Do You Get Any/much Sleep on Xmas Eve?

Updated on December 25, 2012
R.J. asks from Seattle, WA
20 answers

I always intend to... But rarely do!!!

I'm usually in bed at LEAST 3 hours later than I think I will be.

This year (we do Xmas on the 24th) may be an all nighter. (Insert crossed eyes here). In getting too old for this!

What can I do next?

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J.G.

answers from Chicago on

Yes, we celebrate tomorrow, so once the kids are asleep,and the presents are under the tree, I go to bed.

We will do take out food tonight and just drive around and look at lights.

2 moms found this helpful
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R.K.

answers from Appleton on

My birthday is today. So between celebrating my birthday and Christmas ?????

You actually sleep in Christmas Eve??

1 mom found this helpful

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S.G.

answers from Grand Forks on

I do. We go to church at 7:00pm and get home at 9:00pm. We'll read Dean Koontz Santa's Twin together. Then we put out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. The kids will get ready for bed and be in bed by 11:00pm at the latest. When I am sure they are asleep I'll fill the stockings and put out the rest of the presents, then off to bed myself.

My brother in-laws are French Canadian and celebrate the traditional Christmas Eve Reveillon that lasts all night long. They go to midnight mass. After mass they come home and have their Christmas feast. After their feast they open gifts, dance and go tobogganning. They go to bed Christmas morning and sleep all day on Christmas Day, even the children.

My brothers family used to have us over for dinner on Christmas Day, but as they have gotten older they can't stay up all night Christmas Eve, then host a dinner on Christmas Day, so we have moves to Boxing Day.

4 moms found this helpful
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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I swear moms (especially) get sprinkled by Santa with Magic Energy Dust or something because when my son was in the toddler years, it seemed like I got about 2 hours of sleep in Christmas Eve and somehow, we manage to get through that next big day, right?!
Merry Christmas!

2 moms found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Dallas on

Christmas Eve we celebrate with my entire extended family at our house. I'm not complaining; it's our favorite day of the year! They do stay fairly late, though, usually until 11:00 or so. Then we get the kids into bed, and my husband and I clean up and get the Santa gifts ready. We're in bed by 1:00 or 2:00, but our youngest is always up by 6:00ish.

On Christmas day, though, it's just the four of us. We build a big fire in the fireplace, see what Santa brought, make/eat breakfast, and then leisurely open gifts. The rest of the day is extremely relaxing. We play games and watch movies. There is plenty of time for napping! :)

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E.T.

answers from Albuquerque on

Wow - I can't imagine no sleep on Christmas Eve. We put our kids to bed by 8 and spend a few hours cleaning up the house, wrapping presents and sitting by the fire. And then it's 10 or 11 and I'm asleep. On Christmas morning, my kids wake us up around 6 or 7 if I'm lucky. But that means at least 7 hours of sleep. I don't usually have that much to do on Christmas Eve. Just wrap the kids gifts and put everything under the tree. I spend the few weeks before Christmas getting everything else done so that the couple of days around Christmas are smooth and relaxed!

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C.W.

answers from Indianapolis on

If you have little ones and have alot of stuff to put together. Start putting things together the week before X-mas after kiddos go to bed. Also start wrapping everything early as well. Then X-mas eve all you have to do is put everything out after kids go to bed. It's the only way your not up half the night and miserable the next day because you're so tired.

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M.G.

answers from Seattle on

Sleep? What is that you speak of? :) I've already been up this day(Christmas Eve)since before 5 in the morning for literally no reason. All the presents will go under the tree once the monkeys are in bed. My 6 year old already got into two gifts when I had them previously under the tree this year. This resulted in my 9 year old daughter knowing at least one gift.

I know today is going to be very busy with cleaning and baking and I've already had 2 cups of strong coffee to start the day. I would love to go and look at lights this evening to help bring in more holiday cheer for my children but we'll see. I doubt I'll get much sleep seeing as yes even at almost 30 I'm worse than the kids about Christmas. Plus, I have to make certain I'm up early enough to make Christmas breakfast.

1 mom found this helpful

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

The only Christmas that I got no sleep, was the year I caught a stomach bug. After skipping the kids' performance in the 7 pm church service (daughter threw up in the car on the way there), coming home, getting her cleaned up and everyone in bed, I proceeded to finish my wrapping. When I finished in the wee hours (1-2 a.m. ish) I felt sick myself, and went to the bathroom to begin my 4 day odyssey in the throes of a terrible stomach bug. I spent most of the rest of the night in the bathroom vomiting.

