Traditional Holiday Celebrations: When? What? Where?

[ITCC_Andrew]

Not entirely sure if this fits here.



Anyways, I'm curious about a few things:

• When do you (or your family) open the presents? Christmas Eve? Christmas Morning? Christmas Day? Christmas Day at Night?
• Do you have presents?
• Do you celebrate something other than Christmas?
• Where do you go for Christmas?
• Do you put up a Christmas tree?
• Religious ceremonies?
• Do you know what you're getting?

Rather than the other thread(s), I want to focus on the cultural aspect of the holidays, and learn more;

In Germany, for example, the gifts are, traditionally, opened Dec. 24th, in the evening. In Canada, they're generally opened after breakfast. In Spain, they're opened at midnight (if I remember correctly.) Mexico has entirely different traditions. What's yours?

(P.S., I'm not interested in which presents you get, more of a general "budget," if you speak about the gifts themselves. This thread's a comparison, because if I ever end up travelling, I don't want to be offensive, and want to read about other cultures.)

 

[Joel]

I've never opened presents EDIT: AFTER breakfast...most people I know are the same way.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

I've never opened presents before breakfast...most people I know are the same way.

Newfies Nova Scotians are Canucks, too! I said, that my family also opens them after breakfast.

So, I guess the few thousand kilometers between southern Ontario and Newfoundland Nova Scotia really don't mean much? But, from when I almost dated a Newfie girl, I will admit, you guys (Easterners, a.k.a. Maritimers) talk very quickly.


Wait, that says Halifax? Switch Newfy for Nova Scotian, then.

 

[Joel]

Every Christmas I was old enough to remember (save one) has taken place in Southern Ontario . I was born in Halifax, my family grew up there, we moved to Ontario when I was 4 and I went back to Halifax for university this year (my family still all live in Ontario). I'm more Ontarian with some east coast influence if anything, if you heard my family and I talk we'd all sound like we're from Ontario (except for the way we pronounce aunt ). When I say everyone I know does gifts before breakfast, I mean from both Nova Scotia (all my extended family/school friends), and my friends in Ontario. I dunno, I couldn't imagine being a young kid and going to sleep ready for Santa to come and then waiting until after breakfast, I'd rather ruin my breakfast with chocolate .

As for the OP:

• Christmas morning, 6-8AMish (largely depending on the age and excitement of the youngest kid).
  
• Yes, presents from family and Santa (not Santa so much any more). As you get older and have more money you spend more on your family.
  
• We only celebrate Christmas, no other holidays. I'm toying with the idea of introducing Festivus to my family for next year.
  
• Christmas has (with one exception) always happened in my house, whether it was back in Halifax before I could remember or in Ontario. One year we went to my grandparents' house in rural Nova Scotia).
  
• We usually go to a nearby tree farm and cut a tree down, this year we bought a pre cut tree from our usual tree farm (had to get my brother to hockey practice on time ).
  
• We went to church sometimes on Christmas Eve for a while, but my family has largely moved away from religion as a whole and we don't do any religious ceremony for Christmas.
  
• Not really, I didn't really as for much, I'm sure something PS3 related, an absurd amount of chocolate, and some clothes. Problem is I just buy stuff when I want it and there's nothing left for people to get me that's obvious.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

So, you do or don't open before breakfast? Strange, the breakfast always tastes better, while awaiting the presents.

 

[Joel]

I've never opened presents AFTER breakfast...most people I know are the same way.

When I say everyone I know does gifts before breakfast, I mean from both Nova Scotia (all my extended family/school friends), and my friends in Ontario.

I dunno, I couldn't imagine being a young kid and going to sleep ready for Santa to come and then waiting until after breakfast, I'd rather ruin my breakfast with chocolate .

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

You changed the quotes? Or, am I just confused by the first quote? I'm not sure that all of your statements agree...?

 

[Joel]

You changed the quotes? Or, am I just confused by the first quote? I'm not sure that all of your statements agree...?

Fixed it. No more eggnog for me.

 

[Worst_Driver]

We open the gifts at midnight here in the province of Quebec.
I could not get up earlier than 8AM after the 24th of december when you get to bed at 3AM or more .

It's always been like that in my family and I think that it's like that in the rest of Quebec too. Not so sure about that but in Quebec we like to party and being drunk at 9AM is a bit weird.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

We open the gifts at midnight here in the province of Quebec.
I could not get up earlier than 8AM after the 24th of december when you get to bed at 3AM or more .

It's always been like that in my family and I think that it's like that in the rest of Quebec too. Not so sure about that but in Quebec we like to party and being drunk at 9AM is a bit weird.

Ouais, I understand. (I speak French, and plan on, some time, visiting you lot.)


I would love to further practice my French, so, it only makes sense. Otherwise, it's a long trip across an ocean. All the way to St. Pierre et Miquelon!

I believe, that the Spanish culture is similar to the Québecois culture; party, open presents, then sleep. xD

 

[Worst_Driver]

That's cool, Joyeux Noël by the way

St-Pierre et Miquelon, that's about in the middle of the atlantic sea. Seems like a nice place though. 👍

I know some people that unwrap the gifts the morning of the 25th of december but they are exceptions.

You forgot something though, we party after opening the gifts too.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

That's cool, Joyeux Noël by the way

St-Pierre et Miquelon, that's about in the middle of the atlantic sea. Seems like a nice place though. 👍

I know some people that unwrap the gifts the morning of the 25th of december but they are exceptions.

