- Christmas
- 19th Dec 2025
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12 new Christmas Eve traditions to start this year
Because the night before Christmas deserves its own magic.
Christmas Eve doesn’t have to be a waiting game, it can be one of the best nights of the festive period.
Whether you’re spending it with family, friends or solo, here are some fun new traditions to make 24 December feel like an event in its own right.
Start the day with a Christmas Eve breakfast club
Before the wrapping paper chaos begins, gather everyone for a slow, cosy breakfast. Whether it’s cinnamon rolls straight from the oven, a stack of pancakes or a build-your-own brunch board with berries, pastries and warm drinks, it instantly sets a joyful tone for the day. Put Christmas music on, light a candle and enjoy that rare quiet moment before the festivities begin.
The cosy film lucky dip
Avoid the annual “what are we watching?” debate. Everyone writes down one film – from Elf to The Holiday to a rogue wildcard like Shrek, and pops it into a jar. Pick one at random when the evening rolls in. Blankets, fairy lights and leftover buffet snacks essential. The randomness also becomes part of the fun.
A winter sunset walk to shake off the day
There’s something special about stepping outside just as the sun dips on Christmas Eve. Choose a coastal path, woodland trail or your favourite quiet street and take a gentle walk. It’s grounding, refreshing and gives everyone a chance to breathe before the evening excitement. Bonus: it helps build up an appetite for whatever’s cooking at home.
Share the year’s best moments with peaks and pits
Around the tree or dinner table, ask everyone to share their ‘peaks’ and ‘pits’ of the year. It could be a big milestone, something tiny but meaningful, or the most embarrasing moment by a mile. It’s wholesome and emotional in the best way, and it turns Christmas Eve into a fun round-off to the year.
Create a make-your-own hot chocolate bar
Transform your kitchen counter into a mini hot chocolate station. Add marshmallows, whipped cream, peppermint stirrers, chocolate flakes, gingerbread syrup and festive mugs. Let everyone build their own perfect cup. Kids will love it, adults will indulge, and it becomes the cosiest pre-bed ritual.
The great Christmas Eve games night
Competitive families, this one’s for you. Choose three or four festive challenges — gingerbread decorating, quiz rounds, charades, speedy card games — and award points throughout the night. The winner gets the Christmas Eve trophy (it can be something ridiculous like a decorated wooden spoon). The tradition becomes less about winning and more about the annual bragging rights.
Open one early gift — something cosy
Instead of a random present, make it part of the tradition: everyone opens one thoughtful, cosy item designed for Christmas Eve night. Pyjamas, slippers, new loungewear, socks or even a book. It makes Christmas Eve feel extra special and encourages a slow, cosy night.
Christmas Eve boxes (but grown-up and minimalist)
Swap the over-the-top kids’ boxes for simple, thoughtful grown-up versions: a mini candle, a sachet of fancy hot chocolate, a pair of festive socks, a face mask, maybe a handwritten note. It’s small, considered, and instantly boosts the hygge levels.
Bake something you’ve never tried before
Each year, pick one festive recipe the whole household hasn’t attempted — stollen buns, sticky toffee pudding cookies, mince pie blondies or cinnamon pull-apart bread. Expect flour everywhere, minor chaos and lots of laughs. The result? Something delicious and a new culinary memory.
The Christmas Eve connection
In the early evening, everyone phones someone they haven’t spoken to enough this year – a grandparent, a friend, a sibling abroad, an old colleague. It’s five minutes of connection that feels more meaningful than any gift.
A Christmas Eve spa hour
No schedules, no rushing — just an hour of pampering. Think hair oil, face masks, fluffy socks, soft playlists, candlelight and everyone relaxing before the big day. It’s especially lovely for households with teens, adult siblings or friends celebrating together.
Christmas Eve storytime
Pick something gentle and nostalgic — The Night Before Christmas, a children’s classic, a short story, or even a passage from a favourite book — and read it aloud together. Adults included. It slows everything down, creates a shared moment and might just become the tradition everyone asks for year after year.
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