'Sledging in Sutton Park & Christmas markets' - Brummies share favourite festive traditions in Birmingham

Matching Christmas pyjamas, a breakfast bucks fizz, and not forgetting that all important turkey dinner. The most wonderful time of the year is fast approaching, and we all have our own personal idea of festive heaven and festive hell.

The big day is fast approaching as is the festive season where people get a bit of a break from the daily grind to spend some time with loved ones over the festive season.

We were intrigued to know what Christmas traditions Brummies like to enjoy, so we asked our readers on Facebook for their favourite traditions. We received a number of great responses.

Here's what our readers said:

'Our favourite Christmas traditions'

Jenny said: "Going to Sutton Park with my brother to get holly from Blackroot Pool..with a sledge in the snow."

Kathleen wrote" "My dad would take the kitchen door off to use it as a table top! So we had our Xmas lunch together. Turkey stew boxing day."

Krystle told us: "Having the family round and staying in the house Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Then sale shopping the day after Boxing Day. Now it's totally different. I do things differently as I live in cornwall."

Mandy told us: "Chocolate covered Brazil nuts from my parents every year!" Dianne wrote: "Putting up the Christmas tree  and decorations love doing that."

Colin's Christmas Day tradition is: "Pork pie for breakfast." John Billingham wrote: "When my mother and father were alive. We used to meet in the Robin Hood pub on Christmas eve. Have a couple of pints and listen to the Salvation Army who toured the pubs playing Christmas carols. It really set you up for Christmas day."

Patricia wrote: "A box of Milk Tray with a lovely picture on the box. All different centres and each one twice the size to what they are now."

Paul wrote: "Anybody remember the Father Christmas that used to go around the streets back in the day? I grew up in Northfield, not sure about other areas, but could hear the music from what seemed like miles away, everybody would come out and wave to him. Good times."

We also spoke to Brummies in Birmingham city centre about their favourites. Dixie, who is a mother of 9 children said: "The most important thing is time and love. Maybe it's not all about the presents and what you can give to somebody in those sorts of ways. As long as the kids have got some sort of presents and they understand why we haven't got much because we've faced a lot of adversity, because last year we just a house and before that we were homeless.

"So to us it's about being together as a family."

Ashley said: "The only Christmas tradition in our family is just about being with family and friends and forgetting about the worries and the rest of the year." Kane said: "Dinner time was important because I'm a food lover as well and seeing my nan and my grandad and just having good memories on that day."

Catherine said: "I think the markets and a sign of Christmas and Birmingham feels very Christmassy. The lights and everything like that is a really nice start to Christmas in the Midlands."

Ash said: "Christmas is a religious tradition for a lot of people, but with England being so multi-cultural now, it's not only that it's a tradition for everyone. Me and my family we're not Christian, however, every Christmas we go to the old people's home next door and have a drink at the pub with them. It's just nice and that's how I know it's Christmas time."