Charlie O'Brien Blog: The recipe for the perfect family Christmas

This year is the first year that my son Noah has understood Christmas.

He’s excited about Father Christmas bringing presents in his sleigh and he gazes in awe at window displays with trees, snowmen and decorations.

I’ve always absolutely loved Christmas so to see the magic coming alive in my own child is almost too much excitement to handle!

But what I have realised, is when I’m sitting breastfeeding my three-month-old daughter – I’m frantically scouring the internet for 'stuff'. Stuff that I’ve convinced myself will make his Christmas even more magical. Stuff like this...

• Recipes for reindeer food and fake snow.

• Jumpers and onesies that he can wear to his parties and special plates to leave out for Santa.

• Christmas Eve boxes – because the internet has brainwashed me into thinking these are vital. (They’re not, but they are rather cute.)

But really, I know that we don’t need any of these things to have a wonderful Christmas.

I know that in order to give my children the same magical feeling that I had every year as a child – I just need to surround them with love and cosiness.

Growing up we decorated the tree every year with a wobbly VHS of Disney Christmas songs playing in the background. It became our tradition and last year I found myself searching for the exact same video on youtube.

My parents didn’t have the money for extravagant gifts or days out, but Christmas was magical every single year and it was nothing to do with how much had been spent or how ‘perfect’ things were.

I’ll never forget the feeling of waking up, seeing the old sock at the end of my bed full of little gifts and knowing that he’d been.

One year my younger brother and I were even sure we’d heard reindeer on the roof.

So as much as Pinterest and Instagram is amazing for ideas and inspiration – I know that I don’t need to force ideas or traditions and they will just naturally fall into place as the years go by.

I am however making mulled cranberry chutney for the second year in a row, even though I was up till 2am making it last year!

What is your idea of the perfect Christmas and what traditions are important in your house?

Charlie X