Every family celebrates the festive period in their own unique way. Christmas Eve is such a magical night for young children and the traditions you start while your child is young often become their most fond memories growing up. Here are a few of our favourite Christmas Eve traditions that might inspire you this year.
6 Christmas Eve Traditions
Opening One Present
The excitement and temptation is at an all-time high on Christmas Eve when you can see presents sitting beautifully wrapped under the tree. This is why some families allow everyone to open one present the night before.
Christmas Eve Boxes
If you want to keep all your presents safe under the tree then why not try making a Christmas Eve box for the kids to enjoy the night before. This can include everything you need for a cosy Christmas Eve whether that’s a festive bedtime story or fluffy pyjamas.
Make Reindeer Food
Milk and cookies are traditionally left for Father Christmas on Christmas Eve along with a few carrots for his reindeers. Make things a little interesting this year and keep your kids busy by making special reindeer food for Rudolph and his friends. All you need is:
- Rolled oats
- Some dried fruit, like cranberries (if you have a dog, please don't use grapes, raisins, sultanas or currants as these can be poisonous for them)
- Some grated cheese
- A hint of chilli powder - it helps keep Rudolph's nose glowing red and will stop squirrels and rodents from stealing the food before Rudolph arrives!
Mix it all together, then sprinkle it on your lawn or leave it in a bowl by your front door just before you go to bed.
Track Santa’s Journey
With the anticipation building for Santa’s arrival, keep your kids at ease (or perhaps excite them even more!) and track Santa online. The tracker will help your little ones follow Santa’s magical journey from the North Pole right to your doorstep, making Christmas Eve even more magical – and it might even get them to bed earlier!
Enjoy a Takeaway Dinner
A popular tradition in many Northern Irish homes on Christmas Eve is to indulge in a takeaway from your favourite restaurant. Not only is this a crowd-pleaser but it also means the fridge full of food for Christmas Day stays safe! Why not order one dish each year that no one has tried for an added element of fun!
Christmas Day Preparations
Although this might not be the most exciting element of Christmas Eve for adults, getting your children involved with the Christmas Day food preparations can be really fun and the start of a life-long tradition. Whether it’s icing cookies or stirring the gravy, give your child real ownership over a small task and they will run with it!
Have you got any Christmas Eve traditions?
Let us know over on the Electric Ireland NI Facebook and Twitter pages using #SmarterLiving.