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Christmas Traditions + Win £150 Voucher with Virgin Experience Days!

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Ezra age 4 with Pooh
 
BAT featured partner
 
Babes about Town was invited** by Virgin Experience Days to share some traditions that make Christmas unique to me and my family. If you’d like to play along, there’s a brilliant competition to win £150 towards a weekend break with Virgin Experience Days so scroll to the bottom for more details!

Christmas Traditions Quiz with Virgin Experience Days

1. Best present you’ve been gifted & gifted to someone else?

This is a hard one. I would have said the Macbook Air that my hubby bought me a few years back, although after I spilled orange juice on it and totally fried its insides, that’s a bit of a sore topic (Apples and oranges eh?). So I’ll have to go back to my childhood when I had the biggest package ever waiting for me under the tree. After much squishing, I could tell it was something cuddly. I opened it to discover my dad had bought me a gorgeously soft toy lion. Aslan became the guardian of my dreams and keeper of my secrets and I actually kept him in my bedroom until well into my twenties!

The best present I’ve given someone is probably the Winnie the Pooh I bought for Ezra’s first Christmas. It’s still his favourite teddy. Otherwise, I’d say it’s a Jawbone Jambox wireless speaker I bought the mister a couple of years back. We’re both big music heads and he takes it everywhere.

 
Jawbone Jambox red speaker
 

2. Family Christmas traditions?

My favourite tradition at this time of year actually happens on New Year’s Eve, when we ‘pimp our Christmas tree’ with mini disco balls, paper masks and champagne bubble blowers! For Christmas, if we’re with my in-laws in Nice, we follow the French tradition of celebrating the night before with some food, wine and opening gifts on Christmas Eve.

This year I’m looking forward to starting a new tradition of making up a Christmas Eve box for everyone with popcorn, new pyjamas, treats and a Christmas DVD. For weird family traditions, my stepson Isaac and I had a running joke about dancing to Cliff Richard’s Mistletoe and Wine, but the less said about that the better!

3. Earliest Christmas memory?

One of my earliest Christmas memories was as a child in Nigeria when, for some reason, all the kids were running around in these fake white Santa beards that brought us out in a terrible rash! Nearly ruined that Christmas. Also we would go to Santa’s grotto in our local supermarket in Enugu (my birth town). I distinctly remember toddling along what seemed like an endless tunnel, filled with weird glittery bits and eerie music, and being quite terrified of who I was going to meet at the other end!

 
Natalie Wood in Miracle on 34th Street
 

4. Favourite Christmas movie?

I absolutely love Elf with Will Ferrell, it cracks me up every time. Another non-traditional Christmas movie that has me on the floor is Trading Places with Eddie Murphy. But for a classic Christmas story, you can’t beat Miracle on 34th Street. My favourite is the version with Natalie Woods.

5. When does Christmas officially start for you?

As a blogger, Christmas starts in July! Every year, we get invites from brands and department stores to check out their Christmas ranges, way ahead of the season. Seriously though, I get that Christmas feeling once the main London attractions open e.g. Skate at Somerset House, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and the Southbank Centre Winter Festival.

Strolling around one of London’s most scenic spots with the babes on a frosty evening, glass of mulled wine in my hands, is my idea of Christmas heaven. Another treat is listening to the carol singers who gather every year outside Burlington Arcade. Fabulous!

Watch the fun Virgin Experience Days holiday campaign video:
 

 

Win £150 Voucher for a Weekend Break with Virgin Experience Days!

Virgin Experience Days is offering a lucky Babes about Town reader the chance to win a £150 voucher to spend on any of their fantastic weekend breaks. All you have to do is enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

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**Featured post in association with Virgin Experience Days

More competitions at ThePrizeFinder and Super Lucky

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About Uju

Uju Asika is a writer, blogger and creative consultant. She is the author of Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World (Yellow Kite/Hachette UK) and the delightful new picture book A World for Me and You, illustrated by Jennie Poh (Wren & Rook/Hachette Children's Group). Uju's books are available at Amazon, Bookshop.org, Waterstones and other good bookshops. Follow Uju @babesabouttown on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tracy Nixon

    4) Favourite Christmas movie

    My favourite Christmas movie is A Christmas Carol/Scrooge! I watch all versions from the old to new and musical to animated!

