Rules for a perfect Family Christmas

When an email popped up asking me if i would like to participate in the John Lewis "Rules" for the perfect family Christmas campaign, i couldn't wait to get involved and compile my very own list of favourite rules. Having very young children we haven't yet got into the full swing of our own "Traditions" at Christmas time. However times are a changing, now the twins are past the baby stage this should be the first proper Christmas all six of us can enjoy and join in together. I hope the list i have come up with will be the beginning of a life long Christmas tradition and something which the girls will continue with their own families when they've eventually flown the nest (I'm counting down the days).

1) Nothing says Christmas more than a good old Panto, so the day before Christmas Eve (23rd December) I take my big girls along with my mum to watch the local Big Production. Last year it was Cinderella and we spoke to Les Dennis in the middle of Lime Street Station as he was grabbing a Costa Coffee, he was very friendly and lovely to my girls. This year it's Peter Pan and we can't wait!

2)Christmas Eve is "Craft day." The girls dress up in their most festive outfits, last year it was red Santa dresses and we have a craft afternoon making star shaped biscuits to adorn the tree and reindeer dust from glitter, oats and shiny star shapes. We finish off with lots of mince pies and chocolate milk or mulled wine for mummy.



3) The girls Scatter their Reindeer dust onto the front lawn and then leave out the mandatory mince pie, pint of milk and a carrot for Rudolph.



4) 7pm Christmas Eve mass - We probably won't make it this year due to the twins early bedtime but I'm hoping by next year this will be the one family tradition we stick too every year. It's important to remember the true meaning of the holidays and to Celebrate properly. hopefully the children will realise there is more to Christmas than just presents!

5)We let the children open one present each before bedtime on Christmas Eve which is always festive Pyjamas. This ensures they look the part on the hundreds of pictures taken the next morning of them ripping open all their presents.

6) Relatives - We visit my parents at 10am to get the obligatory gift swap out the way and ensure they see the grand kids. This means we are safely back at home by 12pm and have the rest of the day to do as we please- no family politics and rules to adhere too. Instead we spend the day putting batteries into numerous plastic toys and splitting up several squabbles over who got the most presents from Santa.

7) A proper brunch complete with bucks fizz and smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and croissants, this helps to line the stomach in preparation for that huge tin of quality streets we'll inevitably polish off before dinner time.

8)Christmas Dinner is served promptly at 3pm with all the trimmings including stuffing and sprouts. We start our three course meal in style with a prawn salad (soup for the kids) but we NEVER finish it off with Christmas pudding - yuck. We prefer a blueberry cheesecake or good old mince pies with cream.



9) Lots of Wine to wash down your meal and it wouldn't be Christmas without pulling a cracker or ten!






10) The "GRINCH"- Christmas would most certainly not be the same without a bit of Jim Carey and "hooville." We watch this on DVD religiously every Christmas evening. Afterwards we play with the kids latest board games and stuff ourselves full of chocolates and turkey butties.