Friday 12 September 2008

Christmas Blog Candy

Well I know we don't like to mention this season in craft making but it will soon be upon us so what better way to get you started than Blog Candy
I'm away for a weekend break with a group of Crafters so this post has being scheduled into my blog so that I don't leave you all high and dry for the whole weekend.

If you would like the chance to win


Penny Black clear stamps The Twelve Days of Christmas



lots of Christmas ribbons,



Christmas cards & envelopes



A set of the Christmas Toppers that I featured in this card



some embossed and glittered sticky ribbons corners and tags



and last but not least



a Christmas decoupage card set



To win all you have to do is post a link onto your blog about the "Christmas blog candy" to mine.
and answer the following question:

What is your favorite Christmas Eve Preparation?
If you don't have a blog add your name anyway and spread the word (wink)
The winner will be anounced on Monday 15th September at 7pm so entries will have to be in by 5pm GMT on that day.
Good Luck

69 comments:

Jo Austin said...

Ohhhh Christmas Eve - I love it!

We usually start off with a very hearty breakfast, and finish icing the Christmas Cake complete with decorations. We then go off to see the matinee show of the Pantomime at the theatre in town, and afterwards go down into town to finish the bits of Christmas shopping.

When we get home, we make mince pies, jam tarts and all the usual stuff. We finish off at Midnight by going to the midnight mass at the local church,(when we get home, I insist I open just one lickle prezzie!) then collapse into bed afterwards.. only to be woken up by excited children!

This is a bit of a family routine now, and I absolutely love it!

Jo xx

Anonymous said...

my mum arrives at 11 am to take the children,....(including OH) to nuneaton for lunch and last moment shopping( things i've forgotten)leaving me at home to clean the house top to bottom . then i open a bottle of wine and relax for a few hours its lovely
XXXX
cardally

Anonymous said...

Love Christmas Eve Cook the turkey, make Chocolate marzipan shapes, marzipan kartoffelen and prepare the veg for next day. Then sit and relax knowing all was ready.
Sylv xx

Bev said...

go out with family and finish off last of shopping. hubby normally takes kids off with him to get my presents as he always leaves it till the last minute. and guess what he always buys something for the house as a present, as he knows I will go mad, I had told him from day dot he must never buy me anything for the house, but he does, (thats just to make me swear)he does get me other stuff and nine times out of ten he makes me cry. soppy cow I am) Anyway have lunch together. then I come home do the h word. get all veg prepared for next day if its my turn to have the family here. cook my bacon joint, have family asking is it cooked yet cos they want to eat it. make a couple of quiches and sausage rolls. have tea. and then we all sit down and watch a family film. before kids go to bed we discuss what we may have under the tree.Hayley still leaves carrot , mince pie and glass of milk out for santa, bless her, we then wait for kids to go to sleep so we can do there stockings. 17 n 15 and they still get there stockings. trying to not walk on the squeaky floorboards .
best bit about this xmas is I have the yr off from cooking xmas dinner. yippeeee.

just me....lynn said...

I love putting up the tree - When my daughter was growing up (she is know 25) we always had such a great time pulling out all the ornaments we had collected and putting them on the tree. When we went somewhere or did something amazing i bought or made a ornament to remember it by - for example one of our favorite movies scenes is the squirrel hopping out of the tree in christmas vacation - so we found a little squirrel ornament and we just laugh when we pull it out. All the ornaments have some meaning so its like a walk down memory lane!!

Anonymous said...

I love putting all the pressy,s under the tree that night. All for the kids off corse. Just spend the day getting ready for christmas day few last miniute bit's to get. Don't have too cook this christmas as we allway's go to mother in laws christmas day and this year it is my sis turn to cook for us boxing day. YIIIIIIIIPPPPPEEEEEEE.

rhomin said...