  2. Honest mum

    Wow that Santa’s grotto sounds SCARY Mama and laughed at the itchy white beards, sure we had those too-the 80’s huh! Yes to Elf and love the French tradition of opening presents on Christmas Eve, this year we are staying at my folk’s from Christmas Eve and we can’t wait. What a fab comp too xx

  4. EMMA WALTERS

    4) When does Christmas start for you? – as soon as bonfire night is over, the shopping starts!

  5. Sinead ORourke

    1) An Ipod touch.
    2) Making sausage rolls
    3) Visiting santa when I was 7 in Sheffield.
    4) Elf
    5) On the 20th of November

  9. Uju

    Ooh how nice, I like the Christmas eve tradition too but I love the look on the kids’ faces when they see what Santa brought on Christmas day, so it’s great to mesh the too. Yup that Santa’s grotto has haunted me for life, I tell ya lol!

  11. Uju

    Ah Tracey we just watched the A Christmas Carol animated movie, I have to say it was much scarier than I’d imagined, my youngest was pretty creeped out! Good film though :-)

  14. laura banks

    my favourite movie is national lampoons xmas vacation i have to watch it every year and i still find it funny

  15. Nikki Hayes

    1. Books
    2. Drinking Bucks Fizz on Christmas morning whilst opening presents
    3. Me and my sister opening half the presents whilst our parents were still in bed
    4. The Santa Clause
    5. Beginning of December

  16. Emma Ellams

    Favourite traditions are tracking Santa on Christmas Eve and having trifle for breakfast on Boxing Day!

  19. jules eley

    1) Favourite gift? That was my Tiffany Handbag 2) Family Christmas traditions?We always open one small gift on xmas eve 3) Earliest Christmas memory? Aged around 4 I remember coming down the stairs to hundreds of presents all over the living room it was so magical 4) Favourite Christmas movie? The santa Claus I love the idea of how santa carrys on by someone putting on the coat. 4) When does Christmas start for you? 1st of Decemeber

  23. Jay

    It’s a family tradition to bake the Christmas cake together – we do it in September, then add sherry and brandy to the cake every 1-2 weeks, on December 1st we add the marzipan, and then the week before Christmas the icing and decoration.

  24. Ruth Harwood

    We always play games on Christmas Afternoon, yahtzee and Cluedo – it’s my fave christmas tradition xx

  25. Sarah S

    Earliest Christmas memory?

    Beating up my big brother with a rolling pin because he stole my Christmas cookies I made!

  28. Chrissie Curtis

    I love decorating the tree Christmas starts when the house is decorated and my favourite movie is Deck the Halls!

  37. Catherine Reynolds

    1) Favourite gift? Tickets to the theatre
    2) Family Christmas traditions? Going to an hotel for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day :)
    3) Earliest Christmas memory? My cousin breaking my brand new toy guitar D:
    4) Favourite Christmas movie? Muppets Christmas Carol
    5) When does Christmas start for you? When I see my first Christmas themed play :)

  43. Jaelin Farrow

    My favourite Christmas movie is Muppets Christmas Carol…followed very closely by Scrooged!

  47. Rosalind Sargent

    Favourite movie has to be the Polar Express I remember taking my son to see it at the IMAX in London on his 5th Birthday 10 days before Christmas it was one of the first films to be shown in 3D the screen was really tall (biggest screen in the uk) and the film was Magical

  49. Lorraine Tinsley

    Christmas has started in my house, we went to see my eldest daughter’s school concert and we saw Santa on Thurs at the local garden centre. We all wore Christmas jumper :)

  56. Darrell

    My favourite movie is A Christmas Story. It is so funny & it is traditional that we, as a family, watch it EVERY Christmas Eve :)

  62. Ebabee

    I remember the sad demise of the macbook air – but Aslan sounds cool and what a lovely memory. Love the idea of a Christmas eve box – what fun! I don’t have many Xmas memories as we didn’t celebrate xmas but I am making some new traditions and memories with A which is nice. My favourite is the yearly advent calendar that I make for her and she anticipates and waits for it from around March each year!! The excitement on her face each day as she opens it is priceless – long may it continue xx

  65. Libby N

    We love putting a gift from Santa at the end of their beds which is New Pyjamas and Slippers – and they have to open this up before they come and wake us up – we can normally hear them opening them which gives us 5 minutes to wake up a bit :)

  68. kady newell

    my favourite family tradition is definitely the new pyjamas and slippers we all get and we get to open them christmas eve :D

  71. Uju

    Oh Nomita I LOVE your advent calendars, they’re just too awesome. I can only imagine what Anya feels like when she receives these and opens them every day. The boys are getting letters from a Christmas elf which certainly livens up our household at this time of year, and I’m very excited about making up the Christmas Eve box this year x

  82. Jo Carroll

    I think Christmas really starts for me when all the children break up from school – then it’s full steam ahead. x

  85. lynn neal

    Christmas starts for me on December 4th which is the day after my Birthday and this is when I begin the serious shopping and preparations!

