48 Hours Of Awesome – How To Plan Christmas Day & Eve

Wondering how to plan Christmas Day so that you can relax and enjoy the moment? Hosting a big crowd and trying to figure out how you’re going to get it all done?

How to Plan Christmas Day & Christmas Eve

It always seems like there is so much involved with getting ready for Christmas. But when the actual day comes, your ability to enjoy Christmas will depend on the things you have planned for the day.

Too much going on and Christmas Day will feel stressful and overwhelming. Not enough going on can feel like a bit of a let down during this festive time of year.

In this post, I share some tips and ideas for Christmas Day planning and Christmas Eve planning. Learn how to make the most of these 48 hours!

What Can You Do On Christmas Eve?

Wondering how to make a magical Christmas Eve for your kids & family? Or what you should do on Christmas Eve to make the most of the day?

Let’s first talk through some of the practical things to get out of the way on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve Preparations

• Last minute shopping. Not much is open on Christmas Day apart from gas stations, airports & hospitals. If you need any additional items for Christmas food, drinks or gifts, now is the time to go shopping.
  • Tip: shop as early in the day as you can to avoid crowds and find the best selection. Many stores will start to close early. Many people will still be working and will stop by the store as they leave work.
• Christmas meal prep. If you’re going to serve food on Christmas Day, Christmas Eve prep for Christmas dinner is a must. Many dishes can be made ahead of time and then reheated on Christmas Day.
  • Tip: Make sure you have all the ingredients you need on hand before stores close on Christmas Day.
  • For Christmas Eve meal plan ideas, check out this post: Christmas Dinner Planning Guide For The Ultimate Holiday Feast
• Finish wrapping gifts. Gift wrapping can seem overwhelming and many of us put it off until the last minute. Make it your goal on Christmas Eve to finish wrapping your gifts so you can relax.
  • Tip: If you’re doing last minute gift shopping, see if the store can wrap the gift for you. Many stores will offer this service and it can save you time.
• Clean your house. If you’re having guests over for Christmas, make sure to do some cleaning and tidying before they come. Christmas Eve is a good time to do this if you want to relax on Christmas Day.

Now let’s move on to fun & popular Christmas Eve traditions!

Wondering where to go on Christmas Eve? Here are a few Christmas Eve events to enjoy in your local community.

Christmas Eve Activities

• Dinner & drinks. Many restaurants & bars will close early on Christmas Eve to allow their employees some time off. However, some places will stay open for dinner & drinks. Most restaurants are open during lunch hours on Christmas Eve.
  • Tip: Before you go out, call the place or check their website to make sure they will be open.
• Attend a church service. Many churches offer special a Christmas Eve service such as a candlelight service or a children’s service. Check with your local church for times. Many people like going to church on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day.
  • Tip: Not a regular at church? Most churches have an open door policy and will be expecting extra people during Christmas services. Attending a Christmas service is a good way to spiritually celebrate the season.
• Visit a Christmas market. Even if you don’t need any more Christmas gifts, visiting a Christmas market near you can be a great activity to do on Christmas Eve. Most markets will remain open on Christmas Eve, but be sure to check online for details.
• Enjoy a Christmas light display. Many Christmas light displays are open on Christmas Eve and can be a fun thing to do in the evening with family or friends. If you can’t find a venue that is open on Christmas Eve, consider just driving or walking around your neighborhood to view Christmas lights & decorations.
• Volunteer. A nice way to spend some of your time over the holidays is by volunteering with a local charity. Some charities such as soup kitchens, homeless shelters and nursing homes are open on Christmas Eve and are looking for volunteers to help out.

Planning to spend time at home on Christmas Eve? These Christmas Eve activities can be enjoyed in your own space.

