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.
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!
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!
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**Featured post in association with Virgin Experience Days
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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!
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
Just entered, had to unfollow you on twitter and refollow! xx
4) When does Christmas start for you? – as soon as bonfire night is over, the shopping starts!
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
favourite movie is the grinch
4) Favourite Christmas movie?
Mine is The Polar Express :)
Haha how weird, good luck! x
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!
Ooh you’re way more organised than I am Emma! x
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 :-)
fav xmas memory
sitting in a wendy house all day aged 6
4) Christmas starts for me on 1st December when I open the first door on my advent calendar!
my favourite movie is national lampoons xmas vacation i have to watch it every year and i still find it funny
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
Favourite traditions are tracking Santa on Christmas Eve and having trifle for breakfast on Boxing Day!
4) Favourite Christmas movie – home alone – its funny and great for the whole family!
4) My favourite Christmas movie is Miracle on 34th Street
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
fave xmas movie is polar express
When I was little I remember being super excited to receive the Barbie campervan :-))
Xmas movie would be Scrooge
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.
We always play games on Christmas Afternoon, yahtzee and Cluedo – it’s my fave christmas tradition xx
Earliest Christmas memory?
Beating up my big brother with a rolling pin because he stole my Christmas cookies I made!
My fav Christmas film is the classic The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.
I love Home Alone such a cute innocent film :)
I love decorating the tree Christmas starts when the house is decorated and my favourite movie is Deck the Halls!
Love National Lampoons Christmas Vacation ~
Fave Xmas movie is “Elf” :)
Earliest Christmas memory was when I got my first bike!
Christmas starts for me on Christmas Eve.
Fabulous prize, thank you :) x
My favourite Christmas movie is the Grinch. It sort of reminds me of my hubby!
Favourite Christmas movie – Miracle on 34th Street
4) Favourite Christmas movie? This has to be Elf, so funny!
Favourite Movie:
The Polar Express
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 :)
4. Favourite Christmas movie. Home alone. I’m a big kid!
My favourite Christmas movie is Elf. Always makes me feel so festive!
4) When does Christmas start for you? Not until I finish work on the 22nd
I like going to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.
Favourite gift: go-kart when I was 11
My favourite Christmas movie is Muppets Christmas Carol…followed very closely by Scrooged!
My favourite christmas movie is Santa Claus the movie.
Muppet’s Christmas carol is definitely the best Christmas film :)
My favourite Christmas film is It’s A Wonderful Life
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
Favourite Christmas film.has to be home alone 2
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 :)
My Favourite Christmas movie is Elf.
I love the Polar Express
Favourite xmas movie – the grinch.
Favourite Christmas movie is The Polar Express
Favourite Christmas film has got to be It’s a Wonderful Life, such a brilliant film!
we love ELF xx
My favourite movie is A Christmas Story. It is so funny & it is traditional that we, as a family, watch it EVERY Christmas Eve :)
Favourite family tradition is to open one present on Xmas eve :) x
My fave Christmas movie is Home Alone :)
2) Family Christmas traditions? ours are new pj’s on Christmas eve x
we always play charades so funny x
My favourite Christmas movie is Love Actually – has me in tears every single time!
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
My favourite Christmas film is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – love it!
The muppets christmas carol is my favourite film
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 :)
favourite christmas film is the polar express
My favourite Christmas film is the polar express, mainly because it is so magical and special!
my favourite family tradition is definitely the new pyjamas and slippers we all get and we get to open them christmas eve :D
Favourite gift – laptop
My favourite Xmas movie is, I’ll be home for christmas
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
Favourite Christmas movie is National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.
My favourite Christmas movie is Polar Express : )
My favourite Christmas movie is Love Actually x
My favourite Xmas movie is Elf x
My favourite Christmas movie is Elf it’s such a great funny film love it
Ooh I love this Libby N!
My favourite Christmas movie is Elf – so funny!
Muppets Christmas Carol!
Family tradition – Dad/Grandad always picks the first present from the pile at random.
Favourite movie – Arthur Christmas
I think Christmas really starts for me when all the children break up from school – then it’s full steam ahead. x
My favourite movie is ELF xxx
Christmas starts for me on Twelfth Night when we put our tree up.
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!
my favorite christmas movie is the polar express x
My favourite Christmas movie is still Wizard of Oz even after all these years
My favourite christmas gift is a Lava lamp that my mum and dad got me years ago – still works though!
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.
Miracle on 34th Street
My favorite Christmas Movie is Miracle on 34th Street x
Christmas for me always starts on December 1st :)
My birthday is on November 25th so Christmas starts for me on the 26th of November.
My favourite Christmas gift ever was my record player and LPs in December 1973 when I was 10 yrs old
My favourite Christmas movie is Elf, because Will Ferrell is hilarious!
My favourite Christmas film is miracle on 34th street x
My fave Christmas movie is Home Alone.
My favorite gift is probably cash! haha (:
Christmas starts for me when it gets to December, the decorations go up the first weekend and the advent calendars start being opened.
My favourite Christmas movie is The Snowman
I have two favourite Christmas movies; (1) Elf (2) The Nightmare Before Christmas <3
my favourite christmas movie is ELF – love it!! :)
Favourite Christmas Movie – One of our dinosaurs is missing
Favourite Christmas movie? Its got to be love actually! <3
my fave is home alone 2
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!
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
My fave movie is Miracle on 34th Street x
Please be me :)
My favourite Christmas movie is Fred Claus :)
My favourite christmas movie is The Polar Express, i just love it.
Favourite Christmas movie is Santa Claus the movie
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!
Favourite Christmas movie is It’s a Wonderful Life
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.
My all time favorite Christmas movie is home all .. we watch it as a whole family
My favourite movie is Elf! We watch it every year and it never gets old!
My favourite Chrsitmas movie is The Holiday
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
Elf
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!
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.
My favourite Christmas movie is Miracle On 34th Street :) but it has to be the 1994 version!
My favourite Christmas film is Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Fav Christmas movie is Scrooged
Favourite film is die hard
My fave Christmas film is Elf. I love it
Christmas starts for me 1st December when the decorations go up
My favourite gift was a Golf Club membership x
My favourite Christmas film is The Grinch
My favourite Christmas movie is the Muppets Christmas Carol
My fave Xmas movie is the Wizard of Oz!
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.
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
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
1. Links of London Charm Bracelet
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 :-)
4) Favourite Christmas movie IS ELF
I absolutely love decorating the tree to Christmas music :) So magical xx
Die Hard is THE Christmas movie in our house :-)
One of our traditions is that the kids get new PJs to go to bed in on Xmas eve x
My favourite Christmas movie is Elf!
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
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.
My favourite Christmas movie is Scrooged. I love it, so funny.
Our family favourite Christmas movie is the Grinch we all love it and watch it over and over again.
I love Christmas films! My favourite Christmas movie is The Holiday because I watched it loads of times with my mum.
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