Special Delivery Autumn 2016 | Page 19

Your Local NCT

On Christmas Eve the whole family are allowed to open one present each, and every year it's the same, we all get new pyjamas! Nice ones - luxurious even, ones you would take away on holiday, those kind of PJs. Sounds silly, but I must admit there's always great excitement and there's nothing like lovely new PJs!

- Julia

We always use Christmas as an opportunity to get our NCT group back together (we always do a summer gathering as well and whatever else we can arrange in between). This is will be our fifth Christmas and between the 8 of us we now have 16 children. Finding a venue can be a challenge so we tend to try and get a date agreed well in advance in September.

- Sarah

Putting out a mince pie and sherry for Santa and a carrot for his reindeer on a special plate we bought for our eldest daughter's first Christmas. Here's a photo of her a couple of years ago with the offerings - including some extra drinks for Santa and his reindeer in case they were thirsty!

- Sarah

Other ideas...

• Go to see Santa at Duke of York Square (on Kings Road) and tie it in with a visit to Peter Jones so your children can choose a Christmas decoration each year

• Go to the theatre to see something festive and child friendly the weekend before Christmas

• Go to a nativity church service on Christmas Eve

• Allow your children to open their gifts from each other after tea on Christmas Eve (a good way to relieve the frustration of them seeing lots of presents under the tree which they aren't allowed to open)