From ‘glittering’ the garden to private visits from Santa – 5 of the most bizarre celeb Xmas traditions revealed
IF we asked you to name some typical Christmas traditions Family Fortunes style, you’d likely opt for one of the big hitters.
Whether it’s turkey with all the trimmings, or a carol service followed by mulled wine and mince pies, families up and down the UK often have a very similar way of doing things.
However, the same can’t be said for everyone around the world, as each country has their own wonderfully wacky spin on traditions.
Take Norway, for example. Norweigians widely believe that Christmas Eve brings about evil spirits and that the only way to ward off the witches is by hiding all the brooms in the house before they head to bed.
Meanwhile, in Venezuela’s capital city Caracas, it’s customary to travel to early morning mass – aka Misa de Aguinaldo – on none other than roller skates.
And when it comes to celeb land, many stars like to mix things up and add in their own quirky way to mark the special occasion too.
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Here, Fabulous charts the famous faces who like to do something a little bit different from the norm – from a Brit VIP who sprinkles glitter everywhere to a Hollywood A-lister who dresses up her Oscar in festive wear…
STACEY SOLOMON’S UNUSUAL CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST
In many ways, Stacey Solomon is the epitome of Mrs Christmas herself.
Not only does she get into the spirit nice and early by unveiling her epic decorations, but she’s also known for Christmas crafting, letting her fans in on the secrets behind her creations.
But believe it or not, the TV star, who is married to Joe Swash and has five children, likes to go against the grain on Christmas – especially when it comes to her choice of breakfast.
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Rather than tucking into a full English or smoked salmon and eggs, the 34-year-old rustles up a very different morning meal, which even she has admitted is a rather strange choice.
“This is going to sound really weird… my mum every Christmas morning used to cut a grapefruit in half, put some sugar on it and that was our breakfast,” Stacey revealed.
“None of my kids will eat it, Joe won’t eat it, it’s not even that great, but I just have to every single Christmas.”
She added on an episode of Loose Women: “I don’t eat grapefruit all year but on Christmas morning, I sit there with my half a grapefruit and sugar and I really enjoy it.”
AMANDA HOLDEN’S GLITTER TRICK
Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden is used to making contestants’ dreams come true – and she likes to spread that same magic at Christmas for her daughters.
The 52-year-old and her hubby Chris pull out all the stops for their two girls Lexi and Hollie, and have even come up with some unusual traditions to get the ball rolling.
While many parents and their kids leave out milk and carrots for Father Christmas, Amanda and her girls were always focused on Santa’s little helpers when they were growing up.
Amanda explained: “We have a lot of family traditions.
“We leave glitter on the lawn so the reindeers can see where to land and which house has got magic in it”
And the radio DJ doesn’t stop there, as when it comes to presents, she makes sure everyone is included – even the family’s furry friends.
“Every single member of the family, including the cat, has a Christmas stocking.”
But Amanda also likes to keep it real, and admitted she prefers the lead-up to Christmas, rather than the day itself.
“Christmas Day can be a bit of a flop so the build-up is the best thing about it,” she previously confessed.
KATE MIDDLETON’S 'ALONE TIME'
Many families wake up on Christmas morning and bound down the stairs to open presents – but the same can’t be said for Kate Middleton and William.
According to Royal insiders, the women and the men of the family spend breakfast time apart and only unite to go to Church later in the day.
Former Royal chef Darren McGrady explained: “On Christmas Day, the ladies generally opt for a light breakfast of sliced fruit, half a grapefruit, toast, and coffee delivered to their rooms.”
He added to the Daily Mail back in 2017: “The male royals, meanwhile, come downstairs to the dining room for a hearty breakfast at 8:30 a.m, with eggs, bacon and mushrooms, kippers, and grilled kidneys, to set them up for the 11:00 a.m. church service at St Mary Magdalene.”
If King Charles follows the same strict format, this means that Kate will get some alone time, while William mingles with his male relatives.
Although with three little ones to entertain, we can’t imagine it’ll be relaxing.
REESE WITHERSPOON’S FESTIVE OSCAR
While in our homes you’re more likely to find a nutcracker of gonk, Hollywood star Reese Witherspoon is among the few who can go one step further.
As well as lavish decorations, Reese, 47, previously confessed that her Oscar statue she’s the proud owner of gets a little bit of festive love.
The mum-of-three revealed that the gold gong, which she took home back in 2006 for her role in Walk the Line, is unrecognisable on the big day.
And that’s all thanks to her children Ava, Deacon and Tennessee.
“At Christmastime, they put a little hat on him and a little scarf, so he doesn't get cold,” The Morning Show actress previously said in an interview.
MARIAH CAREY’S OTT ACTIVITY
It wouldn’t be a Christmas traditions list without checking in on the Queen of festivities herself – Mariah Carey.
And she’s definitely not to be outdone.
The hitmaker, best known for the classic singalong All I Want For Christmas, starts her celebrations on the 23rd of December – and in serious Mariah style.
She previously explained: "Depending on how many of us are up in [Aspen], we get one or two horse-drawn sleighs, and we bundle up and go riding in the snow under the stars.”
But Mariah – who is a proud mum to twin, daughter Monroe and son Moroccan – doesn’t stop her OTT festivities there.
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The singer added: “We always drink cocoa with butterscotch schnapps to keep warm, and we sing at the top of our lungs.”
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