What is a usual Christmas in your neck of the woods?

[RBP]

I was sending some games to my better half's sister outside London today and we started talking about the differences in Christmas between the US and UK. Her sister said last year that she tried to let the kids experience a "typical American Christmas" because the celebrations are different. But neither of us were sure how it was different.

So I am asking. What is a typical Christmas around your part of the globe?

My family has always done the main family gathering on Christmas Eve, and so has hers. Christmas day is the separate families. When I was a kid, our house was the gathering place for extended family and friends on Christmas Eve. It was more open house than anything but eventually settled down to the family and a gift exchange. Big tree, lots of food, lots of booze, far too many gifts piled high, ending with midnight mass. Then Santa the next morning.

These days, as we age, the gifts are far fewer with the main giving within the families not as much between. The adults for several years didn't exchange gifts, we all collectively donated gifts to a needy family. This year we picked names for a gift exchange.

[Fodster]

So, Im in Australia and lucky enough to have my folks over here to and my sister and her family!

However, had a huge fall out with the sister, folks are going to theirs for xmas and I am not invited.

Can someone be online on Xmas day t keep me company? :wave:

[Noilly Pratt]

Hey Fodster

It makes my head hurt to think. Right now it's 8:46pm Saturday here, and for you it's 3:46pm Sunday. 2pm on the 24th...someone should be here!

I have a strange mix of Canadian and UK - both my parents were British, but lived in Canada for a while. What they'd do is have a big party on the 24th at night, have lots of snack foods and just a general party. Then a quiet Christmas with just my parents and I in the AM.

Then just after lunch, we'd join my eldest brother (18 yrs older) at his place and have a big hang out get together where I'd help in the kitchen due to boredom and my brother, his son-in-law and my nephew would play pool and talk about sports.

Now it's a quiet celebration at home then all of my wife's family is coming to our place at 3pm, having dinner and we'll hang out 'til the wee hours. Funny - we all geek out over Star Wars and other stuff -- this is more where I belong. If I was to say "Han shot first!" at my family gatherings, I'd get strange looks, but with my in-laws it would prompt a discussion of "Greedo deserved it!" :)

Haven't talked with my eldest brother for 5 years, and my other brother (16 yrs older than me) we've finally talked last month and mended some emotional fences, so I'll phone him and wish him all the best. He's got a new wife, a new life and seems a changed guy.

We used to have a gift exchange -- $20 and we draw names, but a few events are happening that make us, well, less celebratory. So this year's gonna be weird. One bro-in-law is dying of Cancer, and a sis-in-law has separated from her husband, but he's coming to the celebration too...a few said "...then I'm not coming!" but we talked them around. There will be tension, but there will be a party, and there will be merriment. Dammit! :)

[Hal-9000]

We used to have a fondue on Christmas Eve, hot oil with meats and cheese. Members of our immediate family and a few close friends. We would never open gifts on Christmas Eve. Stockings hung up would be filled with Mandarin oranges, candy and chocolate, never additional small gifts. We would always leave a glass of milk out for Santa with cookies or cake. My Mom would make Christmas cake (fruitcake) and shortbread cookies every year.

Christmas Day was always a huge meal, usually turkey dinner with all of the fixings. We would often go out to my Aunt's farm (Dad's sister) for Christmas dinner as well. In fact I still associate that old farmhouse with the smell of turkey or chicken. Drinks for the adults, lots of food, lots of gifts and the separate children's table :face:

When I look back on it, we pretty much had the typical postcard Christmas's.

[Goofy]

We've never really done anything unusual on christmas eve, just treat it as any other day tbh. My gran and granddad on my mothers side always came out to ours for christmas lunch but since my granddad died it's just been the 4 of us. Gran normally comes out on christmas eve and stays for 3 or 4 days. Christmas day we'll exchange presents some time in the morning, have some soup for lunch (always a big pot of homemade soup made on christmas eve usually) then me and dad will go the local club for a few beers around 1.30pm or so (club always opens for a few hours in the afternoon, normally around 20 or so folk go for a few beers to work up a hunger :lol: ) then home by 4pm or so. I have a friend who works at the big slaughterhouse in Perth so we decided a few years back to stop having turkey (was never a big fan of it anyway) and start having steak instead, so it's a fucking massive t-bone steak each for me and dad (sure i posted pics of the beasts last year :lol: ) and normally sirloins for mum and gran. After that........ lazing around watching tv, never have much energy left after all the eating tbh :lol: Think the club is open at night this year so maybe pop over for a few beers later on if i can be arsed........

[Goofy]

So, Im in Australia and lucky enough to have my folks over here to and my sister and her family!

However, had a huge fall out with the sister, folks are going to theirs for xmas and I am not invited.

