum it in pj's all da

Boxing day : again slum it in pj's play games..

Dont have a tradition really .
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Rockstar August 2013
cherrybloom · 14 October, 2013 at 21:43
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Sounds like a plan! ?
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Beginner March 2013
Loopz · 14 October, 2013 at 22:54
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? This bit made me chuckle. Love that it's a tradition ?
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Beginner September 2011
Helenia · 14 October, 2013 at 23:00
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I haven't thought about developing our own Christmas traditions yet. ? We still go to one or other set of parents, though I guess this might change in a few years if kids come along.

I suspect H will not be planning on including sprout-peeling-while-watching-Carols-from-Kings on his list when we do do things on our own!
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Dedicated November 2013
Horace · 14 October, 2013 at 23:41
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Not necessarily our 'couple thing' but every year I buy a new bauble for the Christmas tree - this year I want to get one whilst we're on honeymoon in Mexico (we get back the week before Christmas). I like the idea that in years to come our tree will have so many memories.
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Beginner June 2012
Pompey · 15 October, 2013 at 09:28
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I'm coming to yours.

First Christmas on my own for 5 years so I'll probably go and get hammered the night before.

My family traditions that I loved - Bucks Fizz and bacon sarnies when opening pressies and everyone wearing their new outfit to Nan's.
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Beginner June 2011
AmnesiaCustard · 15 October, 2013 at 09:53
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I will be spending Christmas Day on my own - well, with the cat.

I pretend not to mind.
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Beginner May 2012
far2calm · 15 October, 2013 at 10:01
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Christmas Eve – Carol Service and a few bevys with friends and family

Christmas Day – We take it in turns to go to each others parents for lunch, then to my Aunties on the night time for games, more food and drink.

Boxing Day – H Aunties for another Christmas lunch, and then tea at another one of my Aunties.

Day after Boxing Day – Either me or my cousins have a gathering with yet more food and drink on the evening.

Basically we are never off the roads and never stop eating, but I wouldn’t have it any other way… I don’t really see to much change when we hopefully have family…. Just that I will probably be doing Christmas Lunch!
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Beginner June 2012
Pompey · 15 October, 2013 at 10:11
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We could have an otter Christmas - You, me, Hattie, Maverick and Joey.
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Beginner June 2011
AmnesiaCustard · 15 October, 2013 at 10:23
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That would be fabulously chaotic!!!
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Beginner July 2013
Tray1980 · 15 October, 2013 at 12:02
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Christmas eve is new PJ's, Christmas film and veg prep for Christmas day (as all his family come to ours)

Christmas day - bacon sandwiches or full English, turkey on nice and early, cheesy Christmas music and new PJ's whilst opening presents, then I take the dog out for a nice long walk whilst M supervises the tidying up of wrapping paper etc and runs the hoover round downstairs.

Everyone comes to us and its non stop eating and talking (and I take the dog for his evening walk whilst other people load the dishwasher). Child gets an earlyish night so M and I snuggle and watch c**p on the TV (Christmas specials normally) normally with the fire on and the dog in ear-getting range.

Boxing day - his mums (armed with leftovers) for a buffet tea

At some point - see my folks for Christmas No 2
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Beginner January 2012
ForTheLoveOfMrsBrown · 15 October, 2013 at 12:09
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We do the same. Every gift is opened one by one. I thought this was normal??
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Beginner June 2011
AmnesiaCustard · 15 October, 2013 at 12:15
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When I was a kid we used to hide the pile of presents under a blanket and you only got to choose by feel. My offspring are carrying on this tradition, which I love. The slow speed makes you appreciate things more and is good when you have to write a list of who gave what (especially to children) for the thank you letters.
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Beginner July 2011
(Claire) · 15 October, 2013 at 12:16
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I think this is a lovely idea!

H and I open a present off each other on Xmas Eve, then we open the rest in bed on Christmas Day morning. ?
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Beginner March 2012

kharv · 15 October, 2013 at 12:25

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We've always opened one present on Christmas Eve (when I was younger, this was when we got back from Midnight Mass).

We do the 'one by one' present thing at my parents and H's.

We never put our Christmas tree up before the 13th December and it comes down on the 6th.

When I'm with my mam we always have champagne and angostura bitters (and a brown sugar cube) with breakfast.

I eat my body weight in brandy butter.

I know this is technically a kid thing but when I was younger we had the manger set up but baby Jesus wasn't allowed to go in until after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. That was always my job

ETA: Muppet's Christmas Carol must be watched while putting the tree up (accompanied by a vat of mulled wine).

Beginner January 2012

TheRealTricks · 15 October, 2013 at 12:34

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This is how I grew up.

