are plenty of non-alcoholic drink options available. A Christmas fruit punch makes the children feel a bit special and can also slow down some of the adults' drinking. Spare a thought Have some distractions ready in case things start to go a bit pear-shaped and old niggles begin to emerge. A family walk to the beach, some party games, sing-alongs, perhaps some of the children in your family might want to entertain the adults, or maybe someone has a Singstar and can bring it along. Little helpers Make sure the children help out. Assign them jobs like setting and clearing the table, helping with the dishes, handing around food and re-filling glasses. It is good for them to learn that Christmas Day isn't just about oum slaving away in the kitchen with her apron on. Share stories Before the day comes to an end, make sure you've all told some family stories. Children love to hear about what their relatives got up to in the old days and it can be a wonderful tradition to share these stories every Christmas, and have a good laugh while you're doing it.