Can someone be online on Xmas day t keep me company? :wave:

Were you drunk at the time of the fallout by any chance? :lol: I'll be online at various points during the day no doubt :ok:

[Fodster]

We've never really done anything unusual on christmas eve, just treat it as any other day tbh. My gran and granddad on my mothers side always came out to ours for christmas lunch but since my granddad died it's just been the 4 of us. Gran normally comes out on christmas eve and stays for 3 or 4 days. Christmas day we'll exchange presents some time in the morning, have some soup for lunch (always a big pot of homemade soup made on christmas eve usually) then me and dad will go the local club for a few beers around 1.30pm or so (club always opens for a few hours in the afternoon, normally around 20 or so folk go for a few beers to work up a hunger :lol: ) then home by 4pm or so. I have a friend who works at the big slaughterhouse in Perth so we decided a few years back to stop having turkey (was never a big fan of it anyway) and start having steak instead, so it's a fucking massive t-bone steak each for me and dad (sure i posted pics of the beasts last year :lol: ) and normally sirloins for mum and gran. After that........ lazing around watching tv, never have much energy left after all the eating tbh :lol: Think the club is open at night this year so maybe pop over for a few beers later on if i can be arsed........

Sounds fantastic, very similar to mine a few years ago in England, the boys would always pop to the local while the women cooked, was always phones going mad, dinners on the table and the boys would always have "one for the road' :lol:


Were you drunk at the time of the fallout by any chance? :lol: I'll be online at various points during the day no doubt :ok:

ha ha !NO

[Jezter]

Over here it is very family and food centered. Usually we gather at our grandma's place around mid-day. Family and relatives that is. We spend a little time visiting and just hanging out, then eat Christmas lunch and such. Afternoon then is spent how ever people want. Then in the evening my family gather's at Mom&Dad's place for dinner and gift exchange. In Finland the gift day is Eve and not Day. So that happens. Food, gifts, watching Christmas stuff on TV maybe, coffee, a drink, then off to home. Evening some quiet time and snacking on left overs and chocolates and maybe some whisky for me. Just in general lots of spending time with people, eating like there's no tomorrow and then evening is time for quiet and mellow times.

[Hal-9000]

Isn't that just every day in your life Jez?




:dance:

[Jezter]

You must have quite quaint image of me and my life, Hal. Although, it is not far from everyday actually. :P

[RBP]

Isn't that just every day in your life Jez?

:dance:

Can't be, he didn't mention spunking in his own coffee. :lol:

[fricnjay]

Im in Texas so Im in the Bible belt and we still put the Christ in Christmas. Lot of religious overtones, more traditionally Christmas I guess. We do a tree and lights presents too. Go see a lot of performances of traditional Christmas songs and plays at everybody's church. And of course we get together with all the family and friends we can eat a meal together and exchange gifts. Honestly its pretty stressful considering my wife and I's parents are all divorced and the grandparents are all divorced so seeing everyone is difficult to arrange.

[RBP]

Yes, redefined and non-traditional families make old holiday structures more difficult.

[fricnjay]

I have to have at least 6 separate Christmas gift exchanges. :banghead:

[Jezter]

Can't be, he didn't mention spunking in his own coffee. :lol:

:lol: Bastige!

[RBP]

:dance:

[RBP]

I have to have at least 6 separate Christmas gift exchanges. :banghead:

I hear ya. We have 4 family gatherings to attend and just the "what can we bring" gets confusing.

[Hal-9000]

Can't be, he didn't mention spunking in his own coffee. :lol:

There's a nice Christmas image


ffs :lol:

[Jezter]

There's a nice Christmas image


ffs :lol:

You love it, you slut.

[Hal-9000]

Dear Santa,
Please send me a picture of Jez jerking off into the eggnog, thank you.






:lol: I grossed myself out

[Jezter]

We don't have eggnog here in Finland, so it's gonna be just a pint of Jez spunk. :lol:

[Hal-9000]

Now I won't be able to drink any eggnog this weekend you Finnish Fckwit :lol:

[Hal-9000]

A pint of Jez (with nutmeg!) :yumyum:

http://i.imgur.com/qeVt5Ew.jpg

[Jezter]

Ahh you will love it when you think of a pristine, arctic fresh glazing on your eggnog. Will give you all the right kind of tingles.

[Jezter]

A pint of Jez (with nutmeg!) :yumyum:

http://i.imgur.com/qeVt5Ew.jpg

Yeah see...the yellowy tinted stuff is the stored up Jez-milk. The top frothy part is when I am starting to run out and it comes out like that already. :lol: Nutmeg indeed...

[RBP]

:puke:

what have I started. :doh:

[fricnjay]

:puke:

[Jezter]

It was all nice and Christmasy...and now it's just jizzmasy. :lol:

[Goofy]

http://i.imgur.com/blxJGzH.jpg

[DemonGeminiX]

http://i.imgur.com/7O2FM6I.gif

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Usually we start off with some virgin sacrifices and then just do whatever feels like fun after that :)

[redred]

Sounds fun that , I just have a day of putting up with the other half's family and the same boxing day and she wonders why I tell her to fuck off about if I want to spend time with them on Christmas Eve

[Teh One Who Knocks]

We'll be going to Christmas at her parents house and then to the nursing home to see my dad....I'd rather just stay home and have our own Christmas....but yeah, that's not gonna happen. :|

[Pony]

Usually we start off with some virgin sacrifices and then just do whatever feels like fun after that :)

Where do you find the virgins? Mail order?

[Goofy]

Where do you find the virgins? Mail order?

None 'round here :lol:

[fricnjay]

Usually we start off with some virgin sacrifices and then just do whatever feels like fun after that :)

You know I've never understood why societies did that. Why on earth would you sacrifice a virgin when there are so many other ways to have fun with them. :tup: