5 ways to spend Christmas Eve

How are you spending your Christmas eve? Feet up or on the move?

Christmas Eve crowds. Picture: Sarah Harvey

IT'S the day before Christmas and all through the state, people are busy and in traffic, running late.

Christmas time is a wonderful time of year, but let's face it, it's pretty manic.

If you're one of the clever ones and you've got everything sorted and are kicking back then well done, but judging by the buzz around this neck of the woods, there are plenty still with plenty to do.

Here's five ways to spend Christmas Eve:

1. Christmas shopping

To be honest, you couldn't have picked a worse day for it.

The streets are packed, shopping centres are overflowing and the shelves are emptying.

You're standing in KMart cursing the fact you agreed to buy a present for your brother's girlfriend.

"What is she into again?" 

You spend half the morning trying to find a park and when you do it's closer to your house than the shopping centre.

There aren't any baby-sitters available so you've got three hyped-up kids in tow and you're trying not to lose them in the maddening crowds.

You want to cry into your foodcourt thickshake but there's too much to do and you regret doing the food shopping first, as the watermelons feel like they both weigh around 40kgs each, but you had to get them, they were the only two left, and it's too far back to the car and where's Jayden gone?!

"JAYDEN!"

Don't leave it to the last minute, but it's too late for that advice now. Picture: nandyphotos

2.On the road

You've decided this year to spend only the shortest possible amount of time with your family, so a Christmas Eve road trip it is.

Although it seems every single other vehicle in the entire land is also going in your direction.

Dad has a dictator-like grip on the iPod and is humming along to Johnny Cash, trying to drown out the pleas for Taylor Swift coming from the back seat.

It's hot and the air con isn't really working so a couple of windows are down, filling the car with a hot, sticky breeze.

Usually you'd enjoy this drive, the scenery is beautiful, but not today, today you just want to get to Uncle Mick's and crack open that first beer and put your feet up.

Don't despair, there's only 100kms to go, you should be there in three or four hours.

Stuck in traffic, what fun. Picture: Chris McCormack

3. At work

Deary me, that's right, there are still plenty of folk around the traps that aren't in holiday mode at all, not one little bit.

They are bravely warding off stressed shoppers, tending to sick and caring for the elderly or finishing off the paint job of a house in time for Christmas.

Spare a thought for these people, smiling through gritted teeth as they think about all of the fun they are potentially missing out on.

Work, work, work. There's no rest for the wicked. Picture: Lee Constable

4. In the kitchen

You've got 35 guests expected tomorrow and there is a banquet to prepare.

You're skipping between marinating the chicken thighs and cutting up a bowl of fruit for the 12 trifles you said you'd make.

"Where is Jen with those watermelons? She's been gone hours!"

You've had the oven on since 8am, the kitchen is sitting at about 65 degrees and you're trying to keep cool.

When you're not looking kids are stealing rumballs and Dad keeps using the lime for his beers, it's a struggle and you ask yourself why you thought it would be a good idea to suggest Christmas at your place this year.

Less hassle, that's what you thought wasn't it. Yeah right.

5. With your feet up

You're one of the lucky ones.

Arrived at the campground on Wednesday, the weather is warm, the kids are having a ball and the fish are biting.

Everything is as it should be.

Relaxed, smiling and without a care in the world.

You even spare a thought, for those rushing madly around the city looking for a particular box of Star Wars Lego, ha, who are you kidding, no you don't.

Happy campers. Picture: Jodie Osborne And Sophie Lester

Originally published as 5 ways to spend Christmas Eve