Our writers have come together to share how they spend the perfect Christmas Eve…

Freya Bird, Redbrick Contributor

Christmas Eve is all about traditions and following a set schedule, so let me tell you mine. It has become tradition for me that Christmas Eve is spent as a mini Christmas Day for me and my boyfriend to celebrate together. We start the day by walking his dog (a mini schnauzer called Ernie) rocking the cutest Christmas jumper that you ever did see! Promptly after the walk, when we’re both suitably freezing cold, we make hot chocolates and sit ourselves down ready for a Christmas movie. We always rewatch the classics: Love Actually, Elf and of course, The Grinch. Then we get onto opening our Christmas presents from each other, sat on his bed, listening to Christmas music. After a wholesome evening watching more films, I then head home to tackle the fattest plate of Chinese takeaway known to man. Once I muster up enough energy to move after taking on the huge meal, it’s time for an everything shower, freshly dried hair and clean Christmas pjs. Before I go to bed on Christmas Eve, I make sure to take my stocking and leave it hanging on my door handle ready for Santa in the morning!

Tamara Greatrix, Print & Features Editor

Christmas Eve has always been the most magical day of the year for me. The Christmas Day excitement and comforting rhythm of family traditions are the perfect way to get into the Christmas Spirit. Since I was a little girl, the morning has always begun the same way. The crisp winter air on my face as I ride through the forest on my childhood pony, Paddy, and what started as a childhood ritual has grown with me. These days, the group of riders keeps growing each year, and last year, five of us set out together, winding our way through the tranquillity of Cannock Chase on horseback, soaking up the last moments of calm before the holiday rush. Once the horses are home and the fire is on, the pace shifts, and the next tradition begins. My Dad and I load the car with neatly wrapped gifts and embark on our annual tour of our loved ones’ doorsteps, feeling like the human equivalent of Santa’s elves. Then the final pre-Christmas mission looms: the Tesco dash. With an hour before closing, we race through the aisles, stocking up on enough boxes of Celebrations, picky bits and bottles of bubbly to keep the family going until New Year. Only when the sun has set, and the horses are tucked up in bed, does the world start to slow down, and we get all cosy, ready for a movie. I make a hot chocolate, settle under a blanket, and put on my favourite Christmas movie of all, The Polar Express. We’ve watched it for as long as I can remember. Some traditions grow with you, but I really hope this one never changes. Merry Christmas, everyone

Habibah Ali, Print & Features Editor

Hi readers, so….. I don’t celebrate Christmas because I’m Muslim. Instead, I thought I’d write about how I tend to spend the Christmas break off. Generally, whenever the seasons change I tend to change up my posters in my room and when Winter rolls around I do that and purchase scented candles. The combination of new posters, candles and fairylights are the perfect recipe for creating the perfect ambience needed when the weather turns miserable. Last year I was a Fresher, and I spent my holidays doing assignments and taking a break from my first ever semester of university. I really wanted to visit the German markets but alas, none of my friends were available and so I didn’t go. Yes, I’m one of those who don’t go out by myself. In my defence, I can spend time with myself but if I’m going to commute to Birmingham, I’m not going to go by myself for obvious reasons. This year, however, I’m committed to going to the markets because my next opportunity to do so is going to be in two years (since I’m going to study abroad next year). Maybe I’ll be brave and go myself. Besides that, I’m afraid I will have to make time for my assignment deadlines in January (with the added pressure of the grades contributing to my overall degree average) just like last year. Unlike last year, however, I intend to go watch Sherlock Holmes in the theatre. I only started to visit the theatre this year and I love it. I can’t wait to watch the production they are going to put up and really hope the student discounted tickets don’t get sold out, because the theatre is amazing and all but regular tickets are not good for my bank account. At all. I hope you enjoyed my piece and I wish you all a lovely break from the regular hustle and bustle of the miserable thing we call life under capitalism. (Make this your friendly reminder not to break the bank when shopping for gifts- make it small and meaningful to the giftee!)

