ad | The big day is quickly approaching, so it’s time to organize those last minute details to make Christmas as special as possible. Like getting in the last of the Christmas treats, buying some last-minute gifts and of course, thinking about what you and the kids are going to be leaving for Santa and his hard-working reindeers on Christmas Eve.
Photo by Monika Grabkowska on Unsplash
I remember leaving out mince pies, milk and carrots for Santa and his reindeers on Christmas Eve as a kid and it was always so magical to wake up and see that they had gone.
Obviously as an adult without children, I won’t be doing that this year but for those with kids, I think it’s such a special part of the Christmas tradition that shouldn’t be ignored.
Where did the tradition come from?
So all traditions come from somewhere, right? And the tradition of leaving mince pies and milk for Santa actually originated in the Netherlands.
In the Netherlands, December 6th is Festival of St. Nicholas, with children all over the country leaving food offerings for the Saint, in exchange for presents.
Over centuries, as this tradition expanded, as most traditions do, the idea of leaving food gifts for Santa spread across the boarders. And Saint Nicholas finally morphed into the Santa we all know and love today in the late nineteenth century.
In the UK, what do we like to leave Santa?
Whilst most of us are keeping things traditional with mince pies and milk – like my family did when I was a kid – it’s no surprise that families these days like to put their own stamp on the tradition.
Here are some statistics of what UK families are leaving Santa and his reindeers on Christmas Eve:
- 39% are keeping things traditional with mince pies
- But 17% are leaving other sweet treats, like cookies
- 63.4% are still leaving Santa a glass of milk
- However, that percentage can be split into 53% cows milk and 10.4% an oat drink
- 82 people out of 250 in a recent survey are leaving Rudolph a carrot
Photo by Diliara Garifullina on Unsplash
What about the booze?
That’s not all that us Brits are leaving Santa whilst he’s out flying. Did you know that 36% of brits are doing it wrong, by leaving him alcohol. Sheeesh! With 12% leaving a glass of brandy, 4.4% leaving a glass of wine, 9.6% a whisky and 10.4% leaving him a beer. He’s definitely over the limit.
And not to put a downer on the whole thing but this could definitely be a good time to introduce a lesson or two about drinking and driv – I mean, flying and safe alcohol consumption to the younger people in your household.
If Santa is having a tipple at every single house he stops at, it’s a surprise he makes it out of Lapland, let alone around the globe. Add some low or no alcoholic beverages to your Christmas food delivery, so there’s plenty of safer options.
Creating your own Christmas Eve plate for Santa
There are plenty of ways to make your own Christmas Eve traditions that suit your family but I think leaving food and drink out for Santa and his reindeers is a lovely one to pass down through generations.
However, you can get creative, even with this simple tradition:
- Create your own Christmas Eve plate: Although these might not have been a thing when I was a kid, they certainly are now and I think it’s a lovely idea. You could even take your child to a ceramics workshop to make one or buy a plain plate and allow them to decorate it as they wish
- Buy a Christmas Eve plate: Don’t have the time to make one? No problem! There are plenty of gorgeous Christmas Eve plates available on the market to purchase, check out these Christmas Eve plates from Not On the High Street
- Get baking: There’s also nothing to say you have to give store-bought goodies to Santa and his reindeers. Get yourself and the kids in the kitchen and bake your own treats for him!