You forgot something though, we party after opening the gifts too.

Merci, for saying Joyeux Noël, and vous aussi!

(Joyeux Noël = Merry Christmas)


Anyways, St. Pierre et Miquelon is French, yes, but, there's really not much to do, on an island of 200-ish people, and I would need a passport.

 

[Tesla]

In my family (British background but living in Australia) we wait for everyone to be up before we start opening presents. We're allowed to open a small one before everyone is ready and we can open whatever is in our stocking. This is all before breakfast, seeing as whatever lollies and chocolate you receive is breakfast.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

In my family (British background but living in Australia) we wait for everyone to be up before we start opening presents. We're allowed to open a small one before everyone is ready and we can open whatever is in our stocking. This is all before breakfast, seeing as whatever lollies and chocolate you receive is breakfast.

Canada's diets are huge, and healthy, in comparison to that, but, we share the "all together, open together" philosophy; we even take turns.

 

[PeterJB]

When do you (or your family) open the presents? Christmas Eve? Christmas Morning? Christmas Day? Christmas Day at Night?

We open our stocking presents in the morning, then the main presents in the afternoon after lunch.

Do you have presents?

Yes.

Do you celebrate something other than Christmas?

No.

Where do you go for Christmas?

Stay at home with family. We alternate between my mum's house and dad's house each year.

Do you put up a Christmas tree?

Yes.

Religious ceremonies?

Usually either Christingle, the Nativity service or Midnight Mass. This year it was the Nativity.

Do you know what you're getting?

I have an inkling, I make a list each year.

 

[Lissa]

When do you (or your family) open the presents? Christmas Eve? Christmas Morning? Christmas Day? Christmas Day at Night?

When my children were small, they would come into my bedroom with their stockings when they woke up, and open them there. Main presents were opened late morning.

Do you have presents?

Yes.

Do you celebrate something other than Christmas?

No.

Where do you go for Christmas?

Stay at home with family. My daughter is here this morning and is joining us for lunch.

Do you put up a Christmas tree?

Yes, but only a tiny, potted, real tree now there's just the two of us. Anything bigger, and our cats would just climb it and attack all the baubles.

Religious ceremonies?

None.

Do you know what you're getting?

Yes, Pete and I exchanged presents as soon as they were delivered.

 

[DK]

When do you (or your family) open the presents? Christmas Eve? Christmas Morning? Christmas Day? Christmas Day at Night?

Christmas Morning, usually at around 6am.

Do you have presents?

Yes.

Do you celebrate something other than Christmas?

No.

Where do you go for Christmas?

It depends, one year my family might go to a relative's house, or we stay at home.

Do you put up a Christmas tree?

Yes.

Religious ceremonies?

Does Sol Invictus count?

Do you know what you're getting?

Vouchers, cash and a Freeview box for my TV.

 

[Joey D]

When do you (or your family) open the presents? Christmas Eve? Christmas Morning? Christmas Day? Christmas Day at Night?
In the past we've opened them Xmas morning whenever I decided to get up and come downstairs. This year it was when I finally showed up after a two hour drive.

For Hanukkah I typically open them on the last day since that's when the get together is.

Do you have presents?
Yup, not as many as when I was younger but my whole family still does presents.

Do you celebrate something other than Christmas?
Yup, Hanukkah with my girlfriend's family.

Where do you go for Christmas?
Parents house for Xmas and girlfriend's parents' house for Hanukkah.

Do you put up a Christmas tree?
My mom does some years, others not so much. She put up one this year though. I don't have one in my apartment though because it's a pain to store it. I do have a LED menorah and I have a festivus pole, but it's still in the basement back at my parents' house so it didn't go out this year.

Religious ceremonies?
When I was younger we'd go to church on Xmas Eve but we haven't gone in ages. For Hanukkah we do the menorah lighting but nothing else.

Do you know what you're getting?
Some years yes, some years no. This year I had a hunch it was either going to be a TV or a grill; it ended up being a TV. My parents typically ask for some ideas so I always figure they'll get me one of the things. Some years I'm surprised and get all of it.

 

[Northstar]

When do you (or your family) open the presents? Christmas Eve? Christmas Morning? Christmas Day? Christmas Day at Night?

We go to my Aunts(as do other Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents & Cousins) on Christmas Eve where we give presents to the kids and play a game for the adults where a bunch of presents are in the middle, the game varies from year to year though, this year it was cards.

My immediate family opens up presents on the morning of Christmas.

Do you have presents?

Yes, although these days I give way more than I get(as I'm sure is the same with most adults). I will say that the best present though is when the kid plays with what you got them for more than 5 seconds.

Do you celebrate something other than Christmas?

Festivus(google that by the way and look to the left)

Where do you go for Christmas?

Usually I just spend it at home with my mom and my brother, although this year I also went to my grandma's for a little bit.

Do you put up a Christmas tree?

A crappy fake one.

Religious ceremonies?

Nope.

Do you know what you're getting?

From my mom yes, the adult present game is random though.

 

[Mac K]

When do you (or your family) open the presents? Christmas Eve? Christmas Morning? Christmas Day? Christmas Day at Night?

Christmas morning/day

Do you have presents?

Yes.

Do you celebrate something other than Christmas?

No.

Where do you go for Christmas?

My house, relatives house in town.

Do you put up a Christmas tree?

Yes.

Religious ceremonies?

Nope

Do you know what you're getting?

This year I did, but not usually.