I know I’ve done my 12 Days of Blogmas, but I’ve decided to do one extra post because it’s Christmas Eve! How exciting?

I’ve shared with you recently how people from all around the world celebrate their Christmas, so I thought I’d share with you how I personally spend the day.

Christmas has changed vastly since my dad passed away. Last year we decided to do things completely differently where we had guests over for Christmas dinner which we cooked ourselves, rather than going out as usual, but this year, we’re going back to original plans, but making sure we keep my father close in memory.

I usually hate getting up in the morning, I don’t normally get to see what early looks like, but even at 21, I’m so excited and cannot wait to get up. I barely even sleep. Since I’m now “an adult” and no longer “at the age to get up at the crack of dawn”, we usually tend to get up around 8:00am – though that’s impossible for my mother since she is an early bird, but likes her coffee and chill in the mornings. Then everyone gets up, has breakfast (usually pan au chocolât and orange juice, which is my favourite) and my stepdad will head to my gran’s to pick her up. When she arrives, tea and coffee is made before we all go into the living room and sit next to our “Santa sacks” (basically a massive Christmas bag with our presents in). The old routine was to each take it in turn to open a present, but with one missing, we’ve decided to switch things up. On the count of three, we dive into our presents and get opening, while showing one another what we received and thanking one another for what the other has bought us.

Once the presents are opened, we have more tea and coffee before  going downstairs and opening Christmas presents with Louis and Pepsi. They both get Christmas stockings full of chewies, toys and treats and tend to get over excited! Then it’s all about getting ready using any new clothes, make up and toiletries we may have received as presents before heading out to our local carvery for Christmas Dinner. That’s where we sit at our usual table and have a three course meal, with scratch cards in between courses and pulling crackers.

Once we’ve finished up, we head on home where we drop my gran off. At this point I usually put any new Christmas PJs on and having a nap or just chilling with any new books or DVDs I may have received and my mother tends to go through the TV channels to see what Christmas specials are on. This year my step brother will be coming up in the evening and we’ll probably put on some nibbles before opening presents from him and he opens his from ours. We’ll have a chat before opening the Christmas chocolates and putting our feet up on the sofa for the big night in. My mother is a big soaps fan so she’ll be sure to watch ‘Emmerdale’, ‘Coronation Street’ and ‘Eastenders’. I always make sure to watch the ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys’ special, even if it’s too late for my parents (they do get up early after all) and finish off some Christmas treats before heading up to bed.

And that, basically, is Christmas at the Williams/Talbot household! How do you spend Christmas Day? What are your traditions? Let me know in the comments below.

To all of my readers, have a very Merry Christmas from my family, to yours!

Jazz

Jazz is a Disney, tea and pop culture enthusiast with a passion for blogging. Also a proud introvert.