Anne, I was asking about this thread a few days ago. The funny thing is we started putting up our tree last night and the same thing happened again, because we hadn't remembered to buy new lights. I think we'll have to do that.
Okay, I will post about my little Christmas.
Christmas Eve, there is an open house at my parents house. Family, neighbours, friends, etc. For a good 5 years there it was tradition that I always got sick on Christmas Eve! Havent done that in a while.
Growing up we always had 2 trees. The upstairs one that my mom decorates all pretty and the downstairs one that was all the crappy decorations we had made over the years, plus we each used to get one new ornament per year (there are a lot of hockey/moose/cute animal related things on that tree).
Christmas morning, under the upstairs tree would be a "santa present." When we were little it was a bigger toy, and when we got to be teenagers it was more an electronicy thing. This was the only present that I was led to believe was from Santa, and we still call it the 'santa present'. Santa present is never wrapped.
Then we would go downstairs and open our stockings and all the other presents. My grandparents used to stay over on christmas eve so they were there too. they have since passed away. We ALWAYS sit in the same spots to open presents and my dad is the present hander outer.
Then you play with your presents, eat leftovers from the night before for lunch and wait for turkey to be ready!
Oh and I wear jammies all day. It's weird eating dinner in pajamas though.
Edit: I just thought of a very important Christmas Eve tradition that I forgot. On tv Christmas Eve where the "kids" are (basically anyone from toddler to 35 hangs out downstairs watching tv and playing pool and games and stuff) must be the fireplace show (where they just show a burning fire on a loop for hours) and the TSN (The Sports Network) Year in Review.
Ok my Christmas at home used to consist of waking up to feel my stocking at the end of my bed (we just used a huge long winter sock of my dads, which he never wore). We would always get an apple and an orange (even though I'm allergic to them lol) sweets and I would get pens, arty stuff and socks! I used to run into my sisters room to see what they got...much excitment.
Then would come downstairs and my mum would force us to eat breakfast before we would go into the living room....otherwise we wouldn't have ate until late in the afternoon with excitment. Then we go to the living room and see all the presents (wrapped) under the tree. We unwrap the gifts from Santa then give our gifts to each other then wait for the rest of my family to come to ours. Then Christmas dinner around 2pm for everyone. The whole trimmings...Turkey, Roast Beef, Cooked Ham...Potatoes, roasties, brussel sprouts, carrot and parsnip, peas, stuffing and lots of gravy!!!! the best dinner EVER!
After that it watching tv while kids play with their toys. When I lived at home I would pester everyone to play a game of Trivial Pursuit...a board game! I love that game. So it kinda became habit until one year I got shouts of NOOOOOO!!!!! lol
Now since I have my own place and bf we kinda have our own Christmas but similar. Stockings, presents, breakfast and then go to his families for dinner but this year I am going to my sisters. Will be fun. Last year we had all my partners family to ours and it was MADNESS! This year we are keeping it very quiet and relaxed. Should be good!
Oh and Anne yes I always got a chap stick, strawberry flavour for me! lol
Does anybody else give up stuff for Advent like Lent? Cos we always do that in my house and i only found out last year that nobody i know has ever done this! It was mentioned in a poem we were studying in english last week so i think it's an old Irish tradition.
In my house we always give family presents on Christmas Eve and then on Christmas Day we go to mass and then the graveyard before opening presents from my parents.
oo, i wrote all this for meredith in her unsecret santa pressie so I don't want to repeat it hear yet. When she tells me she's recieved it I'll write it all again.
Traditionally in Finland Santa comes on Christmas Eve in person (especially if there are kids under 7 years old, with older people it's just presents under tree) and children sing to him. Before that there's been a huge meal, pickeld herring, smoked reindeer, pork, vegetable casserols, schnapps, beer etc.
Other big tradition is the declaration of Christmas peace at noon on Christmas eve from Turku (a town on the West coast). In my family we had lunch (hot rice pudding (porrage), cinnamon and sugar with one almond thrown in for good luck) either just before or straight after that, but you were supposed to be home by then and watching it on tv.
Traditionally in Finland Santa comes on Christmas Eve in person (especially if there are kids under 7 years old, with older people it's just presents under tree) and children sing to him. Before that there's been a huge meal, pickeld herring, smoked reindeer, pork, vegetable casserols, schnapps, beer etc.
So, in Finland, do reindeer pull Santa's sleigh? Because I see that you are eating them. Poor Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixon, Comet, Cupid, Donder, and Blitzen. ;o)
Well, we used to put the tree and the "creche", the "belén" in Spain. The cities have a lot of places (the town hall, churchs..) to see "belenes" and it's like a route.
On Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) my little family (grand-parents, uncle and parents) and I have a big dinner in my grand-parents' house, we see the TV, sing some carols and I play them with an instrument (different every year, this year is the guitar, but isnt a tradition, only a coincidence).
On Christmas Day only I receive presents, because Santa is not the "official presents' man". This day we have a lunch in my house.
On New Year's Eve we have a dinner again and 12 seconds before midnight, we eat 12 grapes to start the year with good luck. Then there is a big party in the city center with a free concert (hardly ever is worthwhile).
On New Year's Day we have a lunch again (I've just realised that we pass all Christmas eating LoL)
The 5th January night we... no, we don't have a dinner, is the Three Wise Men' procession, and they throw sweets and little gifts. This night we used to leave water for the camels and mazirpans,"mantecados" and "turrón" (typical food that we eat on Christmas)for the Wise Men. The next morning there are presents for everyone under the tree.
Oh, it seems like the essays that I have to do at school lol
(Sorry for my English, it's a long text :oP)
I stay at home on my own with some real easy to cook food a few cans and a nice bottle of whisky the remote control and watch shit tv all day. I usually make a couple of calls in the morning and then turn my phone off.
Traditionally in Finland Santa comes on Christmas Eve in person (especially if there are kids under 7 years old, with older people it's just presents under tree) and children sing to him. Before that there's been a huge meal, pickeld herring, smoked reindeer, pork, vegetable casserols, schnapps, beer etc.
So, in Finland, do reindeer pull Santa's sleigh? Because I see that you are eating them. Poor Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixon, Comet, Cupid, Donder, and Blitzen. ;o)
Yes this struck me as amusing too. Can't imagine that the whole reindeer thing is played up as much if they are part of the holiday meal.
