What to Do on Christmas Day- 10 Great Ideas
How to Have a Happy, Stress Free Christmas Day
Welcome to the place for great Christmas ideas!
I love Christmas Day, especially when our home is filled with family and friends. I was fortunate in having fond memories of this special day from childhood, but not everyone does. This page will help you to get your head around not just getting through this day, but making a happy one that you can celebrate and create some fond memories of your own.
First of all you will want to decorate your home with Christmas decorations such as Christmas garland and of course the all-important Christmas tree with the tree decorations. However many you decide to use, it is sure to appear welcoming for you and your guests and will help to give the sparkling, magical feel of Christmas!
Here you will find everything you need, from roasting chestnuts and Christmas carols around a log fire, to fun Christmas games and dinner ideas! With a bit of thought and planning it needn't be a difficult time.
1. Invite Someone - Send out invitations
Don't wait to be invited- it might never happen! You are more likely to have a happy day if you have other people around you.
Christmas Day can often be an event that many people are not able to enjoy. They might either be facing a Christmas alone or a day filled with feuds and disappointments. Many feel obliged to invite relatives whom they scarcely see for the rest of the year and with whom they don't get on. Yet they still feel the need to impress with a bigger spread than they can either afford or manage. The most important thing to do beforehand would be to resolve any differences and offer a welcoming invitation in peace. If you do struggle to fit everything in, then don't be tempted to invite too many people (depending also on the size of your house) and get everyone to contribute with food and some of the ideas below. Most of all, ensure that it is a special and happy day for you as well!
2. Go Crackers Over The Christmas Dinner
Good food, Christmas crackers, party poppers, prayers
Laying an attractive table will ensure that your guests feel welcome and will help to give it the feel of a special meal. You could write place names with a Christmas verse at each setting. We always place a Christmas cracker at each place setting and pull them in-between courses to add to the suspense. You could invite your guests to come with an appropriate prayer to pray before the meal. Children might like to write something out and read it out on the day. Keep the food special, but simple, taking care not to try too many new recipes.
3. An After-Dinner Christmas Quiz To Test Their Knowledge Of The Christmas Story
view quiz statistics4. Fun Ways And Games For Giving And Receiving Christmas Presents
Write clues on labels as riddles for the receivers to guess what's inside
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Give one larger present for a family but play pass the parcel to decide who should open it, with forfeits along the way
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Buy novelty presents and give as a lucky dip, differentiating between male and female gifts
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Get the kids to hunt out their gifts by hiding them around the house
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5. Listen To The Christmas Day Queen's Speech
A UK tradition. Do you have a similar one?
Each country has it's traditions, especially at such a time as Christmas. In the UK the Queen gives a speech on Christmas Day every year and has been doing so ever since she became the queen in 1952. It comes on the BBC in the early afternoon, making good after-dinner viewing.
Do you listen to the Queen's Speech
You Can Watch Last Year's Queen's Speech Here - and decide whether you are going to watch it this year
6. Play The Best Board Games
Great after Christmas dinner entertainment!
Board games are a great way to interact and have fun together, especially on dark, cold days and give you something to talk about afterwards.
Vote Here For Your Favorite Board Games
What is your favorite board game?
7. Sing-A-Long With Christmas Carols
They can also be played quietly during Christmas dinner
There's nothing like a good sing-song of all those favorite Christmas carols that everyone knows. If you don't have a piano or keyboard to gather around, then find some other focal point, such as the Christmas tree or an open log fire. If you aren't lucky enough to have one or more musicians to lead you, then sing along with a CD.
Sing Along With These Popular Christmas Songs
8. Roasting Chestnuts On An Open Fire
Take Christmas outdoors!
Christmas Day Evening
Build a small fire and roast some fresh chestnuts
If there is snow, the children could build a snowman earlier in the day and they can be marked out of 10 when the adults go outside in the evening. A great way to get some fresh air, after all that rich food! Serve warm mulled wine and punch as well. This could be a lovely end to a light, indoor evening buffet. If going outside isn't an option and you have a log fire indoors, you could roast them there instead.
9. Choose The Best Christmas Movie
Enjoy an entertaining family film
Rather than letting the TV simply run the whole day, decide to only turn it on at the appointed time for a chosen movie that all can sit down and watch together. That way you will find it easier to get everyone involved in other activities that will keep the celebratory spirit of Christmas going!
Vote For Your Favorite Christmas Movie
Which is your favorite Christmas Movie?
10. Attend A Christmas Service
Lastly bring inspiration and true meaning to this holiday by taking a brisk walk to your local church for a Christmas service.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
© 2012 CJoanna