In recent years our routine has had to be addapted a bit as my Son now lives in England and is married with a lovely wife and my two gorgeous Grandsons. My Daughter, OH and I are in Ireland. We are always together so if it's in our house we try to have all the shoping finished and be home by lunch time. Everyone helps prepare the veg and I cook the turkey in the evening and love the smell through the house! I make breakfast muffins with orange and cranberry in them as no-one wants to sit down and have a proper breakfast the next morning! After dinner we usually all scramble away to wrap the last things and bring everything down to put under the tree. Lots of guessing and rattling of presents. We try to get the boys to bed without geting them too excited but that doesn't really work. I love the anticipation of the day as much as the day itself. When all the work is done we usually settle down with a bottle of wine and a film. If we are all at my Son's we very often travel there on Christmas eve and arrive loaded with presents and repeat what we do at our house!I've always loved Christmas.
Rhonda
PS Hope you have had a great weekend in Manchester.

Suzanne said...

The best part of Christmas eve for me Jak is when the children all hang up their stockings, leave out a mince pie and milk for santa and a carrot for Rudolph then get a story before jumping into bed. Always my favourite... Twas the night before Christmas. What lovely candy. I will leave a link on my blog.

Maureen said...

The best part of Christmas Eve this year will be speaking to my son in Japan via MSN web cam link This will be the first Christmas he has not been with us at home and we will miss him so much He is my youngest of 5 still my baby I suppose Although I dont let him hear me say that

Anonymous said...

Hi Jak,
What a nice thing to do!
Unfortunately I am blogless, but just had to say what a great idea.
Christmas is a little different over here, and I hope that all preparations have been done by Christmas Eve. We look foward to a walk along the beach on Christmas Day though!
Senorita Lynn

Anonymous said...

Hi Jak, The best part of Christmas eve for me is the smell of the kitchen, the mixture of baking, warm punch and the green wreaths we all get together and make for the doors (so Santa knows where to stop) is like no other.

Anonymous said...

i try to get everything done before christmas eve as its a sad day for me its the day my dad passed away so christmas eve is usually spent with my mom looking at old photo's of my dad have dinner with her and the rest of my sisters and brother then we drink a toast to him and wish him a merry christmas and tell him how much we miss him
usually go home around 9pm sort out the presents , put the turkey in to cook hubby gets all veg sorted while im at my mom's then sit have a drink with hubby and family have a bath and go to bed
thanks you for doing this hope u have a great time in manchester
i'm blogless too
vanessa (EnglishBunny)

JennyW said...

Xmas Eve I am always working, then travel 2 hours to my Mum's house with all my presents etc etc. Re-union with my brother who sometimes does not arrive unitl late on. My Mum always has all her baking done so help her with any last minute things. If having Xams in her house help with peeling veg, make soup stuffing etc. If Xmas is at one of my aunts house Mum brother and I go out for a meal
JennyW

mitch1066 said...

Well hubbies family actually do the whole christmas thing on christmas eve night ,opening presents and everything.It can be hard if we have to work christmas eve but its worth it.I love the colour and smells,the lights etc but the very best thing is getting as many members of the extended as possible in one room:)See you've gotten me in the christmas spirit....maybe i'll go make some christmas cards now:)

Anonymous said...

Christmas eve is the time that we go to Christmas Eve candlelight services at our church. It is always such a beautiful service and a wonderful way to lead into Christmas day. We then usually go home and watch The Christmas Carol and then go to bed and wait for Santa to come......LOL

Blessings,
Pat

Anonymous said...

Hi Jak, I am blogless but would love to be included in your draw. My favourite Christmas Eve preparation is going to the children's Carol Service. We have been going since our children were small and although we now have grandchildren we still go to the service at our local church. It's so lovely to see the childrens faces as they sing carols. Gill x

Shell Shearer Swinscoe said...

My favourite thing has only started since we had the girls they are 10 & 11 now and I still do it.....I get hubbys work boots and flour and make footprints from downstairs to their bedroom so it looks like snow has fallen off santas boots all the way upstairs...where they end I always put a few pressies for the girls to open when they wake up...I'm sure they don't believe now put keep it up for my sake...lol

this is a great idea thanks Jak have done the link
shellxx

Anonymous said...

Hi Jak I too am blogless but would love to be entered,I love xmas eve as it means no work for at least 2 days.This year I've got the weekend off too so it's going to be so nice to spend time with OH and boys.Xmas eve we always end up wrapping the presents .Every year we vow we will do it early but never do.Get Nat off to bed by 10pm and sit and watch a film and usaully get the veg done whilst watching the film.
Hope you have a lovely weekend
Nikki

Crazycrafter said...

love Christmas Eve - speak to my brother on the phone in New Zealand, then speak to my nieces.