Ronia Royce, News Editor

As is standard routine, my Christmas Eve always begins with a frantic grocery run, as my mum and I insist on leaving our Christmas dinner shop until the last minute (we never learn our lesson…), so we spend the morning searching for any chickens or turkeys that haven’t already been claimed by people far more prepared than ourselves. Whilst we’re there, I also make sure to stock up on sweet treats for the night ahead. Honourable mentions include chocolate fingers, sour watermelon Candy Kittens, and brownies from the bakery section. Once the shopping run is done, we reward ourselves with a hot chocolate before retreating to our respective corners of the house to wrap presents to put under the tree. Despite being a similar stature to an elf, I certainly don’t have the same present-wrap-ping abilities! Once every gift is wrapped and safely t ucked under the tree, my fam-ily come together down-stairs in our ceremonial cosy Christmas paja-mas, and choose a film to watch to end the night with the snacks bought earlier that morning. I always insist on watching either Nativity! or The Polar Express, although last year I was outvoted and we ended up watching Spirited. Once the credits start and the snacks have fully disappeared, we all drift off to our rooms, and I finish the evening with a face mask before calling it a night.

Libby Anderson, Redbrick Contributor

Have you become repulsed at the thought of watching Home Alone for the millionth time this Christmas? If so, I have the perfect solution so that you can still enjoy snuggling up on the sofa and soaking up those Christmas vibes, without being able to recite every word of the script. Every year, my mum and I have the tradition of watching mind-numbingly predictable Netflix and Channel 5 Christmas movies together. A personal favourite of mine is ‘Angel Falls Christmas,’ which is so unbelievably awful and yet I am undeniably obsessed. It is full of typical American Christmas soppiness such as reflecting on photo albums, Christmas tree shopping and finding their true Christmas spirit. However, it has the absolutely absurd plot of a mysterious angel ‘Gabe’, who attempts to help workaholic surgeon ‘Ally’ celebrate Christmas, whilst trying not to fall in love with her. Random bursts of music and pretend ice skating (where the budget has obviously ran out) make this a firm Christmas favourite for me. Devoid of all real emotion, this movie is so robotically festive that it is unintentionally hilarious. I urge you to watch one this Christmas, and dive into the mesh of red trench coats and endless references to eggnog. These movies are a highlight of the festive season for me and my mum and I hope they soon will be for you too!

Ash Sutton, Film & TV Editor

The Sutton Christmas Eve is just as much of an event as Christmas Day. I use the word event lightly because the night wholly revolves around sitting on the floor in our living room in our pyjamas. There was a time when I was young when Christmas Eve would mean Santa’s Grotto and the Snow Dome. Now, while the sun is still up, our kitchen turns into a bakery. The Santa hats come out, the Sonos speaker blares Michael Bublé and we dust off the big mixer. The festive bakes are always my favourite, last year I mastered the Yule Log (though not the icing sugar dusting) and in years gone by the assortment has consisted of peppermint polar bears, gingerbread cookies and golden cupcakes. After a day of eating raw batter, the oven takes over for the buffet spread. We splash out on M&S picky bits where the main event is cheese. The M&S trip occurs first thing that morning, the one in Bridgenorth because the drive is full of Christmas lights. We pick up the meat for Christmas dinner, I lead the way in picking the hors d’oeuvres and we hunt and hunt for one specific pot of gravy every year. A food-oriented day concludes, and we finally make it to the living room floor. Clad in matching pyjamas and a new board game under the tree, the real event begins. Starting with the family photo which ends up in an hour wasted trying to get the dogs to sit still. We settle on the most chaotic of the bunch. It’s rare it even goes on social media, just another of the same photo to commemorate the holidays. The game is then broken into along with an assortment of oldies we love. Articulate and Cluedo have become musts. Friendly competition (ish) is then quelled in a mug of hot chocolate and Arthur Christmas – which remains to be the best Christmas movie of all time. That is until my dad makes a show of not being able to keep his eyes open any longer and we are sent upstairs for the magic to begin. Christmas isn’t quite as magical now I am older, but the anticipation of Christmas still peaks and the time we spend the four of us together remains to be my favourite time of year.

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