We’ve long since stopped believing in Father Christmas, but we still get excited about Christmas. And as the years pass, there are festive pastimes we never, ever want to let go of – even (okay, especially!) if they seem a bit cheesy. Here are some things Birchbox staffers just couldn’t imagine Christmas without….
“We wake up early, open our presents and eat whatever chocolate has been received that year (instead of breakfast!). We always get dressed up for Christmas lunch so everyone has a new shirt or dress for the occasion. After lunch we walk around the block and look at Christmas lights to work off the calories. At tea time (crackers, cheese and leftovers) we also have gifts from the tree. I honestly don’t know why but they’ll say “Dear Emma, Merry Christmas, Love the Christmas Tree” on them! Since Jack and I have been married we always write our top 5 Christmas memories or events on a piece of paper that we put back in the box with the tree. So, each year when we get the tree out, we always read the previous year’s memories.” – Emma Saitch-Smith, Discovery Specialist Manager
“Even though I’m technically a grown up now, my mum still goes full-out on the Santa stuff. When I wake up on Christmas morning there’s always a trail of chocolates leading from my bedroom to my (suddenly full!) stocking. Which means presents must be opened first thing in the morning!” – Liberty Radice, Senior Marketing Executive
“We kick off with stocking time which is the best bit of the day! We all go into one person’s room in our PJs to open our stockings together, and it’s the only day of the year when eating chocolate from your stocking at 9am feels right! We then have brunch (still in pjs) and open some presents before finally you are allowed to shower and get dressed. The rest of the day consists of a walk and then a lot of eating & drinking with some presents thrown in. I love Christmas!!” – Lucy Isherwood, Senior Operations Manager
“If I don’t start Christmas day with a bucks fizz in hand and a tray of salmon blinis, then I don’t know what I’d do. I need to prepare my appetite for the main event! After the cheersing and stocking presents are done, it’s a big race to the bathroom to see who can get ready the fastest. With three females in the house, unfortunately, Dad is always last – you’ll find him hurriedly running down the stairs spraying his new cologne whilst welcoming guests! Dinner is, of course, the star of the show – and when my Christmas Pudding costume makes it’s annual appearance. Some think it’s to get some laughs but really it’s so I can eat everything (and more!) with utmost comfort and extra storage space. After all the fizz is popped and the “big presents” opened post-dinner, we all congregate around the TV for dear Liz’s festive speech which Dad will normally chime in half way through showing off his finest Queenie impression. The evening then draws in and, for a short time, we’re all exhausted by the days festivities until someone says those famous 3 words everyone wants to hear at 9pm on a Christmas evening…Turkey Sandwich Anyone?” – Lou Jones, Creative Design Manager
“What is Christmas without a Snowball at 10am? Yes this might be a decidedly 70s cocktail but, in my house, there’s nothing better to wash down our smoked salmon bagels with than this tasty mix of Advocaat and lemonade. Writing this down has somewhat drawn my attention to what a questionable concoction this is pre-Christmas lunch but, hey, it only comes once a year! Controversially, a few years ago, we transformed from a family of pre-lunch present openers to post-lunch after my mum staged a festive coup and announced that opening presents in the afternoon would extend the excitement of the day. Whilst initially met with a lot of hostility and resistance I can now admit that mums really do know best! Now I love finishing those last mouthfuls of Christmas pudding knowing that there are still presents waiting to be unwrapped.” – Mica Kelly, Senior Content Executive
“We have lots of Christmas traditions, some big, some small! We always wake up no later than 8am and if my brother isn’t awake I am given permission to wake him up with a kidney jab to the ribs. We still open our stockings at the end of mum and dad’s bed. (Yep, we’re 28 and 25!) Teas are made and then we get stuck into the presents under the tree. There are no rules, it’s a free for all and always ends up with my dad walking around the lounge collecting all of the rubbish in bin bags. Not before sorting them into recycling and non-recycling of course! Lunch is usually a 3 – 4 hour affair (and is usually AT LEASTat least 2 hours later than planned) with games and quizzes thrown in. I think my favourite tradition though is that my dad wears a tux EVERY YEAR without fail!” – Beth Thomas, Senior PR & Partnerships Executive
“On Christmas morning, my brother and I pile onto my mum and dad’s bed to open our stockings. Even with both her kids in their, ahem, early- to mid-thirties, she cannot shake this tradition! Goodness knows how this will run with Jamie (my signifiant other) joining us this year!” – Holly Dudley, Head of Content & Social
“My biggest tradition is cold meat, mash, pickles and of course… ALL THE CHEESE on Boxing Day. Christmas just isn’t Christmas without it – it’s my fave festive feast!! Also, I have to watch Jack Frost and ball my eyes out at least once, that one just gets me every time!” – Paige Gillard, Community Discovery Specialist
The post Our Ultimate Christmas Traditions appeared first on Birchbox UK Blog.