Spend the day generally relaxing, then go to Midnight church service and then haver friends around for drinks and nibbles, getting to bed somewhere around 2am Christmas Day.

Wellnifty said...

Hi Jak, hope you all have a great time this weekend, can't wait to hear all about it..Thanks for Blog candy offer will post a link on my Blog.
Well...Christmas Eve, after I have done all the housework, and sorted out the presents, we go to my Mums house. She still insists on everyone going there for Christmas dinner (shes 81 and always say's she will cook it while she still can) there is usually about 15 of us for dinner). So at about 5pm Christmas Eve my two sisters, our uncle and some of the grandchildren, all meet there to help prepare the veggies and food and try to help her the lift(If she lets us)the biggest turkey and leg of pork she can find. We have a drink, a sing song and try to find space for all the presies, which we all take there ready to be opened after we all arrive Christmas morning.

Chris x

Anonymous said...

Christmas is very difficult for us as its a time of year my late daughter loved. I preppare the veg etc, leave pressies under tree for the next day and try not to have anything to shop for. Hubby still goes to midnight mass but I cannot as the last time I went we had the 2 girls with us and they giggled and laughed all through it and I was shusshing them and saying I wouldn't bring the 2 of them there together again, little did I know. When he comes home we have something to eat and some wine before bed in the wee hours.
Have a lovely time in Manchester.
Betty (Shadow)

Primitive Seasons said...

I try to make the Eve of Christmas a quiet relaxing time. We usually have something special for dinner, then just sit and visit until it is time for Midnight Mass. I come home really peaceful and content and ready for the frenzy of the next day.

Mary

www.primitiveseasons.blogspot.com

Donna said...

Oh i would love to be in for a chance of winning your beautiful candy. Right my fav xmas eve preparation.... well every xmas eve ALL my family go to my aunt's house in the country, we all bring something yummy to eat and everything is put on the table for a buffet, we all get to see cousins, aunts and uncles that we don't usually see during the year and we sing xmas carols and all the children play together, its fantastic, when we get home the children have their baths and get into their pajama's we leave out santa's food and then one by one the children sit in front of the fire and tell santa what they would most like for xmas, oh i'm getting all excited about xmas now lol. Anyway i am off to leave a link to your blog on mine now, take care Donna x

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately I'm blogless but would still like to enter, please.
Our Christmas eve is very quiet these days, just me and OH and of course our beloved dogs, we just spend the evening quietly and sit with a drink watching telly with the dogs, then at midnight we have a toast to our lovely dogs that are no longer with us, then we let the dogs open one of their pressies which are usually chewy sticks and they go off to their beds to chew happily while we open just one of our presents, then it's off to bed.

Anonymous said...

Love putting all the pressies under the tree including the dogs.What a job it is to keep him awsy from them worse than bairns.
Havent a blog but would like to win those fab goodies.
Myrax

Anonymous said...

Really enjoyed getting the boys cars or bikes put together (well, actually watching dh do it)! DH and I would be up late putting all the presents out for the next morning - we are empth nesters now but still put up a small tree - love Christmans.

Sandy Duley

Anonymous said...

well as you know l'm blogless lol.....well this will be the first christmas l haven't had to work some part of it.....as the last 30 years l have worked for the NHS in special needs first a hospital thaen when it closed a speacial unit where l've been the last 15 yrs.
l always feel christmas is a time for children and that is why l nearly always worked Christmas day to let the ladies with children have it off....and no-one was alowwed holiday over the christmas fortnight...we would have ou r Christms dinner on boxing day....but l could still go to midnight mass which l think is very special.
but now l've retired l can do as l like lol.......luv Dimps.....
just like to say it looks fab stuff your giving away Jak xxxxx

Unknown said...