Christmas Eve Activities at Home

• Host a Christmas Eve dinner. Some families hold a dinner on Christmas Eve as a way to celebrate during the holidays. A Christmas Eve dinner is great for couples and families that need to split time visiting with different friends and relatives over the next few days.
  • Tip: Christmas Eve dinner doesn’t have to be fancy. As many restaurants are open on Christmas Eve, consider ordering take out and save the cooking for Christmas Day.
• Play a game or two. Christmas Eve is a great time to play board games or card games with your family or friends. Age appropriate games are fun for kids too.
• Hold a movie night. Watching a movie or two is a nice way to relax and enjoy your Christmas Eve evening. Make it a tradition by watching the same movie each year. Or consider watching movies with a certain theme (Christmas movies, Jame Bond films, etc.)
• Bake some cookies. Many people like to bake on Christmas Eve as a way to relax and enjoy the down time. If you’re planning to do a lot of baking, make sure to give yourself enough time. Too much meal prep/baking on Christmas Eve can be stressful.
• Relax. You deserve a break after all the Christmas prep activities!

Gift Giving on Christmas Eve

• Open a Christmas Eve box. A nice tradition that has gained popularity over the last few years is a Christmas Eve box. A Christmas Eve box is generally filled items such as pajamas, coloring books, DVDs, candy or food, etc. You can create your own Christmas Eve box or purchase one that is already filled with goodies.
• Open a gift or two. Some people like to open presents on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day. If you don’t want to break with the tradition of opening presents on Christmas Day, considering opening a small gift or two on Christmas Eve.
• Get ready for Santa. For those with small children, it’s important to get ready for Santa’s arrival:
  • Leave out a plate of cookies for Santa
  • Leave out food for his reindeer
  • Leave out a note for Santa
  • Watch Santa’s progress on a live Santa Tracker
• Stuff stockings, place gifts under the tree. If you haven’t already, be sure to stuff stocking and place presents under the tree in preparation for Christmas morning.

Christmas Eve Alone

What to do on Christmas Eve alone or without family? There a few ways to make the most out of this day even if your by yourself:

• Reach out to friends that might also be alone for Christmas Eve. See if they would like to spend some time together.
• Touch base with long distance family and friends online or by phone.
• Volunteer at charity where other people will be around such as a soup kitchen.
• Attend local events such as a church service, light display or do some shopping.
• Enjoy the peace & quite. Christmas can be a nice time for reflection which is often best done by yourself.

Christmas Eve Planning

Now that you have an idea of what to do on Christmas Eve, make a list of the things you need to get done and any plans you might have.

As part of your Christmas Eve planning, jot down times of any events & meal prep to create a Christmas Eve itinerary and schedule.

For plans with other people, be sure to touch base with them a few weeks in advance. Remember to plan out enough down time to relax and visit with other people.

Looking for printables to help out with Christmas Eve planing? Need a Christmas Eve planner? My Ultimate Christmas Planner is 100+ pages and will help you keep track of plans for Christmas Day & Christmas Eve!

Grab the Ultimate Christmas Planner printable HERE!

The Ultimate Christmas Planner includes schedules for Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, to do checklists, calendars, note pages & more! If you’re trying to get Christmas Day and Christmas Eve plans in place and organized, this printable Christmas planner is for you.

What Can You Do On Christmas Day?

After a month or more of planning, Christmas Day has finally arrived! But what are you supposed to do on Christmas Day and how do you plan Christmas Day events & activities?

Let’s first talk through some of the practical things that need to be done on Christmas Day.

Christmas Day Preparations

• Christmas meal prep. For many people, Christmas dinner is the big meal of the day. Make sure to give yourself enough time to cook any dishes such as roasted turkey, baked ham, etc and to reheat foods that were prepared earlier.
  • For Christmas dinner planning help, check out this post: Christmas Dinner Planning Guide For The Ultimate Holiday Feast
• Finish wrapping gifts. If you didn’t get around to wrapping presents on Christmas Eve, it will need to be done on Christmas Day before giving your gift.
• Clean your house. If you’re having guests over for Christmas, make sure to do some cleaning and tidying before they come. Running behind? A quick bathroom cleaning and running the vacuum will often be enough. Make sure there are enough places for guests to sit and eat.