  88. lynn heath

    My favourite christmas gift is a Lava lamp that my mum and dad got me years ago – still works though!

  89. Hazel Rea

    Family Christmas Tradition: Having our first full Christmas meal by candlelight on Christmas Eve. We started this when the children were tiny so I could enjoy Christmas morning without worrying about the turkey but we love it so much we still do it.

  94. Diane Carey

    My favourite Christmas gift ever was my record player and LPs in December 1973 when I was 10 yrs old

  99. Angie Hoggett

    Christmas starts for me when it gets to December, the decorations go up the first weekend and the advent calendars start being opened.

  106. Louise Watts

    2) Family Christmas traditions? – We have always played cards at about 5pm for as long as I can remember! We used to eat Tunis Cake as well every year while we were playing but you just can’t get a good one these days – I’m afraid the M&S one just doesn’t cut it!

  107. Barbara madden

    yesterday when l went to see the school play it was wonderful the little ones wagging there fingers shouting there voices off, there isn’t any room and you can’t come in , all looking for there mom;s , dad, nan’s and granmp’s and when they do there faces change to a big smile, Its so magical and tearful at times with joy

  113. Jade Missy Evans

    Christmas tradition –

    I love to play – Slade’s It’s Christmas – On Christmas morning just as the boys come down to open their presents. It just gives that epic Christmas feeling to the start of the day!

  115. Monica Gilbert

    For me, the Christmas season starts the day after Thanksgiving. You can take me out of America, but you can’t take the American out of me.

  119. liza campy

    1) Favourite gift?One year I was gift a beautiful vintage teapot, sounds really materialistic but seriously it was the beatigul thing i have ever seen and I still have it.
    2) Family Christmas traditions? New pjs on xmas eve
    3) Earliest Christmas memory? seeing santa in a big department store when I was younger and riding santas train to get there
    4) Favourite Christmas movie? miracle on 34th street
    4) When does Christmas start for you? when the children break up

  121. Rebecca Isles

    Family Christmas Traditions
    We have steak and chips on Christmas Eve, and I go to bed early with a big mug of hot chocolate and a book. We exchange gifts in the morning with a pot of real, fancy coffee!

  122. Sarah Lewis

    My favourite gift are those which are hand made like a box of homemade sweets.

    My favourite Christmas tradition is decorating the tree.

    My earliest Christmas memory is getting a much loved dolls pram.

    Favourite Christmas movie is Santa Claus The Movie

    Christmas for me starts when the tree goes up.

  133. Denise Seddon

    My favourite Christmas movie is Miracle on 34th Street, I remember watching the black and white version when I was a kid and loved it and I love the 90s version too, starring Sir Richard Attenborough. Its magical story with a fairy tale ending.

  134. Dawn McBride

    My favourite christmas film is The Snowman, I love sitting down with my little ones on Christmas Eve to watch it in our Pyjamas, with milk/hot chocolate and some popcorn xx

  135. jessica cook

    My fave christmas movie is santa clause the movie, I saw it at the cinema when i was a child and still love it now

  137. Jo Meichtry

    5) When does Christmas start for you – It’s my birthday on 7th December so I never start Christmas until the 8th December when the birthday fun has been and gone, it’s then time to get ready for Christmas. I love December, best month of the year :-)

  143. Pauline Wilson

    1. Michael Kors watch
    2. Opening a few prezzies on Xmas eve after party nibbles
    3. Making santa a drawing and sticking sweets to it for him
    4. Has to be Elf
    5. At the start of December when the tree goes up and the preparations begin being planned out.
    Merry Christmas

  144. Nancy Bradford

    My earliest Christmas memory is waiting until I thought everyone was asleep and then sneaking downstairs and hiding behind the Christmas tree trying to get a glimpse of Santa.

  146. Michelle Stokes

    Our family favourite Christmas movie is the Grinch we all love it and watch it over and over again.

  147. Samantha B

    I love Christmas films! My favourite Christmas movie is The Holiday because I watched it loads of times with my mum.

  148. maria hackett

    Christmas start on 01st of December. we put our Christmas tree up every year on 1st of December and do most of the shopping first week of December too x

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