I am bogless but here is my favourite bit of Christmas Eve. I have five children, oldest 37 now, when the eldest was seven she persuaded the others to dress up and put on a nativity on Christmas Eve, since then it has become a family tradition for the youngsters in the family to put on a "show" for the adults, not always a nativity, sometimes its a well known panto or maybe a little play thought up by the children or sometimes a christmas talent show. Usually one adult will help out with the costumes, props etc and organising the food and drink, and mediating in disputes. For a few years now that has been my job and believe me it is hectic, having to help sort out the 14 grandchildren and this year there is a year old greatgrandchild to find a role for. I will let you into a little secret about this years treat, it is the nativity, there had been some arguement about it, namely from me. The children wanted to bring a donkey into the house (my eldest daughter now lives on a farm), I had to draw the line at that, as I explained to the kids Pampers dont do a nappy large enough for a donkey and none of the kids would volunteer to clear up any mess if the donkey went to the loo. We have decided the only place to hold our little show is in the barn at the farm, so with a little help from my daughters partner who has promised to tidy the barn and to put up Christmas lights we have a suitable venue. The invites to our little show are in the process of being made( me,the kids and my craft stuff) Costumes are being revamped and we need to find or make a big crib this year cos the baby is a rather large one year old. This year it will be posh dress, hats,scarves,gloves coats and wellies for the spectators. Havent decided on food yet but our old favourite of mince pies with hot chocolate and marshmallows will definately be on the list. Can hardly wait for the fun, giggles and mistakes to begin.

scotspanda said...

ooooh I just love Xmas Eve. We start with a lovely meal and then at 7pm we go to the High Street to see santa and the reindeer. There is a herd of reindeer at Aviemore which is just 12 miles away and on xmas eve they go round all the local villages with them and they pull santa in a sleigh with wheels. the kids love it and they can go up and stroke the reindeer. there are also carols and mulled wine and mince pies. we then get home get Lily to bed then I wrap the last pressies (there's always lots still to do lol) then I go to church at 11pm for carols and the watchnight service. Back home for a large Baileys before bed :)

You have got e in the mood to do xmas cards now lol

lotsablogginlove

Amanda xxx

craftygran said...

I used to love bathing the kids, putting out the mince pies and milk for santa, reading a story and settling them for the night. I loved putting the pressies under the tree. Now my childre are grown up and I have 20 lovely grandchildren. I still enjoy putting their pressies under the tree in christmas eve.

Anonymous said...

I LOVE Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.
Theres a magic to it that you dont get at any other time of the year, including Easter.

Anonymous said...

Afraid I'm blogless too but we visit my mum & stepdad on Christmas eve & meet up with my brother & sil and pass presents over. finish wrapping presents at home don't have to wait up hours for my daughters to go to sleep to do the stockings as they are now 19 & 14. I can do them & go to bed after watching midnight mass on tv.

KarenB

Anonymous said...

I'm blogless, too, Jak but would love to enter. My husband and I have no family of our own so for quite a few years we have been spending Christmas Day with one of my sisters and her family. We have a family get together at her home for Christmas lunch (brother, sisters, and their families) since this is really the one time that we can all meet together and catch up. Thus on Christmas Eve my husband and I go around delivering our presents to other family members. We also visit both our parents' graves and put holly wreaths there. Then we have a nice relaxing evening at home. Consequently, we don't have our own Christmas dinner until Boxing Day.

Beemer (Alice)

Margaret A said...

My favourite part of Christmas Eve is when the shops are shut and if I haven't bought something then we'll just have to do without! Then it's making sure all the presents are wrapped and I can remember where they all are(forgot 2 of Elizabeth's last year). After our evening meal it's a quick whizz round with the h*******k, time for a shower and then curl up on the sofa in pj's and dressing grown to watch Midnight Service on tv
on behalf of.....
Margaret Wigan (imag-e-nation)

Anonymous said...

I love it when all the shops have closed ( so there is no temptation to play the headless chicken and keep buying things "just in case"), the house has been cleaned and the food prepared. I put all the presents under the tree and turn off the main light . I love to sit with just the christmas tree lights on and just look at all the beautifully wrapped presents.
The off to midnight mass, which is always magical!

Cathy

Margaret A said...

How nice of you to think of this Jak. I've linked to your blog on mine.
My favourite part of christmas eve is shopping until the very last shop has finally closed and going home exhausted.
Then (even though my babies are now 23 and 28) I wait till everybody...even Wullie.... has gone to bed and I go upstairs and get all of their presents from their hiding places and sneak downstairs with them. I always have some that still have to be wrapped and after I finish every one, I build all of my parcel mountains. By the time I've done this, I'm practically on my hands and knees going upstairs to bed, and I know that even at their ages, I'm going to be wakened at early o'clock again.
Then, the really good part, first one up has to waken everyone and we all stand at the top of the stairs (usually waiting for Wullie to go to the loo first lol) and then........everybody dives downstairs to find their pressies.
Oh...think I might start making some christmas cards at last, I feel all Christmassy.

