Christmas Eve Traditions

Christmas Eve this year is going to be quite a bit different than usual! For one thing, as you’re reading this, I’m taking an exam. Yes, that’s an exam on Saturday. On Christmas Eve. As soon as that’s over and done with, though, I’m planning to get back to regular programming as soon as possible. And that, of course, includes all of these: my Christmas Eve Traditions!

It all starts around 3 in the afternoon when (usually) at least one part of the family comes drop off their stuff because they’re staying over. By that point, I’m supposed to have been studying for, like, 9 hours, but in reality I always find it really hard to focus on this day. After 3, it goes back to being calm for a bit, until around 4 when we get ready to go to church. We don’t always do this, but every year, the Christmas story is re-enacted in our local church, and it’s always a really fun thing to be at. After that, we go back home, where the food is almost ready.

Christmas Eve is generally just for the really close family, so just the parents, sisters and grand-parents. We have a ton of food, and in between every course, presents get handed out. With the bigger family, we just give presents as a family (although we receive them as individuals!). With the closer family, however, everybody gives presents to everybody.  Like, to the extent that I only have to get 7 people a gift, but this is the amount of gifts I have:

Sometimes it’s one person gets all their presents in one go, sometimes it’s one person gives all their presents in one go, but either way: everybody gets spoiled 🙂

Also in between courses, me and my sisters go watch a Christmas movie – sometimes just whatever’s on the TV, sometimes we choose one in particular. A couple of years ago, the public broadcaster actually played the entirety of the Lord of the Rings trilogy on Christmas Eve, Christmas day, and the day after Christmas – so of course we then had to watch all of those!

In general, though, we just really enjoy spending as much time together as possible. We play some board games, we catch up, we enjoy the delicious food, we have fun being all together…

Around midnight, usually, we go to bed, dreaming ahead of the next day, when the entire family will be here – and even more food, presents and gezelligheid will be enjoyed!

What are your Christmas Eve Traditions? Be sure to let me know below!

-Saar