My Favourite Christmas Traditions

This year was the first year that my family thought about not putting up a Christmas tree and it got me thinking about my favourite Christmas traditions.

It’s the first year that all three of our kids have moved out, and we’re not having Christmas at the family home. But ultimately, despite my acceptance from myself, my parents decided to put up the tree. However, there will be fewer Christmas decorations as a whole.

I’m not a massive fan of Christmas trees – I like them, but they are a faff to put up and put down again for just a few weeks. Especially as a single woman in London.

But here are some of my favourite Christmas traditions.

Waking up to the smell of beef in the oven

We eat Turkey and Beef on Christmas Day, and since there is only one oven my mum does the beef early in the morning. It smells incredible waking up to the smell of it cooking.

Stirring the Christmas Pudding mix

My mum makes many Christmas Puddings ahead of Christmas Day, as her recipe is a family secret. The key ingredient, as she would say, is love. So whenever we come home or friends and family visit she gets them to stir the mixture, to put love into them.

Boxing Day Buffet

On Boxing Day we usually have family come over and instead of cooking another big roast dinner, we have a Boxing Day buffet with all the trimmings. My parents’ buffets are legendary and you cannot go hungry when they’re happening as there’s so much food that often we send people away with lunch for the next day. It’s amazing.

Unwrapping presents one person at a time

In our family, though we usually have between 6-7 people in the house on Christmas Day, we still insist on everyone unwrapping one present at a time until we’re finished. It usually takes hours and we have to split unwrapping up throughout the day. We all get to open our stockings immediately upon coming downstairs, but the presents bags can’t be touched until we’re all gathered and have our tea, coffees, and bacon sandwiches.

Listening to Christmas music on the TV with family

And finally, I love putting Christmas music on via the music channels on the TV. When we’re putting up the Christmas decorations, we often put on a music channel on the TV and listen to the Top 40 Christmas Songs of all time. All our favourites are typically included from Step Into Christmas, Last Christmas and Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells Ring).

What are your favourite Christmas traditions? Let me know in the comments.

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