Bunny B said...

I don't celebrate Christmas, but I'd love to win these for my crafty friend who does! She'd love these! I've also blogged! Thank you for the chance!

julia said...

Christmas eve is: collecting the turkey and last minute bits n bobs. We prepare teh veg the night before and wrap any last minute presents. Finally around midnight we put the presents under the tree, and retire to bed hoping the kids don't get up too early!

Sandra (the netherlands) said...

What is my favorite Christmas Eve Preparation?
Tradition in my family is to have a whole-family breakfast. And next to sandwiches we have one dish that is the start of breakfast. It is called "worstebrood". If I translate it it would say sausage-bread. It's a famous dish in the provinces Noord-Brabant and Limburg (the Netherlands) and I believe also know at our neighbours in Belgium.
Actually it is nothing more than a meatsausage put in dough and baked in the oven. It's wonderfull to be with my mom in the kitchen preparing the sausage and making these little breads for the next morning.

Anonymous said...

Christmas eve for me will be work first then after that I will be doing my last bits of pressie wrapping and preparing food for christmas day.After that we will go visiting for a couple of hours returning home to have a quiet drink and raising a glass to family and friends who are not with us.Then off to bed ready for the day ahead.

Vicki

Anonymous said...

i'm another blogless one xmas eve has changed so much now the kids have grown up so after i've got everything ready i take the grandchildren to the deer park to see santa and feed the raindeers they love it but not as much as we do even my single 22 year ald son comes.love your candy.
christine x christine-fife

Anonymous said...

Also blogless and thank you for letting us enter for those of us who are blogless.
Oh, Christmas Eve.I spend most of the day in the kitchen preparing for our daughters,their husbands and grandkids to come over later in the evening for a small meal and then we all go to our 11:00pm candlelight worship service together.
Colleen

Anne said...

Love Christmas eve as by then everything is done and I can sit with my feet up for a while! Super candy on offer Jak, hope my name's on it! xx

Anonymous said...

Hi, Jak: Just found your blog - AMAZING! Our street is in the shape of a horseshoe, and on Christmas Eve all the neighbors line their tree lawns with luminaries that we all make out of empty plastic milk jugs. Then my family goes to church where my husband plays drums in the praise band, and we come home late to see the absolute beauty of the luminaries - Santa can't miss our street! Our kids are grown now, but love this Christmas Eve tradition.

Thanks for the blog candy opportunity and please keep your beautiful work coming!

Anonymous said...

Haven't got a blog Jak, but couldn't resist your offer, lol!! I always make all my pastry items on Christmas Eve... DH reckons I could feed the country and still freeze some,lol.I also brew up a lovely drop of punch. The nicest part is we have friends dropping in unannounced through the day and the evening for a drink and a few Christmas edibles. My kids are all grown up now so we normally see them at some point over the holiday - either Christmas dinner or on Boxing Day, depending on what else they are doing. I'm not a Mum who strops if my kids go to visit someone else on Christmas Day - my mum was and it was a pain, I try not to do being a pain.DH and I sit down in the evening when the last visitors are gone, and just enjoy each other's company for a while. I leave a mince pie and a small glass of something nice outside for Santa - it's always gone next morning ROFLMAO

Andi

Anonymous said...

Hi Jak
Hope your having a great weekend in Manchester,just like you to be thinking of others.
Thanks for giving us non bloggers the chance to win such lovely blog candy.
I love Christmas Eve, time to relax after everthing is all prepared for the Christmas dinner and the presents are all wrapped up
and put around the tree.
Hubby and I walk along to our local pub for a couple of drinks and enjoy the company of the locals.
Gwen x

Anonymous said...

Christmas Eve is made for wrapping all the presents with a nice bottle of mulled wine.
Kim
x

Anonymous said...

I am blogless also
Christmas Eve:
this is so nice of you to do
I like to enjoy the tree lite up and listen to Christmas carols on tapes or
disk while I am cooking some things for Christmas Dinner.
Thank you,
Mary Padgett

sheffsue said...

