My dad’s side of the family has been getting together on Christmas Eve since long before I was born. The party averages about 40-50 people now as the original matriarchs were my grandmother and her younger sister—so it includes four generations now. The party has always been held 7-10pm no matter who hosts. (People whose kids aren’t adaptable stay home for a few years but we've always still attended—or hostEd—and our kids rally for the late night and actually sleep in a bit on Christmas morning.)

It’s mostly potluck with the host providing all drinks and a few main food staples so there is food out for the earliest arrivals. (Ex: My mom makes a crockpot of chicken wings, I bring a massive platter of chocolate chip cookies, my sister brings homemade meatballs, an aunt always brings a ham, a cousin does a beloved cookie dough truffle etc.) At 9pm we do an optional Yankee Swap (aka White Elephant) that usually includes about 20 people and then everyone starts to hit to road. At times when there were lots of kids in the under 8 crowd we’ve also had “Santa” visit and hand out tiny gifts but it’s been awhile since there was an abundance of little kids at once.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi everyone. OP back here! Looks like we are most likely going to host Xmas Eve. If anyone has any good suggestions for a good Xmas Eve schedule/routine that you find works well, can you please share? Thanks

Do you go to church?

We do 4:30 children’s Mass.
6:30 - dinner
8:00 - kids in bed
8:00 - cheese/meat/shrimp platter and wine for adults
9:00 - set up presents and stockings
10:00 bed for us

Just curious how you can have dinner ready so quickly after mass?

Anonymous wrote:Hi everyone. OP back here! Looks like we are most likely going to host Xmas Eve. If anyone has any good suggestions for a good Xmas Eve schedule/routine that you find works well, can you please share? Thanks

Do you go to church?

We do 4:30 children’s Mass.
6:30 - dinner
8:00 - kids in bed
8:00 - cheese/meat/shrimp platter and wine for adults
9:00 - set up presents and stockings
10:00 bed for us

Hi everyone. OP back here! Looks like we are most likely going to host Xmas Eve. If anyone has any good suggestions for a good Xmas Eve schedule/routine that you find works well, can you please share? Thanks

We had Christmas with just family but had everybody over on Dec. 26. This worked out beautifully.

Anonymous wrote:We usually host Christmas Eve for my husbands family and on Christmas Day we go to my parents early in the afternoon. I have a very set routine for the Eve so it’s not a killer even though we may have 20+ people. I’d love to have a peaceful Xmas Eve but I don’t see it happening any time soon.

OP here: can you share your xmas eve routine and details? Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:What’s your routine?

OP here: thanks for all the suggestions!
To answer PP regarding our routine, we dont have a set routine year to year. We used to do Eve at my parents and Day at my inlaws before we had kids and the first two years we had our first child. Since then weve moved and my dad passed away so things have changed and each year we do something different depending on what we all agree on. Hosting both Eve and Day just felt like overkill last year and Im definitely not doing that again! Its impt to me to just be the 4 of us Xmas morning though.

What’s your routine?

We usually host Christmas Eve for my husbands family and on Christmas Day we go to my parents early in the afternoon. I have a very set routine for the Eve so it’s not a killer even though we may have 20+ people. I’d love to have a peaceful Xmas Eve but I don’t see it happening any time soon.

Anonymous wrote:Christmas Eve. I suggest a fun appetizers-only spread (maybe even potluck), serve a signature holiday theme cocktail and then enjoy Christmas morning as nuclear family, quietly.

Agreed.

The problem with hosting Christmas afternoon is that then you always have it in the back of your mind that you have to get ready for guests. Instead of playing another round of games with your kids or snuggling to watch a Christmas movie, you’re rushing to get dinner prepped and ready, get everyone dressed, etc. It’s much better to get your big hosting day done on 12/24, then you have all day on Christmas to enjoy your children.

Afternoon of Christmas Day. Morning with kids And presents then low-key dinner with family.

Christmas Eve. I suggest a fun appetizers-only spread (maybe even potluck), serve a signature holiday theme cocktail and then enjoy Christmas morning as nuclear family, quietly.

Christmas Eve

Do Christmas Eve. It’s easier and you can have a special Christmas for just your kids/DH.

Hi, we've got a 6 yr old and 4 yr old. Last year we hosted xmas eve and xmas day for both sides of our family and I don't want to do that again. We Would just rather host one. Im just curious to see what others do. Would you rather host your parents and siblings on xmas eve or xmas day? My siblings dont have kids, so its adults only coming over.