Sheffield’s favourite Christmas Eve traditions - readers share how they celebrate the night before Christmas
Christmas Eve looks different across Sheffield, so we asked readers how they spend the night before Christmas.
Traditions ranged from the unusual - John Lee said: “I eat a kilo of whelks” - to the straightforward honesty of Dan Carney, who summed up his plans as “getting drunk.”
For Nicole Pinder, the focus is firmly on making it through the wrapping marathon in one piece.
She joked: “Celebrating another year getting up off the floor without a broken back from the wrapping.”
Festive films were a recurring theme, and Simon Moore said he would be watching Santa Claus the movie.
He explained that it is a tradition he started with his mum when he was a child, which he now continues this with his own children.
He said: “It’s still magical for me.”
Similarly, Simon Mansell keeps things simple, saying: “Watch the snowman with a glass of baileys”, while Mark Wilde combines baking with screen time, sharing:“Make mince pies, watch a Christmas movie - Scrooge .”
Food and preparation featured heavily for others.
Jo Green said Christmas Eve is about getting ahead, explaining she spends the evening: “Stuffing the turkey and getting all the prep done for the big day,” before settling down with a glass of wine.
Meanwhile, Jake Crookes keeps it social, opting for “Christmas eve dinner with my family and friends.”
Acts of kindness and connection also stood out, as Chris German shared that this year he would be spending time with his 85-year-old neighbour and his friend with Christmas eve dinner, before cooking something special on Christmas Day.
Faith remains central for many too, with Susan Jones saying she would be “going to the Christingle at church.”
Families with young children described packed schedules full of festive traditions.
Sophh Hiee Exx listed “festive hot chocolates, ginger bread house competition, matching PJ’s, xmas film,” alongside games, a themed bath, a Christmas Eve takeaway and sprinkling reindeer dust before putting out treats for Santa.”
Others are deliberately slowing things down.
Helen Jayne said: “Spending time with my hubby on sofa with a hot chocolate drink ‘n snacks watching Christmas movies,” adding that it was something she had never done before.
Jessica Jade was simply relieved to be organised early, saying she was “celebrating finishing the Xmas wrapping today and not Xmas eve .”
Takeaways proved to be a firm favourite across the city.
Lainey Ackers Atkinson said her tradition is a curry from Akhtars, Killamarsh, while Sally Harrison opted for having a Chinese takeaway.
Together, the responses paint a picture of a city spending Christmas Eve in its own way - whether that’s being tucked up early or enjoying a takeaway on the sofa.