I did manage to crawl out to the sofa while the kids unwrapped gifts, then went back to bed. It was terrible.
Usually, I am in bed around 2 a.m. and sleep until about 6:30 a.m. when the kids get up. I expect this year I might get to bed a little sooner for a change, as I seem to have most of my wrapping done somehow ?? I have TWO items left to wrap. That's it. Normally, I have a half dozen or more still in hiding that have to be taken out and wrapped after the kids are in bed.

1 mom found this helpful

J.O.

answers from Boise on

Every other year my answer would be no. this year I am on the ball and won't have very much to do. My DD and my son's girlfriend sat up last night and wrapped the Santa presents so all we will have to do is bring them up and stuff stocking.

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

We realized on Thursday that we hadn't bought any gifts for the kids yet. So we went Friday and bought it all. It's hidden in my MIL's closet. She passed away several years ago so even if we're at the house the kids would have no reason to go in her room much less to open her closet door. Since she passed away in there they don't go into her rooms anyway, they're spooked out.....

We got everything we wanted, luckily. They had unloaded a new shipment of bikes that night so we got new bikes that was just off the truck. Santa would be sad if he couldn't find the right size for the kids in styles that were okay, like a boy bike for the boy and a girly bike for the girl. Not something that was real generic.

We have to get the kids ready for bed and to sleep THEN hubby has to go get the gifts for the kids and bring them here. So it is definitely going to be a short sleep night for both of us.

My grandson just asked what would happen if he woke up during the night tonight and we told him that Santa would skip our house so even if he did wake up he had to stay in his room until the sun comes up tomorrow.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.C.

answers from Dallas on

I don't get much sleep on ANY night. (Sigh)....
Christmas Eve: pretty good sleep though because everyone goes to bed quickly and easily, and I am tired by then. :)
Gifts are wrapped before Christmas Eve (though this was the latest year EVER: I finished it up yesterday with the help of a friend, because my normal routine was interrupted by moving halfway across the country, unpacking, setting up house, etc). :)
Reckon I should get off the computer though if I want to get all the things I want to do done at a decent time......making cookies with kids, a trip to the post office, some games and Christmasy events downtown, cooking some stuff in prep for tomorrow's party, going to church, having friends over tonight for treats and warm cider or cocoa and a gift exchange, etc. It's going to be a wonderful couple days, I just feel it. But yeah, by the time it's all over tonight, I will crash into bed and not wake up until about 6. :) Merry Christmas R.!

1 mom found this helpful
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T.M.

answers from Tampa on

Yep! I HAVE to have my sleep or I am way too crabby the next day. Tonight we are going out to dinner (just my DH and I with our 2 kids) and then driving around to look at lights. After we get back, it will be time to check Norad Santa and put the kids to bed after reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas". We really try to not have anything that has to be wrapped/put together after the kids go to bed. We have actually taken a day off of work to take care of those things while the kids are in school :) We put the presents under the tree after the kids are in bed.

Then, my DH and I sit down and have a few glasses of wine :) Perfect!!!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.O.

answers from Detroit on

Yes, I'm always in bed by 9pm every single night of the year. I hate being tired. can't stand it! The kids and I get 10 hours a night, usually the kids ending up with 11-12 (which they need). I will read for a bit before bed sometimes.

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E.M.

answers from Phoenix on

I will be up all night wrapping!! I am lucky if all of my presents are purchased by tonight, much less wrapped...LOL!!

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A.T.

answers from New York on

I'll sleep. It's alot quieter now, with my parents gone. We use to get together with the entire family, and be up 'til 4 or so, but no more. I'm in bed by 1AM the latest. We will open one gift tonite and celebrate X-mas morning.

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L.E.

answers from Provo on

It is noon and I am sooooooooo tired.

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❤.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

No we do not get much sleep on Xmas eve.

It's okay. I'll sleep the next night.
It's still fun for me. :)

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M.F.

answers from Phoenix on

Santa doesn't wrap presents, so that makes things a lot quicker and easier. All other presents are wrapped and under the tree already way before Christmas Eve. I usually make a nice dinner, get some advance cooking done for tomorrow, kids are in bed at a semi-decent 9:30-10 ish, Santa does his thing, my hubby the procrastinator wraps his gifts to me and we're in bed for his annual viewing of "Silent Night, Deadly Night" by midnight.

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K.S.

answers from Miami on

Planning on Midnight mass tonight so tonight probably not.

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