Is there anything to do outside of your home on Christmas Day? While most places are closed on Christmas, here are a few Christmas Day events to enjoy.

Christmas Day Activities

• Attend a church service. On Christmas Day most churches will hold morning services. If you didn’t go to church on Christmas Eve, considering attending a Christmas Day service. Make sure to note the time of the service.
  • Tip: Not a regular at church? Most churches have an open door policy and will be expecting extra people during Christmas services. Attending a Christmas service is a good way to spiritually celebrate the season.
• Enjoy a Christmas light display. Driving or walking around your neighborhood to view Christmas lights & decorations is a good way to get out of a house for a bit on Christmas Day.
• Volunteer. Wondering how to plan Christmas Day in the spirit of giving? A nice way to spend some of your time over the holidays is by volunteering with a local charity. Some charities such as soup kitchens, homeless shelters and nursing homes are open on Christmas Day and are looking for volunteers to help out.

What can you do on Christmas Day at home? Check out some of these popular Christmas Day activities & traditions.

Christmas Day Activities at Home

• Open Christmas presents. Those families with kids will be busy seeing what Santa brought them on Christmas morning. Even if you don’t have children, Christmas morning is still the traditional time of day to open gifts.
• Eat Christmas breakfast or brunch. Another tradition in many homes during Christmas is to have a Christmas breakfast or brunch. This is a good way to eat some food before dinner and can be easy to prep ahead of time.
• Enjoy Christmas presents. Use the down time on Christmas Day to get into your new gifts. It’s a great time to setup new electronics, play with new toys, etc.
• Visit with family & friends. Many people travel locally to see various friends and relatives on Christmas Day. It can be a nice time to visit with people, but make sure your schedule isn’t too rushed. Sometimes it is better to make plans with people in the days that follow Christmas rather than on Christmas Day.
• Host or attend a Christmas dinner. This is usually the time when families gather together and enjoy the Christmas feast.
• Relax. You deserve some down time during this special day!

Additional Christmas Activities

What can you do on Christmas Day that hasn’t been mentioned yet? As you think about how to plan Christmas Day events & traditions, also consider doing some of the following on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve activities for adults:

• Make Christmas crafts
• Make a gingerbread house
• Go caroling
• Read Christmas stories
• Wear festive pajamas or ugly Christmas sweaters

Christmas Day Planning

Don’t let Christmas Day planning feel overwhelming. Simply make a list of the things you need to get done and any plans you might have.

Jot down times of any events & meal planning for a Christmas Day timeline & schedule. When in doubt about how to plan Christmas Day, keep things simple & don’t overbook.

Get organized for Christmas this year with this FREE printable Christmas planning checklist. Sign up below for an instant download!

Looking for additional printables to help with your Christmas planning? Need a Christmas Day planner or Christmas Day preparation list? Check out my FULL Christmas Planner HERE!

More Christmas Planning Ideas

For more info on how to plan your best Christmas yet, check out these posts:

• The Complete Christmas Planning Guide For Busy People
• Ultimate Christmas Planner Printable – Best Christmas Planner for This Year
• Christmas Budget Planning Mistakes – How To Stop Christmas Overspending
• Now Or Later? Here’s When To Start Planning For Christmas
• Christmas Dinner Planning Guide For The Ultimate Holiday Feast
• Christmas Gift Planning – How To Plan Christmas Gifts This Year
• How To Plan Christmas Decorations The Easy Way
• 72 Christmas Planning Tips For A Surprisingly Easy Christmas
• {Free Printable!} A Christmas Planning Checklist For This Year
• {Free Printable!} Save Money With This Christmas Budget Printable
• {Free Printable!} Christmas Meal Planner Printable to Prep a Feast

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