5 gorgeous things we did at Christmas… that our own kids still do now

Brought to you by Aviva.

Starting new family traditions is great - but it's the golden oldies that usually win out in the end.

After all, if it's not broken don't fix it. And especially at Christmas, it’s lovely to revisit traditions from our childhood with our own smallies. But before we get into our favourite time-worn traditions, what do children really think of the festive season? Surprisingly, their little minds aren’t purely focused on their list for Santa. Just check out this adorable video from Aviva Home Insurance where the tables were turned and the kids were asked what their parents would like for Christmas. Meanwhile, here are five things we did at Christmas... that our children have only been delighted to carry on enjoying with us. 1) The Late Late Toy Show It's widely accepted that no matter what age you are, it's still totally fine to be excited about the Late Late Toy Show. The festive season only truly begins when Ryan Tubridy and a merry band of kids from around the country grace the TV for the only night of the year when all children are allowed to stay up late. Now, we can enjoy all the fun while keeping our kids entertained... it's a win-win situation. 2) Christmas lights There's nothing like a stroll through town in the evening to absorb and enjoy the lights around the city. What's even more exciting is the evening they get turned on. Kids on dad's shoulders and others on their tippy toes to get a glimpse of the 'on' button being pressed. The final 10-second countdown rings outs, followed by a massive cheer of excitement as the Christmas lights turn on. There is no greater or festive feeling than that. It's sure to make even the Scrooge in the audience feel warm inside. 3) New Christmas PJs We always got new pyjamas for Christmas, and heaven forbid if you snuck them on any night before Christmas Eve. They needed to be left in pristine condition for Christmas morning. Thankfully, these days there are so many options and variations on sale you can enjoy them throughout December without getting yelled at! One shop provides matching pajamas for all the family, even the dogs. Just think of the photo opportunities. 4) Opening one present on Christmas Eve Try as we might, it was so hard to resist the urge to open some presents before Christmas came around. They would be sitting under the tree tempting us for weeks before the day arrived. So, we were always allowed to open one present, usually a small one, on Christmas Eve. It's a tradition we've kept for our children, for two reasons. Let's be honest, we are too excited and we can't wait to see their faces opening the gifts. And also because it's a valuable lesson on self-control. Once they open one they will want to open them all. But, getting just one the night before teaches them to appreciate what they've got and not to be greedy. 5) Christmas games After you've eaten too many roast potatoes and had a second helping of turkey, it's time to relax and enjoy your evening. But with so much chocolate in everyone's system, there is no chance of slowing down. So, games are the perfect way to round off Christmas Day. Board games were a huge hit for us as children but now everything seems to be on iPads or laptops. It's time to bring back the old school non-technical games and it doesn't involve spending any money. Charades and Pictionary still go down wonderfully with the kids and it's fun for all of the family. Aviva’s latest campaign is all about those little things that make Christmas precious, and they’ve just the thing to make your Christmas at home the perfect combination of new and old traditions. They’re giving away five family Christmas hampers worth €500, which includes a Netflix subscription, goose down couch duvet and festive hot chocolate for family snuggles in front of a Christmas movie, as well as some of the latest family games that everyone can enjoy for years to come, plus loads more festive treats. What's more, Aviva automatically boost your contents cover by 10% in December! To enter, visit Aviva.ie/christmasisprecious.