Speaking of the Holiday - Christmas around the world.
 

I know we have people from all over the world here, so I am wondering how everyone celebrates the holiday. What are the traditions of your country, family, etc.

I think many of us are familiar with American traditions such as Santa Claus, a Christmas tree, lots of lights and presents and the one we don't talk about that much, overspending. LOL

Individually, I think we've also adopted other traditions as people immigrated to this country. My mother always had a pickle ornament on the tree because of our German heritage and also a golden spider, though I can't say for sure where that one is from. Since my parents have passed, our traditions have changed and now our holiday looks like this:

As a family, we like to get together at least once and bake cookies or make chocolates for the season.

We prefer to spend the bulk of our Christmas budget on adopting a family for the season, so once we get them we strategize on how to fill their needs, shop for them and then have a wrapping party where we do all the wrapping at once while listening to Christmas music and having a pot luck dinner. In essence it is our family Christmas party.

Our Christmas celebration starts on Christmas Eve where we each open a gift, always, always pajamas, watch It's A Wonderful Life with hot cocoa, cookies and other treats.

On Christmas day we open our presents first thing in the morning. We each get four presents based on "something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read." After the presents are open, we play games, listen to Christmas music and have a special dinner together. It always used to be ham, but now we change it up from year to year.

After dinner we play more games and as it gets dark, we start heading for our individual homes. All and all it is a quiet, relaxed holiday for our little family. :)

Let's hear about yours. :)

We love to open presents early Christmas morning. I always make a trifle and gammon. Whether the veggies are hot or salads, totally depends on how hot the day will be. It's the middle of Summer here.

Our Christmas has changed over the years as my boys get bigger but we used to alternate going to our family in VA for Christmas day or flying in a few days later. When the boys were younger we would usually start with Santa and gifts from us on Christmas morning. We have always tried to go to Christmas Eve service or during C0V1D we did a fun Christmas/Bible Jeopardy game with family.

Christmas now is changing but we will be in VA just the three of us starting on the 21st. My oldest will join us on the day after Christmas (I am still not okay with this yet but getting there...he wants to be with the girlfriend in Texas). Christmas Eve we have steaks/potatoes and a Happy Birthday cake for dessert. We go to Christmas Eve service then come home to put out cookies (we make those that week, Monster Cookies every year). Off to bed...Christmas morning at my inlaws with breakfast and gifts from Santa (we do our gifts before we leave TX). We then go to my moms or dads for lunch (my parents split up 20 or more years ago but are on friendly terms again but not married again so they are always together). After lunch we go back to the inlaws for more gifts from them and the cousins. Sometime later in the week my sister will come visit with her family. I also try to see my best friend from elementary school/highschool. We have been friends for 40 yrs!!! Last year it was messed up by getting C0V1D. If we have extra time we sometimes get away just hubby and I for an over night or 2 night trip just to refresh. We don't need this as much now as we did when the boys were little.

Christmas in China is just a normal day to majority of people. My husband goes to work and my son goes to school.
It was so weird and lonely in the first few years, but I had to live with it.

I try to make it more bearable by putting up a tree and having presents underneath it. It makes us feel the Christmas excitement in our home, at least. We open the gifts on Christmas day, it could be in the morning or evening, whenever is a good and not rushing time for my husband (he is a lecturer, so if he has morning lecture, he'll have to leave early).
There are times, when my husband has lectures until late, I'll take my son for a Christmas dinner out in a restaurant, to make it special. Not sure what we do this year, though... Covid makes it hard to wander around the city, even if it's just for a meal. We might just have a delivered meal at home.

Until this March, I have worked shift work and often work the holidays. So our normal Christmas is just our little family at home and it works around my work schedule. We do always watch The Santa Clause while opening presents. I usually wake up the kiddo to look at what Santa brought before I go to work. For the past few years, we have gone out for all-you-can-eat Sushi after I get off work. At work, we always do a big potluck, and sometimes our families stop by for food. Since I now have all holidays off, I don't know what our Christmas will look like, but likely it will be similar.

Christmas in Australia, probably just like Christmas in the US, more like a celebration, family gathering and, uhm, excuse, for some people to go shopping :p in the name of gifts and presents :D
But since we are in southern hemisphere, it's summer time and sometimes on Christmas day could be very, very hot.
Barbeque or seafood are the common meals for Christmas here.

Back in my hometown country, Indonesia, Christmas is more of a religious celebration, so only the Catholics / Christians celebrate them even though shopping malls still put on Christmas decorations and they sell the trees, lights and everything Christmas-y. We usually just go to church on Christmas eve and Christmas day.

I'm not that big fans of big gifts and lots presents on Christmas day and now the kids are older, it's getting less and less.
I still get them books, underwears & socks, it's more of a need for them and I like seeing presents and stockings under the tree for photo purposes :D

We'll be away this year so I already put my Christmas tree up so I can enjoy it longer lol

For us in New Zealand it is summer. Scrapbooking with kits based on snow is not for us. We gather the family together. My husband is a pilot so this year he will be in Houston so we do a long facetime call We also have a significantly disabled 20 year who is like a 3-year-old so it is forever the little children type start to our day. Barbeque and salad and swimming etc are all part of our day.

Christmas collections from around the world would be awesome kits. Including one for adopting a family.

Lorie, I love this topic and reading everybody traditions! Christmas is my face celebration and I like the idea that we all celebrate it around the world!

I think we have a lot of similar traditions in the US.
Here we begin by celebrating the first Sunday of Advent with an Advent wreath and its four candles.

We often start decorating at this time.
We make the Christmas crib with the santons that we install.
At home, there is the Christmas tree that we decorate, a Christmas wreath on the wall and lots of Christmas decorations everywhere. We love that!

We listen to Christmas music often American but also French.
We try to visit Santa Claus and choose the gifts that will please everyone. And spend too much! :D
On Christmas Eve, we do the last groceries we need for the night.
In the evening, we celebrate, we get all dressed up and we organize a kind of brunch.
We put a glass of milk, a carrot for Rudolph and a cookie for Santa.
There is Midnight Mass but it's a little late for my parents.

The next morning, the children (and adults) open their presents, we place Jesus in the crib and in the evening we have a good meal again as a family.
My sister loves decorating the table.

These are family moments that I love very much.
I love the magic of Christmas!