Christmas Day is often hailed as the best day of the holidays… actually it’s probably deemed by many as the best day of the year. But we happen to think that Christmas Eve should be top of the pile and here’s why…

1. It’s all still ahead of you Everybody knows that the anticipation of something is better than the actual event. Guessing what your presents are, wrapping up what you’ve bought your nearest and dearest, and wondering if dinner is going to be as yummy as last year – that’s true happiness right there! 2. No stress in the kitchen Again, this is all still to come. Christmas Eve is about sitting down and relaxing ahead of the mad rush that is Christmas dinner. Nobody cares right now that the roast potatoes are burning or that the turkey needed to be on an hour ago. They certainly will tomorrow. 3. Everyone is heading home Okay, so the traffic sucks but it’s the day on which you can stick on Driving Home for Christmas and it actually be true. 4. Drinks galore Chances are you won’t be going anywhere tomorrow so drink up and be merry… 5. Let the eating begin It doesn’t matter that you’re going to eat your body weight in food tomorrow, the festive bingeing starts as soon as you get home. Bring on the salted peanuts, chocolate and ice cream. (Not all at once, that would be horrible.) 6. Presents? Check! Whether you are one of those people who had everything bought and wrapped by December 1st or a Christmas Eve shopper, by close of business today you’ll have all your presents bought. You physically can’t do any more and, more importantly, you can’t spend any more money. 7. Midnight mass Christmas… making mass fun. 8. There’s still a teeny tiny possibility of a white Christmas Tonight could be the night that there’s a sudden downfall of snow and everyone will wake up to a wonderful white Christmas… just because it probably won’t happen doesn’t stop us from dreaming about it.