Traditions for helping to get to sleep on christmas eve

[ChristmasFan08]

hi all i was wondering do any of you have any traditions for helping to get too sleep on christmas eve

thanks a lot

[whychristmas]

When my Mum was a little girl, there was no problem because their house was always the last one on Santa's round. So at about 7am she heard a knock on the front door and her mum (my Nan) opened it and welcomed Santa in for a well earned cup of tea (she could hear that he was grateful)! After about 10mins she heard a refreshed Santa leave the house and then she could come down and see what he'd brought!!!

Funny, when I was growing up - my house was the last on his rounds for a couple of years - perhaps there's a family connection there somehow...

(and no I didn't try to sneak a peak, as Santa was very tired and needed a rest and some peace and quiet!!!)

[haagarr]

The business of doing family get togethers. By the time we are done we are worn out, we still have fun.


:elf:

[Jeff Westover]

Well, in a house with 7 children I can tell you that getting them to bed is an all day exercise. It starts at about 6am on Christmas Eve day when we begin tracking Santa on the big map we hang on the wall. You can read about that here (http://mymerrychristmas.com/2005/christmasmap.shtml).

But another very important component to it, I'm convinced, is the Christmas Feast. We begin around 2pm after having prepared the house and completed all of our other Christmas projects with everyone in the kitchen. And we prepare our biggest meal of the year together. It features lots of finger foods -- cheeses, all kinds of meats, shrimp, dips, homemade eggnog, etc, etc, etc -- and it takes all of us to do it. Getting the spread together takes a couple of hours at least.

Then all the visits begin. Because we track Santa and everyone knows it, we see lots of the neighbor kids. We live in Utah and that means more than 80 kids on our street alone. Not only is our map up but the walls literally bleed Christmas with two trees, our fireplace roaring and festively featured with our row of ten lush red stockings (including one for our dog, Sam), plus we'll have music on and usually a video going too. The kids will dance, play games or whatever all within the living areas of the house. It is a very active environment that expends a great deal of energy.

Around 7pm we're finally alone as a family and begin our traditions of "just us". This includes the story telling of the Nativity and of St. Nicholas (his REAL story, none of this claymation phoney baloney).

Usually, around 10pm, an update from the North Pole comes in telling all kids west of the Mississippi to get into bed. After family prayer the kids rush to bed and usually they fall asleep right away -- except for my kids who are ages 9 to 12.

For them, there is usually some sort of strategy already devised:

1. Christmas music softly playing in their room.
2. Thumb fights, more story-telling.

And if we're really desperate and they keep getting up:

3. Threats

And when I'm totally fed up:

4. Benadryl

Jeff

[dvdguy]

Well, in a house with 7 children I can tell you that getting them to bed is an all day exercise. It starts at about 6am on Christmas Eve day when we begin tracking Santa on the big map we hang on the wall. You can read about that here (http://mymerrychristmas.com/2005/christmasmap.shtml).

But another very important component to it, I'm convinced, is the Christmas Feast. We begin around 2pm after having prepared the house and completed all of our other Christmas projects with everyone in the kitchen. And we prepare our biggest meal of the year together. It features lots of finger foods -- cheeses, all kinds of meats, shrimp, dips, homemade eggnog, etc, etc, etc -- and it takes all of us to do it. Getting the spread together takes a couple of hours at least.

Then all the visits begin. Because we track Santa and everyone knows it, we see lots of the neighbor kids. We live in Utah and that means more than 80 kids on our street alone. Not only is our map up but the walls literally bleed Christmas with two trees, our fireplace roaring and festively featured with our row of ten lush red stockings (including one for our dog, Sam), plus we'll have music on and usually a video going too. The kids will dance, play games or whatever all within the living areas of the house. It is a very active environment that expends a great deal of energy.

Around 7pm we're finally alone as a family and begin our traditions of "just us". This includes the story telling of the Nativity and of St. Nicholas (his REAL story, none of this claymation phoney baloney).

Usually, around 10pm, an update from the North Pole comes in telling all kids west of the Mississippi to get into bed. After family prayer the kids rush to bed and usually they fall asleep right away -- except for my kids who are ages 9 to 12.

For them, there is usually some sort of strategy already devised:

1. Christmas music softly playing in their room.
2. Thumb fights, more story-telling.

And if we're really desperate and they keep getting up:

3. Threats

And when I'm totally fed up:

4. Benadryl

Jeff

I was going to suggest nyquil

[RadioJonD]

Getting off work at 11pm, coming home too tired to stay awake helps!

[kelly ann]

bribery?? :razz:

[dvdguy]

Nah
bribe wont work. theyre getting toys the next day:razz:

[kelly ann]

true. :yahoo:

[sugarplum fairy]

We go to the in-laws on Christmas Eve night, so by the time we get home we are all stuffed and tired. I read a story (usually it is either the Nativity story or Twas the Night Before Christmas, but it may be another Christmas story) that my youngest picks out (he will be 6--my other's are 14 and will be 18 so they don't care), then we go to bed. It has never been a struggle with any of my children to get them to go to sleep.

[JayIsh]

"...I had alot of help from Jack Daniels..."

[dvdguy]

no stealing from the griswolds

[act_as_if]

Well, I used to watch a christmas movie to fall asleep to. Oh, and warm milk. Works every time!

[joyful]

We never had a hard time getting the kids to sleep on Christmas Eve, it was usually my husband that had a hard time going to sleep. He loved to surprise all of us on Christmas Day with a special family gift and just had a hard time waiting. But me, well I went to sleep after I seen I couldn't make him go to sleep for I knew I needed my rest for the next day.
Now kids are all grown with families of their own and we have no problem getting to sleep.