Christmas eve is spent preparing all the veggies....putting all the presents under the tree and finally setting the breakfast table. A rule in house is no presents opened before breakfast!
Thank you Jak for offering us all the chance to win the gorgeous candy.

Sue x

Anonymous said...

starts with a lovely big fry up then into town with my daughter to buy last minute silly pressies before going home popping into town pub for a drink (mines a soft drink) home and pack the car to visit sister on Christmas day.
Everyone in our town seems allot more friendlier and smiling. I do admit to feeling sorry for everyone who has to work esp in the shops

Anonymous said...

chritmas eve for me..... i wake up to my kids asking if santa has been yet. i tell them 'no, sorry sweeties that's tomorrow. he's still trying to find a way in cos there's no chimney'. i spend a normal day playing with my kids until their bedtime when i like to sit and remember people who i love that are no longer with me. this part of the night doesn't stand a chance however, with my kids bouncing up and down all night waiting for santa to arrive. when they are finally asleep, i play the role of mum, dad, santa and everyone else, bringing pressies down and arranging them by the tree...... i get fat and drunk eating and drinking mince pies, sherry and carrots left for santa and rudolf. and then i fall in to bed just in time to be woken up again by said kids - bouncing all over me to tell me that santa has been 'cos they have been good'. isn't christmas just perfectly wonderful ....... kerry xx

Marcea said...

Oh wow, what fabulous candy .... keeping everything crossed, lol. I love xmas eve and what i love most is wrapping presents. I know it should be done before xmas eve but it is so nice to sit down after preparing all the veggies etc and just enjoy a nice glass of wine whilst wrapping, wrapping and .... yep, more wrapping
good luck everyone, posted a link on my blog hun
-x-

Jacqui said...

On Christmas eve we are usually working as we work in the Hotel industry, and of course here in France the Christmas meal is served on Christmas Eve, not Christmas day as in the UK and US. We try to keep the UK traditions of wrapping pressies and putting them under the tree from "santa". I so hope this will not be our last year of "believing" as it's such a short but wonderful time.

Unknown said...

We love Christmas Eve in our house as we have our Christmas dinner with all the family so Christmas Day is free for us to play with all our goodies. So most of christmas eve day is spent preparing the dinner there are usually 8 - 10 of us, we usually have our dinner around 6 p.m. then afterwards we do a little raffle, everyone brings three wrapped gifts for the raffle, the only rule is all three items together add up to the value of £10. While others fight over the washing up...lol, me and OH bring all the presents down to go round the tree and then we all sit together in the lounge with drinks and chat and sing along to christmas carols and songs, no TV. When all the girls are in bed we put out their christmas stockings for the morning. All four girls are aged between 23 and 30 and still love their stockings...lol, then it's off to bed ready for the main day.

Linda said...

A typical Christmas eve for me. As I do the christmas day lunch, starting with going to the butchers to collect my christmas order and nipping to the shops for any last minute things I have forgotten before they get too busy. Then spend most the day getting as much of it done, so that not a lot to do on the day. The kids arrive and I have a full house again. Then off to the Watchnight Service. When we get home usually open our pressies altogether as Sarah, my middle one, is usually on duty on Christmas day.

Michele Roos said...

The thing I love about christmas eve is helping my 6 year old get food ready for santa and his reindeer. Also seeing his excited little face when I tuck him up into bed and warning him not to get up. Then when we know the coast is clear we finish off the last bit of wrapping of presents and putting them all under the tree for all 3 of our kids. Then we have an early night because we know that we'll be up very early with the kids. Great candy and I've posted a link to yours here

jakey said...

My fave part of Christmas eve is the Carols by candlelight service we always attend in the little church near my house. All members of my family and extended family come together from Great Grandma,to all the grandparents, parents and kids, right down to the tiny tota and babies. Family often travel from all over the country - sometimes even abroad, and it's just a wonderful time for us. Every year I swear I won't blub, but when they turn the lights off and all ther children sing away in a manger under the glow of the candles.. i'm off sniffling!

Afterwards we'll come back here or to my dd's for mince pies and mulled wine, and for me that's Christmas. Our tradition, and I love it :-)

I'll pop a link on my blog - would love to win those goodies!

