Maryanne M Photography

As a kid I loved Christmas traditions and my Mum put in a lot of effort each year to make Christmas special. Many of them weren’t costly or difficult but they added to the festive feeling of the season. I suppose because you only do them once a year its all the more special.

Ever since then I’ve longed for that feeling again, and though I now know its not quite as magical as it once seemed, there’s no reason why I can’t make it like that for my family. It honestly wasn’t about what presents I got …though the BMX I got one year as a suprise was pretty special… it was more about the experience.

• We used to light advent candles every Sunday before Christmas (we had the usual chocolate advent calendar too so don’t go thinking we were all weird) – its strange that this was more fun than eating the chocolate?
• Pillow cases on the foot of the bed filled with presents to open on Christmas morning before our mum and dad got up.
• We made Christmas cake’s as gifts & hundreds of mince pies
• We had a Christmas tape of favourite Christmas songs that we used to play – a lot!
• We decoratied the tree with my dad who was as nuts about Christmas decorations as we were. I remember one Christmas in particular when he was let loose with fake snow – I think they had to replace the windows after that!
• We visited Santa in the local shopping centre – usually the Ridings in Wakefield which was dire and the gift was usually broken by the time we got home but still magical.
• My favourite tradition of all time was on Christmas Eve; me and my little sister Gillian used to watch “Santa Claus the Movie” every year without fail – I cant help but smile when I watch that film!

Now I don’t know about you but I don’t seem to have many traditions, so I’m going to change that and try and incorporate some of the traditions from my childhood, which made Christmas all the more magical!

We don’t do too badly but I think some more effort is needed – here’s what we do each year:

• Andrew always reads “The night before Christmas” on Christmas eve, to me & Sophie.
• We make reindeer food in the afternoon (breakfast oats and glitter) and then go outside in our pyjama’s (all of us) just before bed and sprinkle it down the path
• We always have a “real” Christmas tree which Andrew and Sophie choose.
• When Sophie goes to bed we have a glass of wine & watch “It’s a wonderful life”.
• I read “A Christmas Carol” every year, its such a lovely book, starting in early December and making it last till Christmas…

I’d love to hear what Christmas traditions you have or any suggestions for new ones for us, please leave a comment as I’d love to hear from you.

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