Sadly, H's family are rather different.?

Beginner May 2014

MrsOh · 15 October, 2013 at 12:39

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We've always had small boy but I would imagine if we didn't it would be a case of family dinner on chistmas eve, home for relax (old movies and a take away) chistmas day was be a sleep in and wake when ready. Breakfast, dinner a long walk and open presents in eve. Boxing day will be spent with other family.

In fact, nothing different from what we currently do with small boy were a simple pair!

Beginner January 2012

*Mini* · 15 October, 2013 at 12:46

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Fancy a trip to Portsmouth ac?!

Beginner June 2011

AmnesiaCustard · 15 October, 2013 at 12:52

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Bless you Mini one!

I shall be alone for at least a week - 6 days before Christmas and I might get to see H the day after Boxing day. This had better be the last year. However, I refuse to have an alternative date for Christmas and will stubbornly open my presents in bed on Christmas morning on my own. BAH HUMBUG!!

(I could go to family, but I am working until Christmas Eve (no early finish either!) and my nearest family are 200 miles away. I could also spend it with H and his son, but that is pretty much like punishment for me!)

Beginner September 2011

Helenia · 15 October, 2013 at 12:57

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We don't do presents quite one at a time in the way EF describes but it's still a big ritual for us and not a free-for-all. One person (usually me or my sister) fishes out a "round" of presents - one for each person present. We open all of those all together, admire etc, and then the present-finder gets the next round out, and so on. Inevitably some people have a few more than others - those who have fewer presents get first dibs on the food.

Some of my cousins just run downstairs and open all their presents as soon as they wake up, which I think is a big shame.

Our traditions are the aforementioned veg-prep while watching/listening to Carols from King's on Christmas Eve (I got to go to the service once and it was magical!), then taking it in turns to hide upstairs and do present wrapping. Presents are snuck downstairs after everyone has gone to bed.

My sister and I, and now H too, still hang up stockings for Father Christmas, with a mince pie and a glass of sherry/whisky. First thing in the morning we run down and get them and open them in bed - they're just little gifts/sweets though, not our proper presents. Mum, sis and I usually go to church on Christmas morning if we haven't been to the Christmas Eve midnight service. Then there's usually a drinks party at one of my parents' friends houses, so we go for a drink and a catch up - I went to primary school with a lot of their kids so I know them all quite well. One of us has to remember to stay sober enough to drive the rest home (we failed this one year and had to walk 2 miles!) The rest of the day we usually spend eating and drinking either booze or tea fairly continuously.

On Boxing Day we often go to one of my parents' siblings, or they come to us.

H's family don't have much in the way of traditions, they barely even do presents any more. They're lovely people but it doesn't feel as Christmassy there.

Beginner March 2012

kharv · 15 October, 2013 at 13:04

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Hands up who's going to Helenia's this year?

Beginner January 2012

TheRealTricks · 15 October, 2013 at 13:21

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Me!

Christmas will be crap this year; no A, no sister, no BIL, no nephew and no mum.

Fun times.

Beginner September 2011

Helenia · 15 October, 2013 at 13:50

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Bring some of that brandy butter you mentioned and you're in!

Tricks, I may have missed it elsewhere, but how come A's not going to be with you?

Beginner January 2012

TheRealTricks · 15 October, 2013 at 14:59

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She spending Christmas in Australia with my sister, BIL and nephew visiting my mum.?

Beginner January 1997

Sange! · 15 October, 2013 at 15:14

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Mini, you are all class. Fact. ?

Beginner September 2011

Little Pixie · 15 October, 2013 at 15:20

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We put the tree up with Michael bl**dy Buble on and I have to make husband hot choc with marshmallows. This is usually 1st or 2nd dec
We also set aside £10 for our stockings each. Just little presents and they are opened in bed on Xmas morning. Followed by bacon butties

VIP August 2012

Knees · 15 October, 2013 at 15:35

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We've always spent Christmas with a set of parents so we haven't really established our own traditions yet. Now we have S, I want to take the best bits of each of our traditions growing up.

H used to have a stocking in his room with small presents like chocolate coins, which I never had but I like.

we always took it in turns to open presents and I agree it makes kids appreciate other people's presents not just their own. At H's parents' it was a massive free for all with 4 sons and the whole place was a mess!

wed open Santa presents before lunch and family presents after lunch which made the presents last longer!

Beginner January 2012

ForTheLoveOfMrsBrown · 15 October, 2013 at 16:05

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Knees, I've got something to tell you. You might want to sit down, it's probably going to be a shock for you....

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Christmas traditions for newly married couple without children

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