Unknown said...

christmas eve to answer to jaks blog
Well on christmas eve one of the things we do as a family as our "family tradition" is for us all to meet at my sisters with her children and wait for santas early evening apperance, my dad bless him dresses as santa and passes there window and leaves them some treats in a bag on the door step with a note telling them to go to bed early and go straight to sleep and this generaly does the trick the little ones cant get up to bed and go to sleep quick enough..........that is after the carrots for rudolph the drink of whisky for santa and of course his mince pies which the children made earlier

i love christmas eve

Toni said...

It has to putting out the mince pie ,drink for santa and carrots for the reindeers.I just love the kids faces before going up to bed. No matter what else it doesnt seem christmas unless we've done it

Anne said...

Now the children have moved away overseas, my sister-in law and husband arrive around mid-day from the north and after a buffet lunch we send the men into the attic and they bring down ALL the decorations that have been collected over the years and we get the drinks and treats around. We have the time of our lives doing the tree and thinking of new ways with all the old family decorations. One rule we have is that every piece must be used. What would our children think if they could see us scrabbling around!!!
Anneg

Artyjen said...

Christmas is great I just luuuurv it!! On Christmas Eve believe it or not you will find me boning out a turkey, stuffing it and cooking it. Yes I know life's too short but honestly it is worth the effort and you can't beat a warm turkey sandwich on Christmas Eve. Oh dear I'm salivating already!!!!

Anonymous said...

Sorry haven't a blog(don't know how) but love Christmas Eve when me and my 3 girls make home-made stuffing, do all the veg, dress the turkey ready for cooking next day and do the mince pies. Then in the evening we sort out the pressies into sacks and put the little ones in the stockings I knitted them years ago while having a glass of wine or two.
Then we settle down to watch something Christmassy on TV.
Better start those cards!
Carol x

veronica said...

Christmas Eve is collecting any of the children who can come from the station, (after frantically clearing craft stuff away!)putting up a tree, going to Midnight Mass.
Have a blog, but don't know how to link - hoping son will be back next weeekend to give a quick tutorial on blogdom, so please count me in?
Loved the stampbord box - did a similar style pendant for daughter with a cat stamp in oranges at Easter, will have to match it wityh a box I think....

Anonymous said...

Haven't a blog because I don't know how but thanks for the chance to take part.
I love everything about Christmas but my favourite time by far is Christmas Eve night. Hopefully almost everything is ready for tomorrow and the house is peaceful and full of anticipation. My last and absolute favourite bit of preparation is to finally put all the beautifully wrapped presents under the tree and then everything is ready, on what I think is the most magical night of the year.
Best wishes and good luck to everyone.
Ann XXX

Anonymous said...

What a kind and generous thing to do Jak. Thank you.

We have a very quiet Christmas now - so many family members gone over the years - and it's rather devoid of "traditions". But, I still love to sit (alone) in a darkened room last thing on Christmas Eve and enjoy a glass of wine.

Happy Christmas to you and yours Jak.

Marion

PS Afraid I'm still one of the blogless multitude!

Serendipity said...

Hi Jak! What great blog candy. I don't know if your candy is open to the United States residents or not, but either way, I've got a link to your candy up on my blog! Thanks!

val090 said...

Until last year the best thing about Christmas Eve was finishing work. I worked in the reatail trade so we always had a busy run up to Christmas. This year I'm retired so I shall look forward to a relaxing Christmas eve, hopefully I will have myself so organised I won't be running around like a headless chicken this year!

Jackie said...

gawd how sad am I going to sound... feel quite envious of you lot.... this years christmas eve probably shoppping in the day time for all the last min presents I couldnt figure out what to buy for people, then the rest of the day... home alone... LOL... only company dogs and a large vodka and diet coke... and talking to my blog. Daughters both up in Leicester with their familys this christmas.. son in Africa. Oh well... lovely idea on the candy too hun... good luck to everyone
xx

Anne Anderson said...

I am so new to this blog deal.. ok I know everyone does it but ... Well I will get into it here soon.

My favorite Christmas Eve preparation is going to my childrens Sunday School Christmas program on that evening. Of course they always do the story of Christmas but it is always so neat to see kids acting it out and singing the carols.